How Do You Know If Cucumbers Are Ready To Be Picked

Ok, maybe that quote is a bit dramatic but it’s actually true. Cucumbers have a very distinctive growing time and it’s almost as if once they are ripe they get overripe the next day. 

I posted something on my Instagram story showing the difference in the colors between the two and so many people talked about how they got caught slipping not knowing the difference between the two. A common question- is the cucumber ready? That’s the hard part sometimes, vegetables take all of that time to grow then all of a sudden- they are overripe!

What I notice about cucumbers when they are ripe is how they start to “pull away” from the vine. If you notice when cucumbers are first growing they seem to still be super attached to the vine but then the more they’re ripened- they start to pull away. You’ll notice a little “hang time” on the vine.

You should really watch your cucumbers because once they stay on for too long they will overripe and eventually rot. I caught this one just in time but…it’s almost too ripened.

I deliberately let one stay on too long just to make this point (actually it was accidental but it helped make my point…so….go with me, LOL). 

As you can see the ripened cucumber is slightly smaller but the hint of green is distinctive. It is olive. As for the overripe one, I do still intend to eat it but I already know the taste will be bitter.

I hope this small comparison can help you know exactly what color you’re going for. Let me know what other gardening questions you have!