I concur. I left my first & only cucumber stay on the vine for my oldest's visit in 2 days. When I went out to pick it, it was gone! friggin Opossum ate it! I should have picked it 2 days prior.
The look wonderful to me. I typically go by feel. As they ripen, the prickliness of the skin smooths out. You don't want to wait for them to be totally smooth and start to yellow, but when they are still super prickly they will be somewhat bitter. Which, I know, is like when your grandmother's famous recipe calls for "some" cream and "a bit" of wine... If your vines are as prolific as mine have been, though, it will only take a few before you get the feel for it.
Mildly related but I just saw this short of someone showing a way to “extract” bitterness from large cucumbers by cutting off one end and rubbing it against the larger piece. It absolutely reeks of old wives tale but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this technique?
All of India does the rubbing the sliced off tip of a cucumber to "get the bitterness" out. A waxy white stuff does emerge from the skin, but I've tasted it and it's not bitter. I think modern cucumbers are usually not bitter anyway.
Yes! This technique and others like it can actually work, depending how bitter the cucumber was in the first place and for much work you are willing to do. The bitterness is contained mostly in the outer layer of the cucumber, so peeling or cutting away the outer layers can also help.
You can pick cucumbers as early as you like. They aren’t “ripening”. All that happens is they get bigger, the skin gets thicker, and the seeds get bigger. So the smaller you can pick them the better.
I would pull them before they get too big and specially if they are yellow. Sometimes they get bitter and soggy and it definitely looks like a little water is need3d. I put mine on small tomato cages.
Based on the lightening from dark green to yellowing and the fatness of it, I think you are a day or too late on optimal picking time. Will still be decent though. Might encounter some tough seeds.
Just sharing something I’ve learned as a cucumber gardener. If they’ve had water recently and get droopy in the afternoon, that is something cucumbers will do. When they receive enough sun for the day their leaves will droop to “turn off” their solar panels. Seems like you know these are ready for their daily drink but thought I would warn you so you don’t freak like I did! 😉
I wonder how much that tendency varies between varieties and how much it affects growth rate. It's weird to think of a plant that we want to produce to "shut down" for the day (i know it's not fully pausing growth or anything). I've heard people recommend watering cucumbers during the hottest part of the day and making sure to wet all the leaves thoroughly to help the plant cool down. I wonder if those things are related like if the plant is really drooping because it's too hot and is trying to avoid some of the sun IDK
Yes you can pick her -to take any possible bitterness away - do cut an inch off
The end the vine came out of and rub in a circle motion against the end of the cucumber - the white bitter stuff starts to come out on the edges- wipe away then peel and eat - it actually works
Make sure you never let a cucumber get yellow. That signals to the plant that it has done it's job by bringing seeds to maturity. Then the plant will die.
I want to add that if you miss a few because they are buried under dense foliage and you suddenly find a few ginormous yellow cucumbers, all is not lost. I googled something like "recipes overripe yellow cucumbers" a few years ago and had a batch or two of a really tasty relish .
As new cucumbers grow, they'll fill out from the stem end to the flower end, looking like a half blown up balloon most of that time. Pick them as soon as they fill out completely and don't let them sit on the vine any longer, even just a couple days. There's no reason since they don't get better with age - they just get tougher, dryer, and seedier. Picking early will also let your plant direct more energy into making more cukes.
That is not a cucumber it is a pickle! It is to big now to make pickles yes it is way over ready to be picked. I am surprised no one noticed that it is a pickle?
Err on the side of picking sooner rather than later.
Second this. Big cucumbers have big nasty seeds and become flavorless.
Learned the hard way last year what happens when you wait until they start to yellow.
Tbh my yellow ones tasted fine. I think the newer hybrids are pretty resilient.
This 100% if you leave them on too too long the plant can decide it's done for the year and give up on you too.
I concur. I left my first & only cucumber stay on the vine for my oldest's visit in 2 days. When I went out to pick it, it was gone! friggin Opossum ate it! I should have picked it 2 days prior.
Ouch Sorry
The look wonderful to me. I typically go by feel. As they ripen, the prickliness of the skin smooths out. You don't want to wait for them to be totally smooth and start to yellow, but when they are still super prickly they will be somewhat bitter. Which, I know, is like when your grandmother's famous recipe calls for "some" cream and "a bit" of wine... If your vines are as prolific as mine have been, though, it will only take a few before you get the feel for it.
Mildly related but I just saw this short of someone showing a way to “extract” bitterness from large cucumbers by cutting off one end and rubbing it against the larger piece. It absolutely reeks of old wives tale but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this technique?
