These August reflections are part of the Seasonal Reflections series — a year-long practice of living with the rhythm of nature.
And suddenly it’s August, the last month of summer.
The garden is producing generously, piling up enough fruits, vegetables and herbs to preserve for winter. We’re almost as busy in the kitchen as in the garden, what with fermenting gherkins, freezing excess broccoli, cauliflower and beans and cooking tomato sauce. Blackberries and blueberries have superseded gooseberries and raspberries, waiting not-so-patiently to be cooked into jams. Herbs are either hanging from the ceiling, drying quietly, lying in oil to flavour it or being transformed into pesto.
It’s still hot during the days, and when we’re not busy preserving our harvest, we try to escape the heat.
And yet, we can feel a subtle shift in August: the days are perceptibly shorter, the evenings can already be cool enough to make us wear a cardigan, and on some mornings, mist meanders across the meadows, telling us that autumn sends its regards.
👉 In these August reflections, we’ll explore seasonal living in August — from the garden and kitchen to simple ways of making the most of late summer.
August asks us to embrace abundance. The harvest is generous, the days are still long, and there is plenty to gather, preserve and enjoy before autumn quietly begins its approach.
As I work in a school, I have most of August off and can celebrate summer to the fullest during these hot weeks. Whenever the weather allows it, I’m either in the garden, going for a stroll through the meadows and woods where I pick wild herbs and flowers, or at the banks of the river Lech to cool down.
In the evenings I enjoy sitting on the balcony with family and friends, sharing simple summer snacks and cold drinks, playing games, talking and laughing. While we could sit outside late into the nights in July, it gets dark earlier now and with darkness often comes a chill in the air. It’s not really cold yet, but cool enough to fetch a sweater or a blanket.
We often light candles outside now and sometimes even torches. We do have solar lights, but the natural flicker of the flames adds a different level of that special feeling we Bavarians call Gemütlichkeit – warmth, comfort and togetherness – to the whole late summer night atmosphere, don’t you think?
These are the endless summer evenings we remember from childhood—the ones that seemed as though they’d never end.
August at a Glance
🌞 Season: Late summer
🌱 Garden focus: harvest, preservation, planting for autumn
🏡 Home rhythms: linen, decorations with grain, wild herbs and flowers
🧘 Seasonal rituals: picnics, swimming in the sea, a lake or river, eating outdoors
Nature in August
While in July, the farmers were beginning to harvest grains, they’re finished now. In some fields, the straw is still lying on the fields, waiting to be pressed into bales and brought into the barn for winter. My dad always aimed to have all grains harvested by mid-August so that he (and thus: we) had a short time of rest before potato harvest started. It always depends on the weather, of course, but most years, he managed it, and we had one or even two weeks, where we would enjoy the lull by doing what children do: seemingly nothing and yet everything.
Wild herbs like Saint John’s Wort, yarrow and tansy can be found on field edges, fallows, and light woods now, while the sunflowers in the gardens tell everybody what season it is.
In the vegetable garden, beans, broccoli and cauliflower are ready to be harvested now, and we certainly have no shortage of choice about what to eat every day. What’s too much, I freeze, can or ferment.
August Garden Tasks
Depending on the weather, the most time-consuming garden task in August will be watering. August is usually a hot and dry month (although we have had exceptions), and our primary goal now must be to keep alive what cannot be harvested yet. I usually check my garden’s soil daily and water deeply every 2 – 3 days during dry spells. That sounds easier than it is, because I don’t have a water connection in my garden, but depend on collected rainwater, or, if that’s not enough, on driving water canisters to the garden.
Some vegetables that stay long in the patch, like pumpkins or cabbages, get a last dose of fertiliser by the end of August. Nutrients, especially nitrogen, that are fed after that time would only lead to excess leaf growth instead of flavourful cabbage heads or pumpkins.
The most rewarding August garden task, though, is harvesting! Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, beans, cauliflower, broccoli, all seem to be ripe at once and at the same time. The time of abundant harvest we dreamed about in winter? That’s now.
Apropos winter: August is the perfect time to prepare for your winter harvest. Here’s a list of vegetables you can sow and plant in August for an abundant harvest year-round.
The garden has done its work. Now it’s the kitchen’s turn.
