A catalog of cucumber varieties and hybrids for pickling and preserving

Every homemaker has her own tried-and-true pickling recipe. But along with culinary secrets, you need to know how to choose the right variety for canning. We offer you a ranking of the best, which will ensure your preserves are delicious, aromatic, and crispy, finger-licking good. Grab a notebook and pen and take notes—you won't find this kind of information anywhere else.

Selection rules

Long, smooth-skinned cucumbers are good for salads, but not for pickling. Salad cucumbers are eaten fresh in the summer. Cooking softens the skin, degrading the flavor.

Pickling cucumbers have numerous bumps and spines on their skin. When cut, the flesh is firm, with few seeds. They are delicious when picked straight from the garden and ideal for various preserves.

The third group includes all-rounders, suitable for everything imaginable. They combine the characteristics of the first two groups: a slightly ribbed surface with white spikes, slightly shorter than the light green ones.

In addition to group membership, the choice is based on:

• growing conditions (open beds or shelters);
• vegetable ripening time;
• taste qualities;
• crop yield.

Varieties developed back in the 20th century, successfully grown in various regions of the country, and new hybrids are available for sale. The selection is vast, but it's recommended to focus on regional varieties adapted to specific locations.

Suitable for canning:

• gherkins;
• producing cluster ovaries.

Seeds are collected from the varieties you like during cultivation. With hybrids, you'll have to purchase new seeds each year.

Characteristics

Choosing the right variety or hybrid doesn't always guarantee success. The harvested cucumbers must meet certain requirements:

• length - no more than 12-13 cm;
• on the skin there are tubercles (pimples) with thorns;
• taste - slightly sweet, without any hint of bitterness;
• the pulp is elastic and crispy;
• absence of voids.

They have a unique internal structure, with transverse blood vessels, which gives the flesh a crunchy texture. Salad varieties don't have this characteristic; when dipped in hot brine or marinade, the flesh becomes soft.

Early cucumbers will yield a harvest in the first half of summer, but for winter storage, you'll need to sow cucumbers later or use mid-season and late hybrids. In regions with short summers, cold snaps are common in late August, so it's recommended to grow vegetables in greenhouses. Under cover, they'll ripen just in time for pickling and canning.

TOP 8: Good old tried and true

Nezhinsky

Suitable for growing on trellises, as it produces long vines. The cucumbers are ready to harvest in 55-70 days. Insect-pollinated. When pickled, they have excellent flavor and a crunchy texture. The fruits are large, bumpy, and dark green.

They reach approximately 10-12 cm in length. Nezhinsky cucumbers are not suitable for storage; they must be processed immediately after harvesting.

Muromsky

A familiar, yet somewhat forgotten, variety to seasoned gardeners. It forms vigorous bushes with abundant foliage. The short vines are grown spreading in beds. It tolerates cold snaps well and is drought-tolerant.

Murom cucumbers are short, up to 8 cm tall, pot-bellied, and firm. The skin is light green with characteristic whitish stripes. The fragrant, crisp fruits are suitable for pickling (jars, barrels). A downside is that they quickly overripen and lose flavor.

Far Eastern

Produces elongated fruits with juicy, dense flesh. It is distinguished by a long fruiting period and vigorous vine growth. It is grown in Siberia, the Far East, and the Urals, producing high yields.

Parisian gherkin

The main advantages of the cucumber, beloved by summer residents:

• sweetness;
• crispy flesh;
• undemanding to growing conditions.

Resistant to adverse conditions, produces stable yields.

Gherkins up to 10 cm in length, with dense contents under the skin. The surface is covered with numerous bumps with spines. Each cucumber weighs 90 grams.

Vyaznikovsky

Belongs to the "old guard" and is cultivated everywhere. The cucumbers are elongated, up to 12 cm, slightly lumpy, and aromatic. The core is dense and crisp.

Fabulous

Elongated, weighing up to 120 grams, they are 10-12 cm long. They are mid-early, with the first harvest occurring 50 days after germination. They are delicious and suitable for marinades and pickles.

