How to Grow Boston Pickling Cucumbers

A jar of pickles

Boston pickling cucumbers are an heirloom variety known for their heavy yields and resistance to cucumber scale and the mosaic virus. The cucumbers can be used for both sweet and dill pickles and if left to mature further can be used as spears or in salads. The Boston pickling cucumber grows well in most soil and thrives in hot, humid areas where the plants receive full sun. You can start Boston pickling cucumbers indoors approximately 2 weeks before planting or they can be grown directly in the garden.

Things You'll Need

• Peat Pots
• Potting soil
• Seed
• Shallow tray
• Plastic wrap
• Garden space
• Organic compost or
• 10-10-10 fertilizer

Instructions

Starting the Seed Indoors

1. Fill peat pots with potting soil to within 1/2 inch of the top of the pot. You should do this approximately 10 days before the last frost date in your area.

2. Place the pots into a shallow dish, such as a baking dish. This will keep the pots upright and easier to care for.

3. Water the soil in the pots until the soil and the pots are wet and moist throughout.

4. Place 2 to 3 Boston pickling cucumber seeds on the top of the soil. Cover with approximately 1/4 inch of additional potting soil.

5. Cover the peat pots loosely with a single layer of plastic wrap. Place the pots in a warm area. Remove the plastic wrap when the seedlings break through the top of the soil.

Planting in the Garden

1. Thin the seedlings in the peat pots to one plant per pot, if you started the plants indoors.

2. Prepare the garden space by adding compost or 10-10-10 fertilizer to the location you plan to plant the Boston pickling cucumbers.

3. Create rows four feet apart in the fertilized garden space.

4. Plant four to six seeds every 18 inches, one inch deep in the prepared soil. If using started seed, plant a single plant every two foot in the row.

5. Water the plants weekly with up to two inches of water. Pick cucumbers at the desired size for pickles. Boston pickling cucumbers generally reach pickling size 7 to 9 days after blooming.

Tips & Warnings

• Figure on 3 to 4 plants per person for fresh cucumbers for salads and spears. Plant an additional 5 to 7 plants for pickling and canning.

• The Boston pickling cucumber is non-hybrid variety developed in the 1880s.

• While Boston pickling cucumbers are mostly water, they do contain a small amount of beta carotene and are low in carbohydrates and fats.

• Over mature Boston pickling cucumbers may begin to turn yellow and become bitter.

References

• Cornell University: Vegetable Varieties - Cucumbers
• North Carolina State University: Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions for North America - Cucumbers
• Utah State University: Cucumbers in the Garden