This is my second cucumber. My last cucumber was about the same size when I picked it as I was afraid of overripening. Am I picking them too early? I don’t know the variety of cucumber since they were at my local library in an envelope labeled “cucumber” but they seem small compared to many other cucumber posts I’ve seen on this subreddit. Am I picking too early? Would you harvest this cucumber right now?
by bnnaa
28 Comments
If they’re pickling cucumbers, that’s a very good size and color for me.
Yes
Looks like a pickling cuke. That is a good size for a pickle.
As what everyone else said. For pickling, yes
Usually pickling cukes are smaller so they fit in the jar. If you have really big jars you can let them get a little bigger (if you enjoy eating big pickles). If you arent pickling them can let them get really big or pick them small and just see what tastes better to you
I would leave it 1 more day. But it’s personal preference I think.
Absolutely
Looks great! One of my mantras for vegetable gardening is don’t get greedy. This holds true pretty well when it comes to growing vegetables that are to be harvested as immature fruit (cucumbers, green beans). Erring on the side of harvesting earlier results in higher quality, plus the plant will usually compensate by making more fruit.
This *could* be marketmore, btw, but it’s impossible to say for sure.
I would wait a day or so. This is probably the first “is my cucumber ready to pick” post where I’ve said that. Nothing wrong with picking it today, but I don’t think it will be too big tomorrow.
They look like exactly like my marketmore cukes.
My kids would have already made off with that thing and started a vicious war over who’s eating it
I usually wait until the flower is brown or drops off, but that’s a guideline and definitely not a rule!
I wait slightly longer – maybe one day more – until the length is just shorter than the height of a quart jar.
They taste so much better when smallish
I wouldn’t just pick it, but I’d go as far as eating it too!
Absolutely! I decided to start pickling mine due to the frequency. The pickling spices are gonna smell up your kitchen(in a great way).
I picked one today that looked just like that and my son had it devoured within the hour. Apparently it was perfect.😅
But I think you could safely wait another day or two if you prefer!
Need a banana for scale
Yes
Let a couple go and see what you get. Color is usually a good indicator. Pick at the first hint of a yellow underbelly and then pick the others slightly before they get to that size.
Yeah today or in the next couple of days.
I would pick(le) that.
Looks average to me
Yes for sure
The more you pick small early in the season, the more you get in the long run
I feel like the bigger they get the less flavor they have
Of you don’t know pick it now and see if you like it that size. I have some jade cucumbers and early is very tasty but I see some people post ones as big as their arm? So much depends you grow conditions also.
Til it’s longer
Id personally give it another day, but that’s an acceptable size too. Just depends on how you like your pickles. It takes a while for them to become “overripe”. I left this one on the vine a little too long and it still tasted great.
https://preview.redd.it/u58qp0vwo6ed1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8691a9f9d229d43cb8df99d4e958479b84af99f5