gardengrl3
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Cucumbers turning yellow

Well I have two cucumber vines growing on two different sides of my garden-the cucumbers are growing but once they get about 4-5 inches long they are turning yellow-what is the problem?? :cry:

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engineeredgarden
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You are waiting too late to pick them....sorry....

EG

specgrade
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engineeredgarden wrote:You are waiting too late to pick them....sorry....

EG
That is what happens to my cukes when I wait too long. Either they turn yellow or they get too big to taste good.

garden5
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In addition to being left too long on the vines, if the vines they are attached to have died, this yellowing of the fruit will happen as well.

jmoore
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I did the same thing last year. I cut and ate a couple of the yellow ones and they tasted fine. Maybe they were not at the peak of their flavor, but they were still miles better than store bought.

I say try them. And pick the next ones earlier.

gardengrl3
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I 'm a bit confused because I waited for the cucumbers to ripe more because they still had the "prikle spikes" on the outside-shouldn't the skin be smooth??

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applestar
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That's part of the problem with grocery store cukes. they grow them as big as they can because they make more when the produce weigh more. I think the ones in stores are also de-prickled and waxed for extra shine.

Cukes are tastier when they're good and prickly. My DD won't pick them or wash them even though she likes ... No LOVES cucumbers! :roll:

The cukes I grow are prickly up to their stems. They store better with prickles on. To serve, I rinse them then sprinkle coarse Kosher salt on them to scrub the prickles off. A quick rinse and their ready to eat! :()

garden5
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I pick mine prickles and all. I always peel them with a potato peeler, anyway, so that eliminates all the prickles.

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applestar
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But that takes away all the dark green skin! :shock:
Besides, young cuke skins are tender and delicious... and this is coming from someone who meticulously peels most grapes. :wink:

garden5
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:shock: You don't seriously peel grapes, do you?

I guess I may have exaggerated earlier. I don't always peel my cukes, just when I'm making certain things with them.

I'll bet there are vitamins in the skin that we loose by peeling them as well.



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