Seasonal Living in August: Kitchen and Home
Like in July, it’s still peak preserving time. Brambles and blueberries have replaced raspberries and gooseberries, and wait to be frozen, fermented or cooked into jams. One harvest quietly hands over to the next, and without noticing it we’re already preparing for autumn.
Additionally, early pears can be harvested now, and either be eaten on the spot (which I must confess I often do until my belly hurts), baked into pies, canned or transformed into jam. If you’ve never made pear jam (or simply want to look it up again), here’s a basic recipe for a wonderfully smooth and flavourful pear jam. If you want to try some new flavour combinations, have a look at these pear jam variations.
Beans are still in high season, and you can easily freeze, can or ferment them for winter. The same goes for zucchini: whenever I’ve averted my gaze from them, they have grown again. Massively. If your zucchinis are the same, preserve them as zucchini pickles, zucchini bread or grate and freeze them.
With all the gardening and preserving, I don’t want to add anything else to my to-do list. Whenever I come across another “August bucket list”, therefore, I instantly click away.
After all, August is the time we craved during those long, dark winter months, the endless days of just being and enjoying we remember from our childhood. I don’t want to overload that time with another list of boxes to tick. We still have plenty to do, what with gardening, preserving, eating, and breathing. Let’s take the speed out of August and allow ourselves some room to breathe, shall we?
Self-Care for Body…
Whenever the weather – and the garden – allow, I’m outside, taking in as much sunlight and fresh air as I can get. I enjoy going for a jog in the mornings, when it’s still temperate or at least not too hot yet. I was a bit negligent regarding sports during the heat wave in July, and I’m happy to be back at it. Jogging makes my head free – all thoughts come up at one time, spin around in the circle of thoughts that lives in my mind and bow out silently. When I come home, sweaty and tired, I still feel exhilarated and able to tackle what the day will bring.
Another great way to get some exercise now is swimming. The river Lech is a 10-minute drive away from my home, and I often just grab a towel, something to drink, and my car keys and head out for a short break at the river banks. The Lech is always cold enough to be refreshing, and a short nap afterwards under the trees helps me re-energise.
I love making ice cream in August, partly because my eldest celebrates his birthday in mid-August and almost always likes to have ice cream with his cakes. All that energy that got burned off during swimming and running must be replaced…
… For Mind…
August also gives me time to return to slower hobbies that require patience.
After all the busyness at the end of the school year that each July brings, I’m happy to have enough time now to do what I had to postpone earlier. Knit that scarf, for example, that I want to wear on chilly evenings. I’m not very experienced with knitting, and a project like this requires a lot of time, focus, and mental energy on my side. August is just the perfect time to do it.
I also love listening to and studying music I want to get to know better. This year, I’ve chosen to get better acquainted with Handel’s “Messiah”, an oratorio I’ve listened to several times, but which I haven’t grasped fully yet. The score’s already here, and I’m looking forward to immersing myself in this beautiful music.
When in July my mind was full of tasks that still needed to be done and things to think about, working with my hands calmed me down. This month, provided I’ve done my gardening and kitchen work, I allow myself to do only what I like to do and without driving myself into exhaustion.
…And Soul
Sunlight and fresh air are not only good for the body but also for the soul. So go outside every minute you can.
The sun’s rising later now, so that’s a good opportunity to get up early and watch a sunrise. Or walk somewhere new and watch a sunset, alone or with friends and family. Put your phone away and just look at the sun, witness it slowly setting and changing the light until it has finally disappeared.
Another simple idea is trying a phone-free day. Instead of doom-scrolling (yes, guilty here) and only witnessing your life through the lens of a smartphone, watch your surroundings closely, try to notice everything that’s happening. It doesn’t matter if you’re out alone on a stroll through quiet woods or sitting in a café on a busy street, looking at the buildings around you and watching people. Just be and see and don’t let yourself be disturbed by a digital device.
If you feel adventurous now, explore somewhere you’ve never been before. You needn’t go on vacation or drive far to do that. I’m sure there are museums, neighbourhoods, restaurants and cafés in your hometown that you haven’t discovered yet or have wanted to visit for some time.
A deep breath before autumn
To me, August feels like a caesura in the symphony of the year—a brief pause before autumn begins its next movement. Maybe because I have the time off or maybe because August feels slower in general, it feels like a break to me. A slower time that invites us to become slower ourselves.
