Piccolo di Parigi is a traditional and popular French variety which can be bought all over France. This plant produces a prolific amount of little, fresh flavoured and spiny gherkins. This variety can be eaten raw sliced or it can be pickled with vinegar and herbs. Large quantities of small, fresh, prickly gherkins grow on this plant from the beginning of the season. Can be eaten whole or sliced. Of course it is also ideal for pickling. Harvest regularly to promote growth and remove gherkins that are too thick, as these do not canned well. This variety suffers little from mildew. Little Paris can be harvested for quite a long time. Use gherkin Little Paris with herbs and vinegar when preserved whole or in slices. Also delicious in a fresh summer salad. Non hardy annual.
Indoor sowing: from April
Outdoor sowing: from May
Germination temp.: 20 - 22°C
Germination: 3 - 5 days
Sowing depth: 1 - 1½ cm
Transplanting seedlings: At least 3 weeks after sowing
Plant spacing: 1 m²
Plant position: sunny and sheltered
Harvest period: June - September
Sow indoors from April in individual pots. Sow 1 - 1½ cm deep in moist soil. Transplant the seedlings outdoors after 2 or 3 weeks, when there's no longer any danger of frosts. Gherkin seedling roots are very fragile, so be careful. Gherkins need a sheltered and sunny spot or put them in a greenhouse.
Sow outdoors from May, when there's no longer any danger of frosts. Pick a sheltered and very sunny spot or put them in a greenhouse. Sow 1 seed about 1 - 1½ cm deep in individual pots. Keep moist and weedfree. Transplant the seedlings to bigger pots, when they're large enough to handle. Be careful with the tender roots.
Harvest the gherkins by cutting of the fruits with a knife. Water them extra during dry spells because they need a lot of water during growth. They can be preserved with vinegar and herbs.
