Hi heidiho - you'll want to check out all the discussions on making pickles and the solutions to problems with them over on the Harvest Forum here. It is the forum with all the canning/preserving info and discussions.

But basically the cause is 2 fold: First, you are not using pickling cucumber varieties but are using what are called slicing varieties. Pickling cucumbers are much more firm than slicers, have thinner skins, and much smaller seed cavities.

And second, soft slippery pickles, when using the right kind of cukes, are usually caused by either vinegar that is too weak, an insufficient amount of brine, moldy garlic or spices, or blossom ends not removed from the cucumbers.

All of this is discussed in great detial on the harvest Forum and you can also check out the Solving Pickling problems at NCHFP.

dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - Pickling and Problem Solving

Is it a going soft after harvest, problem, as in picking, or Pickling?
If the latter, Dave is correct.
if the former picking (as in Harvest)?, I find they go sort of springy after more than a day or 2 in the crisper, and the cut part goes soft, I just cut that bit off, also I use them small and pick more frequently, this works for me, although late in the Season. My four year old's developed a taste for them and they never even make it to the crisper now, even the store brought ones. :)

Holy cow! I mis-read that one!! Sorry Heidi - just ignore me. :(

Pick-ing, Dave, not Pick-ling. Yet another senior moment to rack up. I think that is 29 for this week and it's only Tuesday.

Dave

Any veges in my fridge go in plastic bags, fridge air is very dry and everything immediately goes floppy.
I have a pretty empty fridge: my garden's close by and I pick veg as I need them.

The reason is simple, the tender they are, the softer they get fast.
To preventt it, keep them in a closed container in the frig.
The reason for getting soft is loosing moisture.
As Dave said, slicers hav thinner skins(and more water content maybe also)
That is why commercial cukes have thick skin like rubber so they will not soften quickly.
and they apply some wax/oil to prevent loosing water.
Lastly, try to pick them when you need them. This may not be possible when you have lots of them.
In that case you need to learn how to give tham away. lol

Plastic bags with or without holes makes sense to me and also picking them at the coolest time of day.
I just didn't think of it.
That's what makes you guys so great. Ya'll send us all that good advice and ask for nothing in return. Wish I could send all of you some of these "no longer limpy, I hope> cukes.

Will try both ways to see which works best for me.

digdirtD\ Don't worry about those Sr. moments we all have them; some of us more often than others. lol

Thanks to all of you for the advice and quick response.
Have a nice week.

I put them in a gallon size plastic bag or an empty bread bag...unwashed. They stay crisp for a week or two.

Can't say I've tried it with cukes, but an icewater bath often crisps up limp produce. It works on carrots and lettuce, but I don't know if it works with cucumbers. Might be worth a try.

I agree with Susan. Try an ice water bath (for the cukes, not for you). Then store refrigerated in a closed bag.

Harvesting in the coolness of early morning is a good thing to do also.

Jim

I agree with a couple of the posts above - make sure you harvest them in the morning (all veggies are at their optimum in the A.M.) and make sure to leave a little bit of stem on the cucumber. It's best to harvest with a pair of snippers or scissors so you can get a bit of the stem with the fruit. Then place into a ziplock bag and put in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator.
The reason for this is to preserve the moisture in the cucumber - the ziplock keeps the moisture in the bag. Otherwise, the refrig will pull the moisture out of the cucumber and make it soft and rubbery.

Here is a link that might be useful: Judy's Square Foot Garden

I pick mine in the evening mostly, sometimes in morning. I put them in frig veggy container without any plastic bag, but do not wash them until I need to use them. They stay crisp for few days - and I only pick what I need for few days. The veggy drawer in my frig has 'moisture' setting selector and I keep it at 'middle' position

Thanks to all of you for the helpful information.
Have a nice weekend.