Are my Cukes Ripe?? Please help

[tcy1227]

Hi All,

I have a beginner question - When are my cukes ripe?!?!

I currently have 2 varities growing, one of which is a straight 8, and the other I have forgotten (Oops..)

Anyhow, I have 2 cukes which are eitjher ready or near ready to pick. I have attached pics below and would appreiate any info. The cuke at top (2 pics) the base is thicker than the end, and as you can see, the end is still lighter green. The bottom 2 pics the cuke is almost the same width all over, and the base (at the stem) the cuke is a bit softer than the rest.

An advice - this is my first garden and am excited for my first harvest!!

Thanks,
Tom


[img]https://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn132/tcy1227/DSCN0094.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn132/tcy1227/DSCN0095.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn132/tcy1227/DSCN0096.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn132/tcy1227/DSCN0097.jpg[/img]

[hendi_alex]

When is a cuke ripe is the wrong question, IMO, as that would imply when are the seeds ripe. You want to eat a cucumber when it is not ripe. In other words you want to eat the cucumber before the seeds develop or mature. Sweet Gerkins pickles are made from the smallest of immature cucumbers. The smaller you pick the cucumbers, the longer the vine will continue vigorous production. Only a few maturing cucumbers on the vine will cause the vine to start slowing production. So try picking some cukes of various sizes, decide which size you prefer, and then go from there. It is hard to tell from the first photo but it appears to me that cuke has gotten a little large. When a cuke grows very fast, early in the season, they can get quite large and still have immature seeds so still have a good texture. Later in the season that same sized cuke will likely have more mature seeds and for me would be inedible.

[Cuke]

Both are ready to be picked or they can stay on the vine for a couple of days.Just pick them before they start turning yellow (when a cuke is yellow it tends to be more bitter and become woody and hard).The one in the first two pics looks like in a day or two it might become more yellow,so pick it soon.The other one just pick soon,it has a few more days.

Also,cukes can be picked whenever you need them or whatever you're using them for.There's really no rule on them.Today I made a quart of pickles so I picked basically all different sized ones,including the small gherkins that are half an inch big (so tasty when pickled^^).Like I said,it depends on what you are using it for.

[mbaker410]

I have always picked cukes that look like the ones in the pictures when they got to that size. I personally would pick them now because in my experience they grow so fast that if you wait you end up with a bitter cuke.

Mike