Pickling Cucumber

(Lycopersicon esculentum )

A popular crimson red medium tomato with great taste that tolerates low night temperatures, so it is ideal for cooler area. A Russian heirloom that is an early producer. A tough and vigorous producer that needs staking.

An attractive cultivar medium sized, scarlet red fruit that is full of flavour. Tolerant of cool night temperatures and ideal for cool climate gardens

Flavours/Food Partners

A rich flavored tomato that partners well with Latin herbs like garlic, oregano, marjoram, rosemary and thyme. Use with any good salad vegetable, Nasturtium flowers and mixed fresh herbs to make an attractive and tasty salad.

Health/Cooking/Medicinal

Like all tomatoes, Red Russian is high in the cancer fighting agent, Lycopene and also Vitamin C. For a classic rich sauce cook and mix with garlic, marjoram, sweet basil, diced shallots, and fresh pizza thyme. Finely dice, mix finely chopped shallots, fresh pesto basil and extra virgin olive oil and place on lightly toasted Turkish bread then top with an anchovie for a special homemade bruschetta.

Landscaping/Planting

Plant in an airy, sunny position in well drained soil or very large pots. Requires a 1.1 to 1.4 m stake.

Cultivation/Fertiliser

Like all tomatoes it must receive a deep soaking when almost dry and should not receive overhead watering. Feed regularly with Seasol and Powerfeed. A small amount of dolomite lime after planting will make stronger plants. Remove side shoots and develop two or three main leaders. Harvest when fruit is full color

Herb Attributes

Position Full Sun
Height 1.2m
Width 50cm
Categories: ,

Description

(Cucumis sativa ‘National Pickler’)

Recipe

Pickles are a tasty and exciting addition to any lifestyle and culinary range. The secret to a unique, flavourful pickle is in the spices you add to the brine. Take 1kg Pickle Me Cucumbers, 4 small onions, 1 large capsicum, ½ cup of salt, 1 cup sugar, 900ml cider vinegar, 4 teaspoons dried Renaissance Herbs (choose from Rosemary, Basil, Dill, Thyme, Oregano, Sage, Coriander leaf, Garlic etc). Chop onions, capsicum, cucumbers and place in a bowl with salt and cover with water and soak overnight. Next day combine herbs, sugar and vinegar in pot and then bring to the boil ensuring sugar is all dissolved. Drain cucumber etc. and add to pot. Bring back to the boil then take off the heat and place in sterile jars, seal and place in cool dark area. Will hold for 12 months.

Description

A tropical vegetable that thrives when the weather is hot and water is plentiful. Plants are frost-tender.

Planting/cultivation

Cucumbers do best in warm, fertile soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Work in generous amounts of rich compost into your existing garden soil and give regular applications of Seasol and PowerFeed over summer and autumn. Cucumbers grow fast and don’t demand a lot of care. Keep the soil consistently moist and begin to harvest in 30-40 days. Check vines daily as the fruit starts to appear. Vines produce more fruit the more you harvest. To harvest the fruit, use a knife or clippers. Pulling them may damage the vine.

Herb Attributes

Harvest DECEMBER TO MAY
Position PART TO FULL SUN, FROST SENSITIVE
Height 1.0M
Width 3.0M

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