Cucumbers are one of the most favorite vegetable crops among amateur gardeners. With proper care, plants bear fruit abundantly and provide the family with delicious cucumbers for the whole year. Indispensable greens in summer salads give way to crunchy pickled delicacies on winter days. To reap a rich harvest of this tasty and healthy vegetable, it is not enough to know how to properly grow cucumbers. It is equally important to adhere to the rules for harvesting ripe fruits.
How to pick cucumbers correctly
To improve the taste and increase the number of ovaries on cucumber plants, you need not only to constantly feed the beds, but also to harvest the crop correctly. It is important to know the signs of cucumbers ready for harvesting, the favorable time for harvesting them, and gentle harvesting methods.
Signs that it's time to pick cucumbers
Experienced gardeners determine by appearance which greens can be picked. For beginners, there are several signs, based on which you can start harvesting.
- The secondary flower in the ovary area is dried out.
- Uniform coloring corresponding to the characteristics of the planted variety.
- The fruit is formed and has clearly defined varietal characteristics, such as ribbing, pimples, size, shape.
- At the end of the cucumber, the flower residue is dried and can be easily removed with your fingers.
For preparations, unripe greens are usually collected, and for salads it is better to use ripe, formed fruits. However, it is not advisable to overexpose cucumbers in the garden. The growing fruit, forming full-fledged seeds, draws on nutrition. This prevents the formation of new ovaries, slows down the growth of the vine, and reduces the quality and quantity of the harvest. As a result, instead of a bucket of strong green cucumbers for pickling, you can get 3-4 pieces of huge overripe giants.
Harvest time
Cucumbers are harvested no earlier than two weeks after the flower appears. It is by this time that tissues are fully formed and important microelements accumulate. An important factor for maintaining the quality of fruits is the time of day. It is better to pick cucumbers early in the morning. During the day in the sun, any actions with the plant will lead to its weakening. Evening picking is not conducive to good storage of harvested cucumbers. It is not recommended to collect from open beds during rain or immediately after watering.
Methods for picking cucumbers
The most gentle way to separate a cucumber from the vine is pruning with pruning shears or scissors. You can also carefully pinch off small fruits with your fingers. When harvesting it is not recommended:
- Unscrew the fruits.
- Tear off by pulling out the vine.
- Collect cucumbers with part of the shoot.
- When collecting, damage adjacent inflorescences and ovaries.
- Disturb the root system.
The main task is to disturb the plant as little as possible. You cannot pull the vine or change position while reaching for the next fruit.
Basic tips for a good harvest
By following the tips for growing and harvesting, you can easily harvest a high-quality harvest. It is important to remember the following rules:
- Follow the recommended agricultural practices and harvesting time for the variety.
- Trim the lower leaves and shoots in a timely manner.
- Harvest regularly.
- Avoid the appearance of overgrown fruits.
- Do not injure the plant when collecting.
- Maintain the direction taken by the vine without changing it.
- Do not grow pollinated varieties in a greenhouse.
- Know the characteristic features of the fruit of each variety so as not to miss the harvest time.
Proper and timely harvesting of cucumbers allows you to prolong the fruiting of the plant. At the same time, the integrity and health of the vine is preserved, flowering is enhanced and the formation of ovaries is increased. The ripening of the crop, in addition to careful harvesting, also depends on weather conditions, the absence of diseases and timely watering and fertilizing.