And I usually accept that invitation and let myself take a short mental break from all the hustle and bustle of the months before. Now is a good time to look back at the year and ask ourselves what we’ve learned and what we’re grateful for. And maybe we even have some intentions for how we want the next months to be.
Let’s soak up every minute of this glorious late summer month, get outside as often as we can, and be grateful for beautiful, endless summer days. Autumn has already packed its belongings and is about to get on its way. Let’s take this small summer break and recharge our batteries so that we can be fully focused again when autumn knocks on the door.
If you’d like to walk through the seasons with me, I’d love to welcome you to the Seasonal Simple Life newsletter. Every few weeks I share new seasonal inspiration, recipes, gardening tips and simple ways to slow down and enjoy the time of year we’re in.
Come along, and let’s celebrate each season together.
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If you’d like to keep walking through the seasons, you’ll find the rest of the Seasonal Reflections series below.
While August is still warm and often hot, the days have already become noticeably shorter. I notice that, especially in the evenings, when it’s already getting dark by around 10 p.m., if I want to sit outdoors, I have either to accept the dark or light candles and torches.
My vegetable garden seems to produce like mad now, and I’m elbow-deep in harvesting, preserving and maintenance. The gaps that arise when something’s harvested must be closed soon with new seedlings or by sowing fast-growing vegetables. Let’s see what garden tasks August has in store.
August Garden Checklist: Essential Tasks at a Glance
If you only have time for a few things, focus on these essential August garden tasks:
Harvest and preserve regularly
Feed heavy-feeding crops
Sow vegetables for autumn harvest
Water deeply during dry spells
Mulch beds to conserve moisture
Prune and cut back tomatoes
Here’s a quick overview of the most important garden tasks to tackle in August:
Garden task
Best Time in August
Priority
Checking for pests and diseases
Every second day
High
Fertilising
Every 2 – 3 weeks
High
Harvesting
When plants are ripe
High
Preserving harvest
After harvesting
High
Sowing and planting
After gaps form due to harvest
High
Pruning and cutting back tomatoes
When suckers form
Medium
Mulching
When plants are about 10 cm (4 in) high
Medium
Weeding
Twice a week
Medium
Watering
When soil is dry
Medium
Keeping track of all these tasks can be tricky. Download the free August Garden Checklist and take it with you into the garden.
If you’re transitioning from early summer, you might also want to revisit the tasks from July. Many jobs started last month continue now — especially fertilising and mulching. → Continue from last month with my July Garden Tasks checklist.
What to Sow and Plant in August
August is still a good time to sow vegetables directly outdoors to prepare the autumn harvest.
Direct sow outdoors
Good vegetables to sow in August include:
Lamb’s lettuce
Autumn lettuce varieties
Asia salad
Spinach
Radishes
Winter purslane
Broad beans
Green manure
Transplant outdoors
You can also plant cabbage plants like broccoli, kohlrabi and kale, as well as fennel and spring onions.
Now let’s look at the most important August gardening jobs that will keep your vegetable garden productive through late summer:
1. Pruning and cutting tomatoes
✔️ Why it matters: Pruning helps tomatoes form more fruit and stay healthy; cutting off the tips lets the plant direct its energy to fruit building.
Our tomato plants are at their peak now and produce leaves, fruits and shoots like crazy. They seem to have almost endless energy.
As sensible gardeners, however, we know that the colder nights are not far away. When temperatures drop below 15 °C, tomatoes slow down growth considerably, and the same goes for ripening. Not all the fruits they produce now will ripen before temperatures drop.
When we cut off the growing tips now, they redirect their energy to producing larger fruit that can actually ripen in time.
Also, remove diseased leaves near the ground. That way, they won’t get in touch with wet soil, which could lead to blight.
✔️ Why it matters: The one-year-old shoots of summer raspberries must be cut back every year to prevent the spreading of pests and diseases and to induce new growth next season.
August is the perfect time to cut back all one-year-old shoots of raspberries that bear their fruit in summer. Don’t cut raspberries that fruit in autumn or you’ll lose the harvest of this and next year.
Cutting the canes also makes sure to get rid of raspberry maggots that otherwise would now get into the soil where they’d transform into a beetle, which would in turn lay new eggs.
