There are some best cucumber varieties for pickling and salads. Cucumber comes in a lot of different varieties, but do you know that they aren’t all the same? Some cucumbers are great for pickling, others are better for garnishing. Most people make almost similar mistakes by thinking that all cucumbers can be turned into pickles – only to find out that they end up with mushy and tough pickles. So, if you want to avoid making the same mistake, you should know which cucumber is best for salad.
Boston Pickling
It’s one of the best cucumber varieties for pickling and salads because you can get continuous crops during the growing season. This vining and heirloom type needs 55 days to mature. With the standard 3-inch size, the cucumber has firm flesh and it’s crunchy. It can soak up and hold the brine’s flavor. It’s considered easy to grow because it’s pretty tough. It’s resistant against powdery mildew, angular leaf spot, downy mildew, and scab.
Bush
The variant is compact, so you don’t need a lot of space to grow. Provided that you have plenty of sun exposure, you will always have abundance of supply, even when you grow it within limited space or tiny containers. This bush and hybrid plant needs around 50 days to grow, able to generate 4 inch (5 inch is max) of fruit. It’s resistant against (cucumber) mosaic virus and scab. You can have succession planting to make sure that you don’t run out of supply.
Calypso
As a part of the best cucumber varieties for pickling and salads candidates, this vining and hybrid variety is liked for its tough and disease resistant quality. It’s tough enough to deal with powdery mildew, angular leaf spot, scab, mosaic virus, and anthracnose. It takes 52 days to mature and produce 4-inch of fruit. The cucumber is quite thick too, around an inch in diameter.
One of the unique characteristics of calypso is the firm interiors. That’s why this type is great for pickling. You can also eat it fresh, just like that. If you want to enjoy easy growth, have them on the trellis so you can enjoy even easier access.
H-19 Little Leaf
Like the name, this plant doesn’t need a lot of space to grow. This compact, multi-vining, and nonhybrid type needs around 58 days to mature. The leaves are small and the cucumbers appear from several (vining) branches. Harvesting this cucumber isn’t only easy, but it’s also super fun. One plant alone can produce a lot of yield, so if you have a small garden but you want to enjoy non-stop supply, this one is the perfect option.
National Pickling
The plant is able to produce generous fruits. This vining and heirloom type needs 52 days to produce 5 inches of fruits. The shape is thick and short. It somewhat looks perfect for packing jars. The vines can grow up to 3 to 4 foot, and the vines can be wrapped around the trellis.
County Fair 83
This variety is able to produce small cucumbers, but it’s considered perfect for pickling. The cucumber alone has this nice sweet and mild flavor, and it’s not too bitter. It’s firm and somewhat packed, and you can turn it into tasty pickles without breaking any sweat.
Wisconsin SMR 58
This funny-looking cucumber is a vining and nonhybrid type. Gardeners and picklers in midwestern areas love this type because it’s able to produce an abundance of yields. The plant needs 55 days (60 days, max) to generate 6 inches of fruits. 8 inches would be the longest and biggest yield. This plant is perfect for trellis growing because it helps the plant to grow straighter. Plus, you can harvest it easier. It’s pretty resistant against mosaic virus and scab.
Words of Advice
Make sure that you go with the variety that you like. When you want to make salads or pickles, you want something that is quite firm but not too tough. You don’t want any mushy salad either as the crunch is the appealing factor of the meal. You can choose the best cucumber varieties for pickling and salads that fits your personal preference, but make sure that those cucumbers have all the requirements you want.