The hardest part about gardening is the waiting for your fruits and vegetables to mature into edible food. The best part about gardening is reaping the literal fruits of your labor! I have 3 cucumbers from this year’s planting and I just picked one!
How do I know the cucumbers are ready to harvest?
The short answer is I don’t, but there are key features to help indicate that they are ready. Based on the variety of cucumber, as a general rule, they are ready to harvest when they are 8-12 inches long, dull green skin, and the skin is soft. Once the cucumber becomes squishy and yellow it is overripe and will taste more bitter.
Check early and often! Pick cucumbers early in the morning when the vines are still damp and it is cooler outside. Be careful not to bruise them. Slice and enjoy!
These are Straight Eight cucumbers. They have a mild taste but they smell heavenly! I love them just by themselves. I can eat them in a cucumber tomato salad. Wow! That sure is a short list of how I eat cucumbers.
How do you eat your cucumbers?
Feel free to share any and all recipes!
Spend time planning for next season’s cucumber harvest
I already know that I will be string training again next season and I know that I will be changing my container so that it is lower to the ground giving more room for the string training. I will also make a new frame for the string training so it looks better.
Succession planting should be part of my plan. This way I can get more out of my harvest longer.
I am going to include a second variety in the spring and I will try my hand at some pickling cucumbers and see what comes of it.
Eagerly waiting for my cherry tomatoes to turn and then starts wintering my gardens and planning for next year!
Looking for inspiration?