Diseases like spur blight can also be prevented or got rid of by cutting off the shoots of summer raspberries.
I’d always discard the canes in the household bins, never on the compost. If your raspberries were infected by pests or diseases, they’d spread like wildfire.
Leave around 6–8 healthy young canes per metre (or 8–10 per row) for next year’s harvest.
By the way: did you know you can make wonderfully versatile jam with raspberries? In this post I’ve compiled several unusual recipes for raspberry jam.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Only cut back summer raspberries
3. Create a New Strawberry Patch
✔️ Why it matters: Strawberries can now root well in a new patch and will produce an abundant harvest next summer.
If you’ve pondered cultivating strawberries in your garden, August is the perfect time to plant them.
Make sure the new bed is weed-free and feed it with mature compost that you roughly rake in. Then plant strawberries at a distance of 25 cm (10 inches) and 50 cm (20 inches) between rows. That way, they’ll get enough sun next season to produce larger, sweet berries. At the same time, leaves can dry off quicker, which makes it harder for mould to develop.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: When planting strawberries, make sure to keep the crowns at soil level.
4. Water thoughtfully
✔️ Why it matters: All plants need water to survive and thrive.
It can be very hot and dry in August, and some years it’s comparatively cool and moist. Depending on the weather, it can be necessary to water our plants, not only to keep them alive but thriving.
It’s proven to be better when we water once to twice a week thoroughly instead of watering every day just a little bit. That way, the plant’s roots grow deep where they get access to water from even deeper regions. Which, in the end, will help us water less.
If you cultivate vegetables in raised beds or containers, this rule doesn’t apply, though! They can’t grow out of their pots and need regular watering.
Water your raised beds at least every other day and your containers at least once a day. If it’s really hot and dry, even more often.
🌿Gardener’s tip: The best time for watering is in the morning, as the water can soak into the soil before the midday heat. It also helps leaves to dry quickly, reducing the risk of fungal diseases
5. Mulching
✔️ Why it matters: Mulching keeps the soil moist and suppresses weeds
As I’ve been mulching the whole season, my garden beds are pretty well covered by now. We mustn’t forget, though, that all that mulch degrades over time and becomes thinner. For that reason, it’s important to upholster the mulch by adding another layer.
Whenever I scythe around my vegetable garden, for example, I let the grass dry for 1 – 2 days (depending on the heat) and then use it to cover the soil around my plants. Nothing goes to waste; the grass transformed from a nuisance to valuable mulch, and I, the veggies, and the soil organisms are happy 😊. It’s a win-win-win situation.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Keep mulch a few centimetres away from plant stems to prevent rot.
6. Weeding
✔️ Why it matters: Weeds compete for nutrients.
I don’t know about your garden, but mine shows a lull regarding weed production in August. Maybe it’s that by constantly weeding since early spring, no weed seeds could germinate or that they finally get it that they’ll never stand a chance against Weed-Inator Me. I usually don’t have as many weeds in August in my garden as in spring.
Nevertheless, check for weeds regularly and either eat them (in this article I describe how to make pesto from wild plants) or make food for your plants( Read here how to make nettle manure.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Rip weeds out as soon as they occur.
7. Fertilise with measure
✔️ Why it matters: Heavy feeders need a lot of nutrients to produce an abundant harvest.
Talking of plant food: our heavy-feeders like tomatoes, pumpkins, zucchini, cucumbers, peppers and cabbages need a healthy dose of fertiliser every 2 – 3 weeks. For medium-feeders, a fertilisation schedule of 3 – 4 weeks is sufficient. By the end of August, however, I’d slow that rhythm down. With too many nutrients, the plants would produce more fruits. Seeing as autumn is already ante portas, even though we can’t see it yet, those fruits wouldn’t ripen before temperatures drop.
Reducing nitrogen fertiliser towards the end of August encourages plants to ripen existing fruits instead of producing excessive leafy growth.
✔️ Why it matters: Vegetables harvested at the right time taste better, stay tender, and encourage plants to remain productive.
August is a very productive month in the vegetable garden. In fact, I can harvest tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, and much more almost daily. I know it can be tempting to let ripe fruits hang on the plants and simply enjoy the beautiful sight. After all, that’s what we’ve worked for so long, and people (and we) shall see it. But if you harvest too late, the flavour will become watery or even bitter, the plants get fibrous, too large (hello my zucchini-demons) or turn brown.
