Got Cucumber Questions?
Do have any burning questions about cucumber gardening that I haven’t answered here?
Are there any other aspects of growing cucumbers that I should have written about?
Leave a comment and let me know!
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I know it’s been extremely hot but, i have a patio with pots and they get so dry that i have to water two times a day. Sometimes when i come home from work the plant has fallen over,
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It’s tough in dry weather to keep containers watered. It is important to use a good soil mix to help keep the correct moisture levels in the soil. For now, try using a waterer like this: http://www.cleanairgardening.com/automatic-houseplant-watering.html. Also, try a self watering planter next season. Here’s a good one for cucumbers: http://www.cleanairgardening.com/growers-choice-planter.html.
My cucumber plant is growing quite vigorously (has grown over half-way around the fence of my 12×18 garden). It came up on its own in the garden from a seed from one of last year’s cukes. My problem is that it is not setting any flowers at all! In past years I have been harvesting cucumbers by now! I live in PA, and the plant has been growing for about eight weeks, now. The only difference from years past is that, this year, I am only growing one cucumber plant instead of two. Any idea what I can do to get my cuke plant to flower and set fruit???
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Many variables can affect flower production. In your case, it sounds like the cucumber plant has focused on vining and producing leaves instead of flowers. Perhaps, there’s too much nitrogen in the fertilizer or it’s being over fertilized. Try a flower producing fertlizer higher in phosphorous, like this one: http://www.cleanairgardening.com/flower-power-fertilizer.html.
I accidentally broke off both of the tops of my trellised cucumber plant (Boothby Blonde variety). I do not believe I damaged the plant root. Will the cucumber plant survive? The plant was otherwise healthy looking and thriving.
Kindly advise.
Thanks,
Alan
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It should survive if it was just the tops of the vine. I would at least give them a chance! The only concern is if the climate is still favorable for the plant to catch back up and produce more blooms. I would definitely fertilize the cucumber plant with a flower focused fertilizer like this one: http://www.cleanairgardening.com/flower-power-fertilizer.html.
Hi,
I have a friend whose cucumbers turn brown and fall off when they are just beginning. What should I tell him to do?
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It could be that the cucumber blossoms were not fertilized. Hand pollination may help. If the cucumbers are actually growing, check into these cucumber plant diseases that could cause browning cucumbers: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/hortcrop/pp656w.htm.
This is the first year that I have tried growing cucumbers and everything seemed to be going fine until I went to check on the few that were getting close to being ripe today and one of them had a huge split down one side like the fruit inside just got too big for the skin and it split. I haven’t been able to find any information about it. At first I thought that I just had guessed wrong about when to harvest it and let it get too ripe, but when I cut it open it didn’t look ripe at all. What did I do wrong??
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If it was just one cucumber that split, don’t worry too much about it. But, think back to and see if you had substantial rainfall after a dry period or you recently fertilized. It doesn’t sound like a problem that’s affecting the whole harvest, though.
This is my 5th year of growing cucumbers and for the 1st time the cukes are soft. I have never used a trellis, should I? This is also the first year I used mushroom compost would that have anything to do with it? Thanks
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If this is your fifth year growing cucumbers, it should not be a harvesting problem. Double check the top cucumber plant diseases to make sure that’s not causing soft cucumbers. Here’s a resource: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/hortcrop/pp656w.htm. And, here’s more information on mushroom compost: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=28&storyType=garden. Make sure the mushroom compost is from a supplier that can confirm the compost was heated up enough to kill any pathogens. This article above suggests to let mushroom compost cure another season after purchasing.
Why are my cucumbers a little bitter tasting?
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Cucumbers can be bitter if the plant has been stressed and becomes unhealthy. Some possibilities for a stressed cucumber plant can be: plant disease, not enough water, or low fertility. Once the plant starts producing bitter cucumbers, it is likely all the cucumbers from the unhealthy plant will be bitter. Also, cucumbers if harvested too late can be bitter. Try picking a little early and see if that helps produce a good tasting cucumber.
My “CUKES are doing well!!… Too well it seems! What is the best way(other than pickling) to store the excess harvest?!!
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That’s awesome you’re having a great cucumber harvest. Try refrigerator pickles. This is still pickling, but it’s an easy way to do it: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/homemade-refrigerator-pickles/Detail.aspx. Also, you could try cucumber salsa. Here’s a recipe: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/cool-cucumber-salsa/Detail.aspx.
Why have my cucumbers turned yeloow?
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Most of the time when cucumbers turn yellow it is because they are staying on the vine too long. Try harvesting a little earlier. Also, weather conditions, nutrient deficiencies or poor soil quality can lead to yellow cucumbers. Make sure they are getting enough water and fertilize them.
For two years in a row our cucumbers (english variety) have been normal in size but very pale green and have developed “melon like” skin. We have put them in a different spot, we don’t have melons in our garden nor does our neighbor. We do have nematoads (sp?) in our soil and i have read that can cause some problems. They have been planted next to carrots for the past 2 years and I am wondering if that is a problem at all. Any help would be appreciated!
