It is the (tasty) must-have for every vegetable garden: the cucumber! If the location and care are correct, the fruits ripen at a breathtaking pace. Therefore, every gardener must be careful not to miss the optimal harvest time. But when exactly are the different cucumbers ripe?
Ripening time of cucumbers
Most types of cucumbers produce the first ready-to-harvest fruits around three weeks after flowering or eight weeks after sowing. Since cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus) are sensitive to frost, direct sowing outdoors is usually only possible from mid-May. In a greenhouse, cucumbers can also be sown in March, which ensures an earlier harvest start.
- Harvest in the open field begins around the beginning of July
- Harvesting in the greenhouse possible from mid-May
Tip:
Grow cucumber plants for outdoor use in the house or greenhouse from mid-March or buy pre-grown plants. This means you can harvest ripe fruit up to three weeks earlier, even outdoors.
Duration of the harvest season
A cucumber plant can give us many fruits. Fortunately, they don't all ripen at once. Because it opens its flower buds at different times and bears flowers and unripe and ripe fruits at the same time. Under ideal conditions and depending on the weather, the harvest season can last until the end of October. In the greenhouse, the harvest time usually lasts a few weeks longer. If the greenhouse is even heated and well lit, some types of cucumber, such as the snack cucumber, can produce some fruit even in winter.
Tip:
From September onwards, the temperatures outdoors drop significantly, the plant has less energy available and the ripening of the fruits slows down accordingly. From this point on, pinch off all new flowers so that the fruits that have already formed can still ripen.
Readiness for harvest of various types of cucumbers
When a cucumber has reached ideal ripeness for picking also depends on how it is used after harvest. The length achieved serves as a guide when harvesting the different species:
- Cucumbers: depending on the variety, from a size of between 20 and 30 cm
- Small pickling cucumbers (cornichons): about 4 to 6 cm long
- Gherkins: 6 to 12 cm long
- Peeled cucumber: as soon as the peel is completely yellow
Characteristics of ripe cucumbers
Two to three weeks after the first yellow flowers open, you should check your cucumber plants every two days for ripe fruit. The development of a harvest-ready fruit takes place within a few days, especially on warm days and with a good supply of water and nutrients. These are the signs of an optimal level of maturity:
- Fruit has reached the typical length of the variety
- it smells pleasant and fresh
- Shell is dark green and evenly colored
- Skin is taut, the flesh is firm (finger pressure)
When a fruit touches the ground, the surface of the peel may have a lighter color. This is just a blemish, the cucumber is still ready to harvest.
Identifying overripe cucumbers
Overripe cucumbers are soft at the ends, the peel has spots or is yellow to brown in color. They can smell unpleasant and show signs of rot. After cutting open an overripe cucumber, many large, sometimes hard seeds become visible. The pulp can taste slightly bitter.
Frequently asked questions
How do I harvest a cucumber correctly?
The ideal time of day for picking cucumbers is in the morning. Each cucumber must be separated from the rest of the plant with a clean, smooth cut. The easiest way to do this is with a sharp, disinfected knife. Do not eat the fruit as this can easily tear off part of the tendril. Twisting the stem or cutting it off with your fingers is also not recommended, as this leaves a frayed or bruised end that pathogens can use to find their way into the plant.
Can you harvest cucumbers too early?
From a purely taste perspective, an earlier harvest doesn't do any harm. The cucumbers are then even crunchier, rich in vitamins and tastier. But an earlier harvest also means making do with smaller fruits. It must therefore be carefully considered.
How long can you leave cucumbers on the plant?
Ripe cucumbers should be harvested promptly. Although the fruits remain edible for longer, they may need to be peeled and the seeds removed. They also consume a large part of the plant's energy. It is better to harvest them so that new flower buds and subsequently new cucumbers develop using the energy saved.
The cucumber is optimally ripe, but is bitter, why?
The bitter taste has been bred out of the varieties grown today. If a plant is under stress outdoors, it can still bear bitter fruit. For example, in the event of strong temperature fluctuations or a lack of water. Most of the time only the part around the stem is bitter, the rest of the cucumber is edible.
How do I properly store cucumbers after harvesting?
Cucumbers only last for about four days in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. However, the temperature must not be below 4 °C, otherwise they will quickly become mushy. Cucumbers stay fresh for up to three weeks in a dark cellar room at 10 to 15 degrees. Never store cucumbers next to apples and tomatoes, as these release the ripening gas ethylene and cause the cucumbers to spoil more quickly.