Harvesting regularly also induces the plant to grow more fruits, leaves or whatever we cultivate it for.
9. Preserving our harvest
✔️ Why it matters: Preserving makes our harvest last throughout the year
I’m a huge fan of eating as much fresh produce as we can during summer. In August, however, the garden usually produces more than we can eat. So, being the glutton I am, I now preserve all that doesn’t get snacked away by either me or the children.
When we open jars of jam, sauerkraut,pickled zucchini or fermented gherkins in winter, we remember the hot days of August when we picked those very same vegetables and made them last till the next season.
If you want to check your fermentation equipment, here’s a list of what you really need (hint: it’s less than you may think and definitely nothing fancy).
You thought you harvested every bean, but then you detect some of them hidden under some leaves? Don’t worry. Let them hang on the plant until the pod becomes dry and the beans rattle when you shake the pod. Peel them out of the pod, let them dry and store them in a paper bag in a cool and dark place. Congratulations! You’ve successfully grown next year’s harvest!
Harvesting seeds from plants that already grew in your garden not only makes you independent from seed companies but also eventually develops plants that are better adapted to your garden’s microclimate.
11. Sowing and planting
✔️ Why it matters: Sowing and planting in August prepare our autumn and winter harvest.
With all that harvesting, we suddenly have a few gaps in our vegetable garden beds. But if you think August is too late to sow and plant anything, think again. Now is the perfect time to lay the foundation for our autumn and winter harvest. So let’s fill up all the gaps with seeds or seedlings. For a quick overview of what to sow now, check the list above or read this comprehensive list of vegetables we can sow and plant in August in our garden beds.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Always close gaps in the beds to keep the soil covered and harvest continually.
Sow broad beans
Broad beans are often sown in early spring, but this year, I’ll try sowing them already in August. They’re said to develop plants of 10 – 20 cm (4 – 8 inches) before the frost strikes, overwinter on the patch and produce a considerably earlier harvest the next season. I haven’t any experience with sowing broad beans in August yet, but stay tuned; I’ll keep you updated.
Sow green manure
If you’ve already sown and planted whatever you wanted for a later harvest but still have gaps or even whole patches lying empty, sowing green manure is a good solution. Not only will it cover the soil and keep it from eroding or leaching out, but it’ll also enrich the soil with nutrients, usually nitrogen. In fact, green manure plants like clover or phacelia, for example, build Rhizobiaceae at their roots, where they store nitrogen. When the plant dies in winter, the nitrogen stays in the soil, attached to the roots and is slowly released when it gets warm again in spring.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gardening in August
What vegetables can I still plant in August?
Many fast-growing vegetables can still be sown in August, including Swiss chard, radishes and rocket salad. August is also ideal for succession sowing to extend harvests into autumn.
Can I still start a vegetable garden in August?
Yes. While spring is the traditional planting season, many fast-growing vegetables such as radishes, Asian greens, spinach and Swiss chard can still be sown in August. You can also plant lamb’s ear and other late lettuce varieties like chicory, winter purslane and radicchio.
Should I keep fertilising tomatoes in August?
Continue feeding while the plants are actively producing fruit, but gradually reduce nitrogen-rich fertilisers towards the end of the month so the plant focuses on ripening existing tomatoes.
Should I prune tomato leaves in August?
Yes, remove yellow or diseased leaves and improve airflow around the plants. Avoid removing too many healthy leaves at once since they still feed developing fruit.
How often should I water my garden in August?
Water deeply whenever the soil becomes dry rather than giving plants small amounts every day. Containers and raised beds usually need watering much more frequently.
Can I plant strawberries in August?
Yes. August is one of the best planting times because the plants establish strong roots before winter and often produce an excellent crop the following year.
Should I remove old vegetable plants after harvest?
Yes. Once crops have finished producing, remove diseased plants promptly and compost healthy material. Replant the space with autumn vegetables or green manure whenever possible.
Common August Gardening Mistakes
Mistakes can happen, even when you’re an experienced gardener. To help you prevent them, I’ve listed the most common mistakes:
1. Watering little and often
Frequent shallow watering encourages shallow roots, making plants less drought-tolerant.