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If nematodes were the problem, you would most likely see an unhealthy plant or damage signs on the foliage. And, surely it’s not the carrots, since carrots are companion plants for cucumbers. Did you grow from the same seeds? Could they be a different variety? Also, weather conditions could affect the skin. Cucumbers do not do well in a hot, dry climate.
I’m wondering the same as Courtney’s May 15, 2010, message: “My cucumbers are curling. Do you know why they do this and how i can fix it?”
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Misshapen cucumbers can be a result from several variables: poor pollination, low fertility, or weather extremes. Remove the misshapen cucumbers, and fertilize to see if that will help.
I am growing bush pickle tomatoes and they are not turning green. They seem to start off yellow and stay yellow. I kept waiting for them to turn green but a few have rotted in the meantime. I picked the rest of them and am hoping for a new start with the next batch. I wonder if they are missing some nutrients??
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Yellow cucumbers are most likely due to a nutrient deficiency or weather conditions. Pick off the yellow cucumbers, and fertilize to see if you can add nutrients to the soil. If they are rotting, check into some of the cucumber diseases that could cause this. Here’s a site that will help: http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/cuke/dscntnts.html.
are cucumbers a vegtable or a fruit?
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Technically and botanically speaking, a cucumber is a fruit because it was formed from the ovary of the plant. However, most consider it as a vegetable when it comes to gardening.
I have been told that you shouldn’t weed cucumbers, zuchini and strawberries when they have dew on them, is there something true about that or is it just a opinion?
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There is some truth in this. It’s easier to spread plant diseases when the foliage is wet. Just wait a bit until the foliage dries.
A few of my cucumber plants are producing round cukes…..why?
@Robin M
Could be several things. It might be incomplete pollination or weather extremes. It might be a second generation from a hybrid cucumber which could cause a funny shape.
This is my first year planting cucumbers – when do I know that the fruit is ready to pick? Should they look like I see them in the grocery store? I have a large fruit, but it still seems very light so I’m not sure if it’s ready.
Thanks so much!
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The variety or use of the cucumber will depend on when to harvest. Slicing cucumbers grow longer than pickling cucumbers. Here’s a helpful website with when to pick cucumbers for common garden varieties: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1608.html.
My cucumber plants are huge. Tons of flowers and not a cucumber in sight. Thoughts? Suggestions? (I live in Maine and planted Memorial Day weekend. )
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Try hand pollinating the cucumber plants. Here’s a site that tells you how: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs398. Also, weather conditions can affect pollination. The plants having plenty of flowers is a good sign that you will still be able to harvest some cucumbers this season. And, it sounds like the plants are healthy. Just make sure you do not over fertilize!
My leaves are turning yellow, and some are drying up. We are getting cucumbers. I water every day. this is our first time. Thanks
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Make sure your soil is rich in nutrients. The yellow leaves could be sign of a nutrient deficiency. Try a well rounded garden fertilizer like this one: http://www.cleanairgardening.com/8-2-4-organic-fertilizer.html. Also, make sure the plants have mulch around them to keep the soil from drying out. If you don’t see an improvement with the leaves, look into cucumber plant diseases.
My cucumbers are orange! They turn orange before they are of a size to harvest, so I’ve left them hoping they’ll turn green – but no they stay a bright orange? Any suggestions?
Do cucumbers have a limit. We have many cucumbers and still some on the vine. The plant is starting to dry up. Does that mean it’s all done?
I grow Burpee hybrid cukes on Cape Cod. They are plentiful, crisp and crunchy. At this time (early Aug), the vines and leaves are drying up, as well as the yield. I water every day. This has happened several years in a row. I rotate the position in the garden each year. Do the plants have a 2+ month life and then give up?
Thanks for any insight.
Hi this is my first time growing. My cucumbers are a yellowish to light green, and when I cut them open they are slimy in the middle around the seeds. Any thoughts would be great.
My cucumbers get short, round and fat instead of long and slender. what is wrong?
My fruits turn brown a shrivel when small, also the leaves turn pale and yellow.. these are telegraph F1
Our cucumbers have tan meandering lines on the surface .No insects are visible and it doesn’t go deep into the flesh of the cucumber. What is damaging our cucumbers?
My cukes are producing well and looking healthy but all of a sudden a portion of the vine and leaves wilt..say the last 2 ft. The rest of the vine seems unaffected. It has happened to several vines.
I have planted a cucumber plant among my tomatoes. The plant is healthy a lot of leaves and flowers but the cucumbers stay the size of small gerkins and then wither. I have been watering every day . The temperature is ok for the tomatoes so i would have thought warm enough for the cucumbers. I really have no idea. Thanks for any suggestions.
Can u freeze cucumber’s?
What creates or causes a bitter cucumber? My cuc’s are just fine, however my daughters cuc’s are bitter.
Any thoughts on this?
