Cucumbers

Of the cucerbit family. The two basic types of cucumbers are the slicing varieties and the pickling varieties. You can slice and eat a pickling cucumber, but you should not pickle a slicing variety. The only way to can/preserve cucumbers, is to pickle them. I have had success with a freezer pickle version. The fruit of the vine is mostly water and does not adapt to dehydrating well. When the vines are producing, they should be picked every day or at least every second day, in order to keep them producing. When the weather turns hot, your cukes may get bitter tasting. Little trick - cut off the blossom end and rub the two cut edges together. The white juice that forms is the 'bitter' and you can just rinse it off.