2. Forgetting to harvest regularly
Overripe beans, cucumbers and zucchini slow further production.
3. Leaving empty beds bare
Bare soil quickly dries out, and weeds move in.
Always sow another crop or green manure.
4. Continuing heavy fertilising into autumn
Too much nitrogen late in the season encourages leafy growth instead of ripening fruit.
5. Ignoring pests because the season is nearly over
Aphids, powdery mildew, tomato blight and cabbage pests remain active well into late summer.
6. Forgetting to preserve surplus harvest
August abundance disappears surprisingly quickly.
Freeze, ferment, dry or preserve fruits and vegetables while they’re at their peak.
7. Letting weeds go to seed
One neglected week in August can mean thousands of weed seeds for next year.
🌿 August Gardening Checklist: Quick Summary
Focus on:
– Watering, mulching and fertilising actively growing plants
– Harvesting and preserving what’s in season
– Closing gaps in the beds by sowing and planting autumn veggies
Why Gardening in August Matters
Gardening in August is essentially based on three pillars:
Harvesting and preserving what’s ready now
Tending for what needs a bit more time
Setting the foundation for our autumn and winter harvest.
Sometimes it may feel like doing a mad dance between watering, checking for pests, harvesting loadfuls of fresh fruit and preserving them at night in the kitchen. All while it’s still hot outside, but already sensing autumn around the corner.
August is a month of abundance. Learn which garden tasks to prioritise now—from harvesting and preserving to sowing autumn vegetables—so your garden stays productive well into the next season.
It’s busy for us gardeners now, I won’t deny it. But it’s also very rewarding. Not only can we eat fresh produce for every meal if we like, but we can also watch our pantry stock up. Every jar of jam, pickle or ferment, every package of frozen vegetables, every dried bunch of herbs provides for our and our families‘ well-being while at the same time linking us to all those generations before us who did exactly the same.
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I love it when I can harvest cucumbers and gherkins because it means that it’s summer! And summer, for me as a school secretary, means holiday season, one of my favourite times of the year. While I could – and often do – eat cucumbers all summer long, gherkins are best preserved. Fermented gherkins (or salt gherkins) are a classic ferment. Crisp, tangy and naturally fermented, they have very little in common with the vinegar pickles you’ll find in most supermarkets.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to master fermented gherkins. Let’s dive in.
Quick overview
Fermentation time: 4–7 days
Salt concentration: 3.5%
Temperature: 15–18 °C (60–65 °F)
Difficulty: Easy
Ready after:
➡️ Half-sour: 4–5 days
➡️ Full-sour: 6–7 days
Storage: up to 1 year refrigerated
Before You Start: 4 Things That Make Fermented Gherkins Successful
As I said before, fermented gherkins are a classic example of lacto-acid fermentation, but there are a few aspects to consider.
Salt content
Fermented gherkins need a brine with a higher salt content. While a brine with 2% salt is usually enough, we use a concentration of 3.5% in this recipe. This is due to the relatively high water content of gherkins. The salt draws water from them and allows them to partly replace it with the salty brine. That way, they stay crunchy for a long time.
Tannic leaves
Additionally, I like to add leaves that contain tannin, which also help the gherkins stay crisp and crunchy. The tannins help strengthen the vegetable’s cell walls, which keeps the gherkins crisp. You can use the leaves of oak, wine, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, currant, bay and horseradish. If you can’t get any of those, you could also put a bag of black tea in the jar, but be prepared that it changes the gherkins’ colour.
Temperature
While I usually prefer fermenting other vegetables at temperatures around 20°C (68°F), I like to ferment gherkins at a lower temperature range between 15 and 18°C (60 – 65°F). That way, fermentation occurs a bit slower and won’t become too sour too soon. If you are up for a full-sour version, however, feel free to ferment at 20 °C / 68 °F.
Water
I use our tap water for fermenting, and it works just fine. However, if you live in a region where your tap water is highly chlorinated, or the house you live in has old (rusty) pipes that could leak iron, it’s best to run it through an activated carbon filter before using it for fermentation (or drinking or cooking, for that matter).
If in doubt, taste your tap water. Smelling and tasting good? Then go on and use it for fermentation. If it’s got a metallic or chlorine taste, filter it first.
Distilled water is NOT a good alternative, as – due to the lack of minerals – it tastes very bland and lets the gherkins go mushy.
