Failed cucumber picking?

[KirstieSparkle]

First time growing cucumbes..... Been watching this is my first and biggest one... Picked it as dog was playing try get into the raised beds....
Have I picked it too late?
Too early?
On time?

Why is it spikey? DDoes that mean I have to peel it?

Oh so.many questions.
Loads of little ones and just starting ones so figure I need to figure it out quick....

If only it would let me.pot the darn photo!

[sunshinekitty]

looks bit early but it should be fine

[skeggijon]

Looks like a gherkin variety to me Kirstie. Are you sure they're supposed to be a full sized cucumber?

[KirstieSparkle]

No idea we lost track of everything in the move and planted thing late and lost lables as a result of the delays.
I had marketmoore and delicate
No idea what either are sposed to be like. Been googling and still unsure. Figured this would be the place that knows

And googling is nigh on impossible with puppy training constant watch for toilet mode #exhausted

[veggiechicken]

You can rub the spikes of a cucumber - they won't hurt!!

[Martin H]

It doesn't look like Marketmore, that's even spikier than your one. I've not heard of a cucumber called "delicate" so don't know if it's that.

[skeggijon]

Well marketmore is a full size variety. Don't know delicate I'm afraid

[veggiechicken]

Were the seeds for LIDL?
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...not_31940.html

[Penellype]

Could easily be Delikate. You can eat cucumbers at any size once they start to swell. I prefer mine (Vega F1, a small fruited variety) fresh off the vine so I cut them when they are about an inch across and 4 inches long, which is probably smaller than yours. Not that I have had any ripe ones at home yet - they are struggling to set fruit and not helped by refusing to open male and female flowers at the same time despite having 2 plants!

[KirstieSparkle]

YES they were from lidl
Will have a look at link when finished washing puppy

[KirstieSparkle]

Well that was quite bitter and not great :-(
Ah well

It was almost yellowish on the other side so maybe I left it too late or maybe delikateB is one of those bitter ones :-(
Booo

At least I'm successfully growing stuff

[vixylix]

Looks like a gherkin to me! If it's bitter though it could just be unpollinated?

[KirstieSparkle]

Well I'm still perplexed by these cucumbers...
Think everywhere says that bit of yellow means they are too late, but there never seems to be a time when they arent.
I'm trying to leave them.on to see what happens.... Also now distinguished the delikateB ones from the marketmore.... But when am I supposed to harvest the marketmore? Wait for the spikes to grow out? Seems to be happening.

I need some veg grower near by that's willing to come teach me lol

Marketmore not picked because under impression supposed tonget long.

Delikateb not sure if yellow is getting more or if green is getting more. Bit scared to pick and try any after last times bitterness

Delikateb on left marketmore on right.

[Jungle Jane]

I would pick all of them,you have lots of little ones that will start to grow bigger. Keep an eye on the little ones,you'll notice one day they stop getting bigger,pick them then. If left on the vine too long theyll have a bitter taste & start yellowing. Are you feeding them with a tomato feed? (high potassium - good for fruits) this helps provide nutrients they need. I saw a tip on y0utube to get rid of bitterness,cut a thin slice off the end of the cucumber,then rub it against the cucumber(so both cut ends rejoin)rub in circular motion & foam comes out,which is the cucurbitacin,what makes it bitter. Apparently there are higher levels of cucurbitacin in the cucumber tip,so maybe try cutting it halfway down the cucumber,where it might be less bitter?

[KirstieSparkle]

Ooh errrr very interesting.
The yellow does seem to be always there and they are constantly getting bigger.

There is also light colouring on them where they were on ground.
(My other half tried to help and finally put my trellis up but trailed my spaghetti squash up and entangling it with the cucs and that was while I was away, so came back to a right mess and spent whole morning untangling plants and then putting them up on trelis.
Some were along floor some were intwined with squash, all a big mess.)

I havnt been using tomorite at all actually because I've been really lax in things, will feed everything.... And. Then try making sweet cucumber love rub lol