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I love home made gherkins and what better to grow them from scratch!!!
I got some gherkin cucumber seeds, and I have sown some in a tray and I am surprised at the size of them!! After just a week they are whooping great seedlings!
But I read that you should sow straight in the ground! (read this afterwards of course)
Have I done something silly? And any tips about growing these things? Can I stake them and grow them upwards??
Also I tray-sowed some sweet pepper (what we call capsicum) seeds at the same time as the gherkins - no sign of life. They are on the pantry windowsill where it is light but cooler than the kitchen. Should I move them to somewhere warmer?? or do they just take a long time to come up?? they are slightly experimental  :P but would be nice if I couls at least get them started :D

Your gherkins are just fine, I alwsa start mine inside and put them out when the weather is safely warm..Peppers take longer to germinate and use a but more heat to do so.Pop them in the airing cupboard if you can.

If you want dill pickles when you make them at the end of the season don't forget to plant dill and garlic too XX Jeannine

Took the words out of my mouth!!

I have sown peppers and chillies for the first time this year. I looked them up on the internet and it did say they need warmth to germinate - I think it was 24 degrees for sweet capsicum peppers and 30 degrees for chillies.

I just put mine inside big coke bottles near the radiator in our living room. The chillies came up first and then someof the peppers. But they've been in almost three weeks. So I suppose they must be slow to germinate.

I think you might still have luck!

I've also sown some gherkins which I've sown in pots as I didn't know any different!  I believe that they are climbers so should be able to grow them upwards.
I've also done sweet peppers, and have sowed mine on damp kitchen paper in a tub with a lid, and they are in the airing cupboard - no sign from them, but if I remember right from last year when i grew them they were a lot slower than other things to germinate.  I think the packet said they like a minimum temperature of 15C.
:)

I find peppers a bit slow, too. Keep them warm and if nothing happens try sowing again.

Gherkins & outdoor cucumbers I always sow in pots in the GH & then plant out. I think it's a bit early yet; another week or so for me. They grow very quickly, as you found antipodes! Plant them out mid-May.

I've never tried training them upwards, but one of my neighbours does: she's got a rustic-looking wigwam of poles and she has all sorts of things growing up it: it must work well, because yesterday I saw her building an even bigger structure on the same lines.

If they are true gherkins they should grow up but if they are pickling cukes they could go either way depending on the variety, the seed packet should tell you. XX Jeannine

Good ideas there! A gherkin teepee! I like the sound of that!
A few more queries:
How long do they keep once you harvest? Otherwise I will have a constant pickling industry going!
Can you eat them raw?

These are called Petit Vert de Paris, they are a true pickling gherkin it appears.

For the peppers I might try a baby greenhouse setup with a plastic bottle in a warm place :D Maybe they are a bit chilly and need heating up a bit. Or I am too impatient..

I love them raw or grilled and peeled. I promise to post my Tomato & pepper salsa recipe!!

 Yes you can eat them raw, they keep as long as cucumbers. If pickling though they need to be picked and done almost the same day if you want them really  crisp.If you  have access to a grape vine grab a few leaves,they help the crispness too. I make dill pickles and I pick and do the same day, I do have recipes were you add them to a pickling jar but personally I am not keen.  I soak mine in ice water overnight with the grape leaves then jar them the next day.I like mine with a couple of sprigs of fresh dill  and 2  garlic cloves in the jar. XX Jeannine

I was a little bit slanderous about my peppers: noticed this morning that they are just start to show themselves above the soil!! So pleased!! I didn't have time to do anything about them, but as this weekend was very hot (about 25deg c) then that must have boosted them on.
The gherkin plants are very tall! and are just getting true leaves! I will pot them up this week and try putting them outside with the courgettes and toms. I plan to put all these out in a fortnight...

I've got chillis that are finally coming up after 4 weeks!  I started them too hot but mostly they seem to have survived the experience.

We grew huge numbers of cucumbers last year, most of which were picklers, so i suppose similar to gherkins. We pickled most of ours (and gave them to family for xmas!) but also ate huge amounts raw.

I find peppers and chillis take ages to germinate. Picky little things.

hey Jeannine would you mind putting up the recipe for dill pickles? maybe in the recipe section i suppose. i am growing some cornichons which i think are gerkins (correct me please if i am wrong). i sowed some about ten days ago and mine are getting really tall aswell. 

Yep "cornichon" is the French term for gherkins. They are eaten a lot here, with all the smallgoods, hams, patés etc. Usually pickled with tarragon and baby onions.
My plants are so sweet! I repotted them last night and they look so cute. If they all grow I will be swamped with gherkins though! guess i can give a few away...or swop them for something desirable on another bloke's allotment?? :)

sarah, will do, I wll dig out a few choices way before you need them, my favourite is a Kosher dill Xx Jeannine

No it is not Kosher is the strictest sense,just Kosher style, like my horseradish

Thanks Jeannine, i will look forward to them :)