Mastering fermented gherkins – Step by step
Probably the most difficult part of making fermented gherkins is getting the gherkins, unless you cultivate them in your garden. While all cucumber varieties can be fermented, gherkins are the best choice. They are uniformly small, usually up to 10 cm (4 inches). They have a thick skin that is thicker than cucumbers.
If you don’t grow your own gherkins, you can sometimes find them in the supermarket, but you need to check them carefully for freshness. Gherkins become flabby a few days after being harvested. If the ones you found show dull, wrinkled skin, they were picked too long ago. Yellow gherkins are also not suitable. They’ve been harvested overripe.
If you have a local farmers’ market in the vicinity, that’s a good place to buy freshly picked gherkins (or any fresh vegetables for that matter).
A word on bitterness
Sometimes, cucumbers and gherkins can get bitter, especially when the plant gets stressed by too much heat, too little water or great differences in temperature. Unfortunately, fermentation won’t remove existing bitterness. If you want to ensure that your gherkins are good to use, try one or two to check that everything’s all right.
Want to ferment with confidence? Download my free Fermentation Starter Checklist and get practical preserving tips, seasonal recipes and new fermentation guides delivered straight to your inbox.
Equipment
Good news: you’ll only need a few jars with lids and fermentation weights for each jar. If you’re not quite sure whether your jars are ok and what weights you can use, check out my fermentation equipment list.
Ingredients
Yield: one jar of 4 l or 6 jars of 3/4 l
about 20 gherkins 12 – 15 garlic cloves 2 fresh dill flowers (alternatively: 2 tbsp dill seeds) 2 tbsp peppercorns 2 tbsp mustard seeds 5 bay leaves 3 l water 105 g salt 5 – 10 tannic leaves (for example, from oak, wine, raspberry, currant or blackberry)
Instructions
Sterilise the jars and lids. In this guide, you’ll learn four simple methods to do so.
Thoroughly wash the gherkins and remove the vines and blossom ends. The blossom end contains enzymes that soften the gherkins during fermentation.
Peel the garlic cloves and either press them slightly with the blade of a knife or cut them in half.
Now, layer the gherkins, the garlic cloves, bay leaves and spices in one large or several small jars. If the gherkins are too large for your jars, cut them into slices or sticks.
Prepare the brine by dissolving the salt in the water. Stir the mixture until the salt has completely dissolved.
Pour as much brine over the gherkins so that they are covered by it. Store the residual brine in the fridge.
Cover the brine surface with the tannic leaves and put a weight on them to make sure that everything stays under the brine.
Put the jar or jars on a baking tray or something similar and let everything ferment at 15 – 18 °C (60 – 65°F) in a place without direct sunlight for 4 – 7 days.
You’ll usually notice bubbles within the first day or two, and the brine may become cloudy. Both are perfectly normal signs of active fermentation.
Keep an eye on the jars and pour in some of the brine from the fridge if, during fermentation, too much brine flows out of the jar.
After 4 – 5 days, the gherkins are half-sour; after 6 – 7 days, they’re full-sour. Taste them to test the flavour and either eat them right away or put them in a cool place (at best the fridge) to stop, or rather slow down, fermentation.
You can store the jars in the aforementioned cool place for up to 1 year. The flavour continues to develop slowly during storage, becoming more sour over time.
Angela Braun
Fermented gherkins
Small as they are, gherkins burst with flavour when fermented! Make this wonderful preserve with gherkins, a salt brine and a few herbs and spices.
5 - 10tannic leavesfor example from oak, wine, raspberry, currant or blackberry
Method
Thoroughly wash the gherkins and remove the vines and blossom ends.
Peel the garlic cloves and either press them slightly with the blade of a knife or cut them in half.
Now, layer the gherkins, the garlic cloves, bay leaves and spices in one large or several small jars. If the gherkins are too large for your jars, cut them into slices or sticks.
Prepare the brine by dissolving the salt in the water. Stir the mixture until the salt has completely dissolved.
Pour as much brine over the gherkins so that they are covered by it. Store the residual brine in the fridge.
Cover the brine surface with the tannic leaves and put a weight on them to make sure that everything stays under the brine.
