Cucumbers should not be kept in the garden. How to know when it's time to harvest, reported on the Martha Stewart website.
If the skin begins to turn yellow, wrinkle, or the fruits lose their correct shape, this indicates overripeness. This should not be allowed. The main guideline when harvesting is the appearance and density of the fruit. Ripe cucumbers have a uniform green color, elastic structure and fresh appearance.
You need to pick cucumbers in the morning, when the fruits have not yet warmed up in the sun, and the plant itself tolerates the picking procedure more easily.
Since cucumbers grow very quickly, it is recommended to check them after one or two days. Regular harvesting helps the plant direct its energy to the formation of new ovaries, and not to the ripening of seeds in overgrown fruits.
To cut cucumbers, it is better to choose a knife or pruning shears. The fruits must be cut off along with the stalk, being careful not to damage the peel.
You should not tear or twist cucumbers from the stem. Such actions often injure young shoots and can negatively affect further fruiting.