My cucmbers plants were growing at a quick pace but have suddenly slowed drastically at a little over a foot long. It has started to produce many flowers, all male and at the tip of the vine it seems to be crowded with new flowers. could this be why it hasnt grown larger? because it is crowded at the tip? It is not dwarf varieties I have marketmoore and armenian foot longs. Thanks in advance! your site is awesome
I harvest my cukes on the weekends, but sometimes I miss one or two and end up with huge pale yellow/white cukes. Is there anything I can do with them? Is it just the huge size that causes the color or something else?
Some of my cucumbers are bitter tasting, why is that?
Some of my cucumbers are large and yeppow. Question are they old?
Like a couple of the other comments my cukes are turning yellow. They start out nice and green. They get about 5 inches long and thin. As they start getting longer and filling out they lose their dark green color and fade to yellow. There might be some pale green on the flowering end. I kept waiting to pick them and finally did when they were over a pound each and a foot long. The one I sliced tasted sort-of bitter but cucumbery. The very first cuke stayed green and got to a very good size and shape.
What could have happened?
Thanks,
Cindy
I planted a cucumber plant and didn’t check it and one day my husband said did you see this and I looked and it was a big long smooth skined thing which looked like yellow squash and I said it is hard and I didnt know if it was ripe. Then a couple of days later I brought it in a cut it and it looked and smelled like a cucumber. Could that be possible? Also, I seen three other cucumbers with bumbs on the skin and some of them were curled a little bit. When do you pick them, how do you know when they are ripe? And is the yellow one a cucumber, I don’t think I planted squash and it is on the same plant????
The skins on my cukes are tough, hard to peel,
almost leathery….
I just started a new hill of cukes today, end of august.. Hopefully they some should be ready by the end of october unless we should get a unseasonable frost….
My cucumber growth is not as it shoud be. The cucumber begins a very narrow growth pattern and after a couple of inches it grows the regular way. Also some cucumbers grow as they should then become narrow and returning to regular growth. What causes this pattern to develop…
Hello, I have had this same problem with cucumbers two years in a row now and I can’t seem to come up with a solution. I live in NW Montana and I have raised bed cucumbers. I have straight 8′s & have tried japanese as well this year. My vines are beautiful and they produce numerous blossoms. The cucumbers set on and will grow about 1-2inches and then they turn brown and die. I fertilize every 4wks. I also planted flowers in the box to encourage pollination. Can you help me with what I’m doing wrong?
Thank you
Felicia
Will cukes grow under a screened in lanai? They are growing already but do they have to be pollinated? I have small cukes already but don’t think bees will get to them?
Can’t seem to get my cucumber seeds to germinate. I tried different ones from different sellers. Help
would love to hear your suggestions comments ideas opinions on growing cucumbers in tropics Dominican Republic organic open pollinated or heirloom
cheers Paul
HI – I bought some seedlings in a peat pot and they were growing nicely – have planted as directed……………but do I tie them up?? do they need a trellis??
thanks!
Last year I planted Diva cucumbers.The catalog stated that they were gynoecious (all female) and parthenocarpic (fruits without pollination). This sounded ideal, as I have noticed fewer bees the last few years. Unfortunately while they grew well, and looked healthy, I got no fruit at all. They bloomed, had small cucumbers behind the flowers, but just dried up and fell off. This sounds like no pollination, but what would I pollinate them with, since they are all female. Incidentally, farther down the row I planted Burpee Bush Champion, which produced normally. Not a bumper crop, but sufficient. I would really like to try some of the persian type (seedless). Do you have any idea what went wrong?
My wife and I are working on our first garden ever. We planted two cucumber plants 2 weeks ago and they are already dead. Everything else we planted look good so far.
What did we do wrong. We planted Tomatos, onions, radishes, carrots and a green pepper plant. We kept it nice and moist. Do cucumber plants require as much water and the other plants?
The leaves on my cucumbers dry out and I don’t get very many flower, but when I do get cucmbers they are delicious and healthy. They don’t have any pest, and I fertlize about twice a month and water everyday. I live in New Orleans LA. Is it possible that they are getting too much sun.
Hi
I dont think there is such a thing as too much sun for cucumbers. My plants are all sun and are doing great, the one plant that gets partial shade is half the size of the rest. Could be too much fertilizer?
I have a cucumber plant growing in a pot and its about 4 inchs tall. I’m going to transplant them but should i thin any of the seedlings?
I have white spot like cotton on cucumber and goawa leaves that turned to spoil unable to eat and also tree goes to finish.so please suggest remedy for that.
I planted the small pickling cucumbers last year and had a bumper crop. i live in CT and am getting my garden ready for planting this year and noticed the plants from last year are growing back. My question is are they perinnials? Or do I need new plants this year? And do they do well growing on trellis’? Last year they over took half my garden!
My cucumber plants are hugh with a lot of flowers but, I do not hav any cucumbers…..What’s up.
Thanks Tracey
I had several inches of rain yesterday and when I checked my garden all of my cucumbers were lying down and wilted.
Will they come back or do I have to start all over with new seeds?
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