I think I may have just done something stupid

So, this afternoon I decided to make Moroccan preserved lemons. All was well as I washed out a jar that once held pasta sauce and sterilized it in boiling water, and as I made four deep, diagonal cuts in each lemon, essentially cutting them into quarters but leaving them attached at the ends.
And all was still well as I stuffed the cuts with kosher salt:

Now, I was supposed to pack the lemons tightly into a jar, pressing to release some of the juice. I should have realized my troubles were beginning when I had to really press down and force the first lemon through the mouth of the jar. I got two more in there before I realized that unless I resort to breaking the glass, those lemons will never be coming out!

I'm not sure this photo quite illustrates the problem, but there's no way they'll be coming back out through the top. Somehow I failed to think about the fact that I'd need a wide-mouth jar for this.

Has anyone ever preserved lemons before? Any chance that as they cure, they collapse a bit? I'm hoping that's the case.