Coastal

Appeared on the market in the 1990s and is primarily grown in open beds. It's a mid-early variety, with cucumbers harvested after 50-51 days. The triangular cucumbers have blurred whitish stripes, a bumpy surface, and are thornless. The fruits are firm, without bitterness or hollows.

Crisp

Justifies the name completely, in salting The flesh remains firm, tasty, and crunchy. Suitable for open-ground beds, it also performs well in tunnels.

It's insect-pollinated and ripens in about 50 days. Yields are stable, up to 9 kg per square meter. The cucumbers are harvested at 8-10 cm in size; these are best suited for barrel pickling.

The skin is large and bumpy, a rich dark green. Gardeners praise the crispy variety's flavor, noting that pickling only enhances its taste.

TOP 8 favorites

Hermann

It requires no pollination, is productive, and is easy to grow. Developed in Holland, it has been on the market since 2001. The gherkins are bright green, with small tubercles. Up to 20-25 kg of gherkins can be harvested per square meter.

Hector F1

A popular early hybrid variety. Harvesting time: 30-35 days. Compact bushes, with cluster-type ovaries forming at the nodes. Resistant to major diseases, dense planting is acceptable.

The cucumbers are small, 8-10 cm in size. The surface is covered with large tubercles and white spines. The flesh is crunchy and juicy, with a distinct cucumber aroma.

Courage F1

A domestically bred hybrid distinguished by vigorous bushes and unlimited growth. Parthenocarpic. It produces up to 6-8 gherkins on lateral shoots. The fruits are rich green with a barely visible bloom, weighing 100-140 grams. They have a sweetish taste with a pleasant aroma.

Phoenix

A productive, late-ripening variety. Recommended for open beds, insect-pollinated. Produces cylindrical cucumbers up to 12-15 cm in diameter.

The bushes are vigorous, with long vines. They bear fruit for a long time, but regular harvesting is recommended, otherwise the cucumbers will become overgrown.

Aquarius

A plant with medium-length vines and robust pentagonal leaves. It produces oval, tuberculate fruits. The skin is brownish-hairy.

Length: 12-14 cm, color: green with whitish stripes. The cucumbers are juicy, without bitterness. Harvesting begins on the 50th day, and the fruiting period is long.

Game

Excellent for pickling and marinating, crispy and delicious. The cucumbers are elongated, no more than 11 cm long, weighing 68-72 grams. They have few spines. They ripen in 450-50 days. The harvest period is extended. Shows good result in cover, on open ridges.

Moscow Region Evenings

An indeterminate, vigorous hybrid characterized by resistance to infections and high yields. Ovaries form in clusters, with up to 3-4 gherkins. Flowers are predominantly female, with a long fruiting period.

Marinda F1

A productive hybrid of Dutch selection, yielding 25-30 kg per square meter. Self-pollinating, with a consistent and stable yield of cucumbers.

The white-spined fruits are harvested approximately 40-45 days after germination. It bears fruit for a long time. It is one of the best varieties for winter preservation.

New Hybrids. Top 6

Lilliput F1

With proper care, this hybrid gherkin can be harvested as early as the second half of June. The cucumbers are 7-9 cm, large-tuberculate, and covered with small white spines. They are ideal for pickling and make delicious marinades. They are easy to grow and produce a high yield (10-12 kg per square meter), but do not tolerate temperature fluctuations well.

Son-in-law F1

An early ripening variety, it produces well in greenhouses and also yields well in open-air beds. It is renowned for its excellent flavor. This hybrid is easy to grow, requiring no pollination and producing fruit in any weather. The fruits are 12-14 cm in size, with numerous tubercles. The spines are soft, not prickly. The cucumbers are harvested with pickles or gherkins. Harvest is 40 days.

Siberian pickle F1

This hybrid stands out among new varieties for its resistance to adverse weather conditions. Developed specifically for high-risk farming zones, it is easy to grow. The cucumbers are short, 6-8 cm, and firm. The skin is light green, with small bumps and spines. Genetically, it is free of bitterness and has excellent flavor.