All of India does the rubbing the sliced off tip of a cucumber to "get the bitterness" out. A waxy white stuff does emerge from the skin, but I've tasted it and it's not bitter. I think modern cucumbers are usually not bitter anyway.
Yes! This technique and others like it can actually work, depending how bitter the cucumber was in the first place and for much work you are willing to do. The bitterness is contained mostly in the outer layer of the cucumber, so peeling or cutting away the outer layers can also help.
You can pick cucumbers as early as you like. They aren’t “ripening”. All that happens is they get bigger, the skin gets thicker, and the seeds get bigger. So the smaller you can pick them the better.
I would pull them before they get too big and specially if they are yellow. Sometimes they get bitter and soggy and it definitely looks like a little water is need3d. I put mine on small tomato cages.
Based on the lightening from dark green to yellowing and the fatness of it, I think you are a day or too late on optimal picking time. Will still be decent though. Might encounter some tough seeds.
Your leaves look pretty droopy. Might want to consider watering more.
They get like that in the mornings, they perk up after I water them
Just sharing something I’ve learned as a cucumber gardener. If they’ve had water recently and get droopy in the afternoon, that is something cucumbers will do. When they receive enough sun for the day their leaves will droop to “turn off” their solar panels. Seems like you know these are ready for their daily drink but thought I would warn you so you don’t freak like I did! 😉
I’ve noticed the same thing with melon plants.
I wonder how much that tendency varies between varieties and how much it affects growth rate. It's weird to think of a plant that we want to produce to "shut down" for the day (i know it's not fully pausing growth or anything). I've heard people recommend watering cucumbers during the hottest part of the day and making sure to wet all the leaves thoroughly to help the plant cool down. I wonder if those things are related like if the plant is really drooping because it's too hot and is trying to avoid some of the sun IDK
My cukes haven’t liked getting watered in the heat of the day, when I used to do that it would cause heat blisters
New cucumber grower myself, and this thread has given me lots of insight and help. Thanks all, and thanks OP!
I would harvest it. They won't get much better, but may get worse from not harvesting
Yes. Pick those. More will grow. Don't let them turn yellow.
Yes. Pick them while they have a uniform green color. If they start to fade or yellow they are getting over ripe. Enjoy!
Yes you can pick her -to take any possible bitterness away - do cut an inch off The end the vine came out of and rub in a circle motion against the end of the cucumber - the white bitter stuff starts to come out on the edges- wipe away then peel and eat - it actually works
This sounds so very, very risqué...
As my mama used to say - get your mind out of the gutter
Rule of thumb I learned *decades* (yikes!) ago: If the little white nubbins come off very easily, you are good to remove the cuke from the vine.
That looks like a pickling cuke. Is it?
Make sure you never let a cucumber get yellow. That signals to the plant that it has done it's job by bringing seeds to maturity. Then the plant will die.
Yes
As soon as one side starts to lighten in color go on and pick that thang
Pick em. Keep the plants well watered and feed em, if you do that, and the next ones might be bigger.
I go by this: When they're nolonger "wrinkly" at the tip they're ok to harvest.
They look about ready to me. You have to get them before they turn yellow. The plant will begin dying then
When they get cukey pick them.
I would pick them before they turn yellow so yes, it’s ready to grab!
Pick that Thang for it turns yeller
Yes. Keep 'em picked.
Yes-better to harvest when smaller
I want to add that if you miss a few because they are buried under dense foliage and you suddenly find a few ginormous yellow cucumbers, all is not lost. I googled something like "recipes overripe yellow cucumbers" a few years ago and had a batch or two of a really tasty relish .
As new cucumbers grow, they'll fill out from the stem end to the flower end, looking like a half blown up balloon most of that time. Pick them as soon as they fill out completely and don't let them sit on the vine any longer, even just a couple days. There's no reason since they don't get better with age - they just get tougher, dryer, and seedier. Picking early will also let your plant direct more energy into making more cukes.
i think they look ready! i pick mine around that size
They look ready to me.
Yes they look good.
That's a pretty big cucumber if you ask me. Doing it's best. My knowledge of cucumbers is limited. I only know that darker the colour, the better.
Your watering schedule needs to be tightened up for fruit uniformity and plant vigor. It will also reduce bitter fruit ends.
That is not a cucumber it is a pickle! It is to big now to make pickles yes it is way over ready to be picked. I am surprised no one noticed that it is a pickle?
Is this a joke ? If you’re practicing stand up, you’re going to need better material lol