[Sands]

Just interested f anyone else has done this.
I`m growing gherkins for the first time. I have only one plant for space reasons (given 2 plants away) and now find that the gherkins are abundant but vary in sizes now I come to pickle them. If I keep them `til others are ready  they go soft. Now salted a few to withdraw excess water and using the BBC recipe will finish off tomorrow with white vinegar (recipe calls for white wine vinegar but too expensive for me!)
One question : does anyone have other uses for gherkins? Keep it clean.

[jambop]

I find a natural salt fermentation makes better pickles. I also think it is better to have several plants so you can harvest enough of them to fill a one litre jar. Dead simple after that fill jar and then add 20g per litre salted water to completely cover the gherkins, you may have to put some sort of weight to hold them under the surface of the brine.

[Sands]

Great,thanks Jambop. Will try that.

[jambop]

If you have not tried this method before I suggest you do a net search for natural salt fermentation. There is a lot of very good information out there.

[hasbeans]

I just add the cukes to the pickle jar when they are the right size, always keeping the jar full with vinegar and pouring the excess vinegar into the next sterilised jar when I add them.  I keep both jars in the fridge until one is filled with gherkins then seal it properly and store as normal.  Not had any problems so far.