Maryina Roshcha F1

A cluster-type hybrid, it begins to yield fruit early. The fruiting period is long. Up to 10-12 gherkins ripen on the bush at a time. The emerald, white-spined fruits are 10-12 cm long, with dense skin and tasty, juicy flesh.

F1's hit of the season

Renowned for its abundant fruiting and reliability, it was developed by breeders at the Manul agrofirm. It produces cucumbers until late autumn. The gherkin-shaped ovaries form in clusters of 3-6. Lateral shoots grow vigorously, extending the harvest period. The cucumbers are white-spined, 8-11 cm in length, and have excellent flavor.

White sugar F1

An original hybrid with milky-creamy cucumbers. These sweet, firm cucumbers look stunning in assorted jars. Developed by Ural breeders, White Sugar is recommended for harsh climates.

Ripens in 48-50 days. Fruits are 10-12 cm, with sparse bumps on the skin. A productive hybrid that requires little care.

Among the hybrids, gardeners note Ginga F1 and Kroshka Enot F1. Among the specially bred gherkins, we highlight Syn Polka F1, Ecole F1, Temp F1, and San'kina Lyubov F1.

Universal. TOP 7

Fontanelle

An easy-to-grow hybrid that produces greens in any season. It boasts excellent flavor and is easy to grow. In sheltered areas, yields are up to 22-25 kg per square meter, while in raised beds, yields up to 10 kg. The fruits ripen unevenly and are 10-12 cm long. They are free of bitterness and hollows, and have a distinct aroma. When pickled, they retain their characteristic crunch.

Bushy

Early maturing, compact in size, with shortened shoots. Female flowers predominate. The young fruits are harvested daily during the fruiting period, otherwise they will overgrow. The fruits are 9-12 cm in size, thick-skinned, tuberculate, and black-spined.

Baby

Small, 7-10 cm cucumbers ripen in 38-40 days. They have white pubescence, and large, prickly bumps on the dark green skin. Up to 45-50 cucumbers are harvested per bush. They are prized for their early maturity, versatility, and resistance to infections.

Cuckoo

This variety has been popular for over four decades. It grows in all regions, receiving positive reviews from gardeners. It produces cucumbers up to 20-24 cm long. The flesh is firm, with numerous small seeds. It has a pleasant aroma. The vine is weak, so pinching and side-shooting are avoided in cultivation. For canning, the fruits are cut into slices.

Tom Thumb

It produces fruit without pollination (parthenocarpic) and has performed well in greenhouses and raised beds. It yields 12-14 kg per square meter and bears fruit for a long time (up to 1.8-2 months). Gherkins are 7-9 cm long, with small whitish stripes on dark green skin. Flavor is rated "excellent."

Masha F1

The harvest takes 38-40 days. The fruits are cylindrical, with a very thick skin. They are 7-9 cm long, and the flesh is juicy and crunchy. There is no bitterness. Up to 11-12 kg can be harvested from one square meter.

Competitor

Vigorous, bee-pollinated, ripens in 45 days. The cucumbers are bumpy, dark green, and covered with small spines. They grow to 12-14 cm. Resistant to bacterial wilt and powdery mildew.

Harvesting Rules

Properly harvesting vegetables for canning is an art form. Basic guidelines:

1. Preferably in the morning, before the bright rays of the sun.
2. The day before, the plants are watered with warm water.
3. The fruits are removed carefully, without damaging the vines or turning them over.
4. During the harvest season, they are picked daily to prevent them from becoming overgrown. Some hybrids are genetically engineered to be bitter-free and resistant to overgrown fruit. Older varieties turn yellow if not harvested in time, and the fruit skin becomes rough.
5. It is advisable to make preparations on the same day after harvesting.
6. It's recommended to grow cucumbers with different ripening times. Early ones are best for summer preserves, while late ones are used for pickles and marinades for winter consumption.