Hi,

just a trivial question, but.....

..... I can tell when tomatoes and stuff are ripe and ready to pick because
they change colour.

How do you know when cucmbers and gherkins have finished growing and are
ready to pick?

If they change colour and go soft then it is too late :-)

Again, I know that with courgettes you can pick them once they achieve a
minimum size, or let them grow on and they will keep increasing in size.
Does the same apply (within reason) to gherkins and cucumbers?

At the moment the gherkins are doing far better than the cucumbers, growing
in tubs on the patio and trained up canes. The gherkins are setting far more
fruit, and filling out more.

TIA
Dave R
--

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
How do you know when cucmbers and gherkins have finished growing and are
ready to pick?

With both if you leave them too long they grow big and bitter. They can
still be eaten but you will have to peel the skins off.

When to pick is a matter of taste. Personally I pick cucumbers when about
nine/ten inches long and gherkins about four. I am estimating length as I
don't measure them.


Again, I know that with courgettes you can pick them once they achieve a
minimum size, or let them grow on and they will keep increasing in size.
Does the same apply (within reason) to gherkins and cucumbers?

Yes courgettes just grow and grow and make good marrow jam if big enough.
Best for the plate at about seven or eight inches.

Sorry its inches and not centimetres - never good the hand of new money
length.

regards
Don

On 27/6/04 11:09, in article , "Don"
wrote:

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
How do you know when cucmbers and gherkins have finished growing and are
ready to pick?

With both if you leave them too long they grow big and bitter. They can
still be eaten but you will have to peel the skins off.

When to pick is a matter of taste. Personally I pick cucumbers when about
nine/ten inches long and gherkins about four. I am estimating length as I
don't measure them.

My husband's family used to grow cucumbers commercially and his elder
daughter used to pick them when very small and eat the whole thing like an
apple from a tree. She said they were always very sweet that way.
snip
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 27/6/04 11:09, in article , "Don"
wrote:

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
How do you know when cucmbers and gherkins have finished growing and
are
ready to pick?

With both if you leave them too long they grow big and bitter. They can
still be eaten but you will have to peel the skins off.

When to pick is a matter of taste. Personally I pick cucumbers when
about
nine/ten inches long and gherkins about four. I am estimating length as
I
don't measure them.

My husband's family used to grow cucumbers commercially and his elder
daughter used to pick them when very small and eat the whole thing like an
apple from a tree. She said they were always very sweet that way.
snip

Thanks to responders :-)

{FX pounding feet as David rushes outside to measure his gherkins}

{FX pounding feet returning...gasp...pant..}

I have a few gherkins which are about 3.5" long by 2" diameter and one which
measeure about 5" long.

The experiment with gherkins is to try and match the small fat cucumbers we
found in Cyprus which were just right to eat whole with a packed lunch.

These are still smaller than the Cypriot cucumber/gherkins which I estimate
as 7" to 8" long.

May try one today or tomorrow just to see what it tastes like.

Hopefully the cucumbers will also be sweeter and less watery than the
commercial product. They are growing long, thin and knobbly at the moment -
I am waiting for them to fill out.

Cheeers
Dave R

On 27/6/04 12:07, in article , "David W.E.
Roberts" wrote:

snip

The experiment with gherkins is to try and match the small fat cucumbers we
found in Cyprus which were just right to eat whole with a packed lunch.

These are still smaller than the Cypriot cucumber/gherkins which I estimate
as 7" to 8" long.

Are these called 'pepinos' - something like that? If so, I think they might
be a special variety. I'll check with a Cypriot friend.

snip
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 27/6/04 12:07, in article , "David W.E.
Roberts" wrote:

snip

The experiment with gherkins is to try and match the small fat cucumbers
we
found in Cyprus which were just right to eat whole with a packed lunch.

These are still smaller than the Cypriot cucumber/gherkins which I
estimate
as 7" to 8" long.

Are these called 'pepinos' - something like that? If so, I think they
might
be a special variety. I'll check with a Cypriot friend.


Don't know - the labels were all Greek to me ;-)

Should have brought one back for the seeds.

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote
How do you know when cucmbers and gherkins have finished growing and are
ready to pick?

If they change colour and go soft then it is too late :-)

Yes, by then lots of ripe seed inside. Pick when big enough to use and
before they start to change colour (ripen).

Again, I know that with courgettes you can pick them once they achieve a
minimum size, or let them grow on and they will keep increasing in size.
Does the same apply (within reason) to gherkins and cucumbers?

To a certain extent yes but just like courgettes that are allowed to grow
you end up with something else, a marrow. Best eat them when youngish before
the seeds get too big inside.
Otherwise it's only fit for the compost heap.

--
Regards
Bob

Some photos of my plants at.....

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 27/6/04 12:07, in article , "David W.E.
Roberts" wrote:

snip

The experiment with gherkins is to try and match the small fat cucumbers
we
found in Cyprus which were just right to eat whole with a packed lunch.

These are still smaller than the Cypriot cucumber/gherkins which I
estimate
as 7" to 8" long.

Are these called 'pepinos' - something like that? If so, I think they
might
be a special variety. I'll check with a Cypriot friend.


Don't know - the labels were all Greek to me ;-)

Should have brought one back for the seeds.

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote
How do you know when cucmbers and gherkins have finished growing and are
ready to pick?

If they change colour and go soft then it is too late :-)

Yes, by then lots of ripe seed inside. Pick when big enough to use and
before they start to change colour (ripen).

Again, I know that with courgettes you can pick them once they achieve a
minimum size, or let them grow on and they will keep increasing in size.
Does the same apply (within reason) to gherkins and cucumbers?

To a certain extent yes but just like courgettes that are allowed to grow
you end up with something else, a marrow. Best eat them when youngish before
the seeds get too big inside.
Otherwise it's only fit for the compost heap.

--
Regards
Bob

Some photos of my plants at.....

On Sun, 27 Jun 2004 17:28:53 +0100, David W.E. Roberts
wrote:

The experiment with gherkins is to try and match the small fat
cucumbers
we
found in Cyprus which were just right to eat whole with a packed
lunch.

These are still smaller than the Cypriot cucumber/gherkins which I
estimate
as 7" to 8" long.

You can get varieties with middle-eastern-sounding names, which are
usually the type of cucumber that has a tender skin and is meant to be
eaten when small. For example, "Middle East Prolific", "Amira", "Beit
Alpha".

cheers,

Marj
--
Mediterranean Garden Advice and Shop: http://stores.tiefert.com/garden/
Also: http://www.mindspring.com/~mtiefert/...gardening.html
In Sunset zone 14-mild

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote
How do you know when cucmbers and gherkins have finished growing and are
ready to pick?

If they change colour and go soft then it is too late :-)

Yes, by then lots of ripe seed inside. Pick when big enough to use and
before they start to change colour (ripen).

Again, I know that with courgettes you can pick them once they achieve a
minimum size, or let them grow on and they will keep increasing in size.
Does the same apply (within reason) to gherkins and cucumbers?

To a certain extent yes but just like courgettes that are allowed to grow
you end up with something else, a marrow. Best eat them when youngish
before
the seeds get too big inside.
Otherwise it's only fit for the compost heap.

Again thanks to all who responded.

Tried the largest last night and it was very tasty - however the skin was a
little tough and bitter.

It somehow feels wrong to peel away the skin (all the healthy vitamins etc.)
so I will try a smaller one to see if the skin is less bitter.

Even if they need peeling they are still a success - much tastier than shop
bought green water tubes :-)

Now waiting for the cucumbers to morph from a long thin knobbly pencil to
something a bit more substantial.

Cheers
Dave R