Put the jar or jars on a baking tray or something similar and let everything ferment at 15 - 18 °C (60 - 65°F) in a place without direct sunlight for 4 - 7 days. Keep an eye on the jars and pour in some of the brine from the fridge if, during fermentation, too much brine flows out of the jar.
After 4 - 5 days, the gherkins are half-sour, after 6 - 7 days they're full-sour. Taste them to test the flavour and either eat them right away or put them in a cool place (at best the fridge) to stop or rather slow down fermentation.
You can store the jars in the aforementioned cool place for up to 1 year
Notes
As long as you stick to the salt ratio of 3.5 %, you can get creative with herbs and spices. Add, for example, coriander or dried chilli flakes or cut down the amount of garlic. You can also add onion rings.
Recipe alterations
If you want a less “garlicy” taste, cut down the amount of garlic cloves. Instead, add some onion rings. You can also get creative with the spices, for example by adding dried chillies or coriander.
Ready for your next ferment?
If you enjoyed making these fermented gherkins, you’ll probably love experimenting with other vegetables too.
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Troubleshooting
Although you think you’ve done everything right, some problems may occur:
Shrivelled gherkins
Either the gherkins were not fresh enough (that is, they were harvested longer than two days before you processed them) or your brine was too salty. Either way, they’ve lost too much water in the brine and have become shrivelled. Nevertheless, you can still eat them.
Hollow gherkins
Here again, the gherkins may not have been freshly harvested. Another reason for hollow gherkins is that the gherkins were too large. But like shrivelled gherkins, hollow ones are still edible.
Discolouration
During the fermentation process, it’s normal that the gherkins’ colour changes from a fresh, bright green to a dull olive green. However, if they get a different colour, there are several reasons for that.
Either the water you used for the brine was too hard or, more often, colouring spices like curcuma or vegetables like red onions caused the colour change. Discolourations, however, are harmless, and you can eat the gherkins.
Slimy gherkins
That’s a more serious problem that could have been caused by several mistakes:
either you used too little salt in your brine (i.e. a ratio below 3.5 %) or
fermentation temperatures were too high (15 – 18 °C / 60 – 65 °F are ideal) or
you didn’t cut off the blossom ends or
The gherkins were not fully covered with brine.
Unfortunately, slimy gherkins are not edible, and you must discard them.
White film on top
If the layer is thin, white and smooth, it’s usually kahm yeast rather than mould.
Kahm yeast is a layer of wild yeasts that forms on lacto-fermented goods. It always appears on the surface; that is exactly where the ferment has contact with oxygen.
In most cases, kahm yeast is harmless. But it can affect the ferment’s taste and make it slightly musty. Most importantly, it’s a sign that there’s oxygen in the ferment and that’s where mould can grow.
When you detect kahm yeast on your ferment, carefully remove it from the surface with a spoon, then wipe the jar and the fermentation weight clean.
Afterwards, smell the ferment: when it smells fresh and slightly sour, everything’s ok. If the smell is unpleasant or “weird”, discard it.
You either haven’t cut off the blossom ends, or they’ve fermented at a high temperature for too long. Another reason could be that the ferment is older than a year.
How salty should the brine be?
It’s difficult to go by taste, which is why you should always take the exact amount of salt and water indicated in the recipe.
Can I ferment whole cucumbers instead?
Yes. Use small, firm pickling cucumbers if possible. Larger slicing cucumbers contain more water and usually don’t stay as crisp during fermentation.
Why are my gherkins hollow?
Either they were not quite fresh when fermented, or they were too large. They’re still edible, though.
Can I reduce the salt?
No. The salt ratio is crucial for a safe ferment.
How long do fermented gherkins last?
Properly stored in a cool, dark place, they last for at least a year. You can store them longer, but notice that the flavour will gradually get more sour and the gherkins will eventually turn mushy.
Small pickles, big flavour
Every summer has its flavours. For me, fermented gherkins are one of them.
They’re easy to make, don’t require many ingredients and taste so good, you’ll never want to have a pantry without them! Once you’ve made a batch yourself, you’ll discover just how different naturally fermented gherkins are from the vinegar pickles most of us grew up with—and chances are they’ll become a permanent resident of your fridge, too.
If you want to get creative, try out different herbs and spices or cut down on the garlic. As long as you stick to the salt ratio and make sure that everything’s under the brine, you’ll be fine!
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