Cucumber Mutiny!
What a year I'm having in the garden! First the most pathetic tomato that I've ever seen, and now I believe my pickling cucumbers are conspiring against me. They're huge and turning orange. I'm new at this gardening thing, but I do know that cukes are suppose to be green. Why are mine orange? I was planning to make a small batch of pickles this week-end, but I don't know what to do with this monster. These are suppose to be Boston Pickling cukes, so I wasn't expecting this. I did some research on this issue, and there are gardeners all over the blogosphere who have encountered this problem with this particular variety. When I first saw it, I couldn't figure out what it was. When I realized it was a cuke, I thought it could have been a problem as a result of where I planted them. I have Roma tomatoes, dill and onions close by. Not! Most of the gardeners who encountered this same problem have said they have a sweet taste and should still be good for pickling. I plan to make spicy pickles, so I may try it in a salad. I'll keep you posted on the taste and quality of the cukes.
I was able to harvest a beautiful orange Beefsteak, which makes up for the pathetic one below that I picked several days ago. I planted a rainbow Beefsteak, so I'm looking forward to seeing the various colors on the vine.
What a difference in these tomatoes! I'm going to make myself a nice BLT this week-end and this baby is going to on the bed of lettuce topped with crispy bacon. Let the week-end begin! The zucchini will be used in zucchini bread and placed in the freezer. The chilies will used in my pickles and a pot of chili. It's a hundred degrees I know, but I'll taste it and place the batch in the freezer.
Do you make pickles? If so, please share your recipe. I'm also curious to know what type of pickling cukes you plant. I don't think I want to deal with Boston Pickling cukes again.
Never seen an orange cuke. I have have seen the yellow ones, but I always assumed that they turned yellow with age. I make a bread and butter pickle that is a sweet pickle. I'll look up the recipe. It is our family's favorite. Your harvest is a bit ahead of ours. Our tomatoes are just starting to form. Our cucumbers didn't do well, the seeds didn't germinate, so we just have 3 plants but I have a feeling that they will go crazy. I am not sure that I could eat an orange cucumber. But once you peel it, who would know the difference? Enjoy that blt!
ReplyDeleteDiva.... neither have I, but I have decided to do a little research too. This may or may not be the reason. But I find it interesting. I copied and pasted it here.
ReplyDeleteSymptoms of Over-Ripeness ( from eHow.com).
When cucumbers are left on the vine for even a day or two after they have fully ripened, they will quickly exhibit symptoms of over-ripening. Cucumbers will turn yellow in spots, which will eventually turn orange in color. The fruit will continue growing larger, but the fruit will also become less firm. The color change will progress until the fruit is entirely orange. The cucumber's skin will eventually develop cracks if it is left on the vine for too long.
This was def the one that got away! I'm going to have to check my vines more often. I talked to a Master Gardener today, and she too said it was over ripe although she had never seen one that turned orange. My office wants me to have show and tell. They can't wait to see it, lol.
DeleteMine only turn orange when they are left on the vine too long, which with the variety I have this year is just a day or two. Sorry about the mutiny :(.
ReplyDeleteThat seems to be the problem. I checked several days before I picked them, and they weren't close to being picked. Days later, I have a mutiny, lol. Lesson learned, I'll check more often.
DeleteI always get to your posts too late! It is just overripe. I had that happen. Cukes can go from not being ready to being ready within a day's time. You really have to watch them closely. I'm glad you are having so much success this year. I, unfortunately, am not. :o(
ReplyDeleteYes, it seems that I can't keep up with the cukes. I'm going to have to visit the garden daily. I seem to be finding more overripe than those that aren't. Sorry to hear that you're not having success this year. I was hoping to see more of your big melons this year. I was thinking about your right before I logged on. I'm thinking about your garden cage, and how nice it would be to have one. Fighting groundhogs is no fun!
DeleteIt looks to me like a Puna Keera cucumber. If it is that's the way they look when they are mature. Was it yellow when it was young? If so then it's almost surely a Puna Keera.
ReplyDelete