Cucumber Colors
- Common Slicing Cucumber. In modern times, most slicing cucumbers sport a dark green color. ...
- Discoloration Due to Diseases. Diseases cause normally dark green cucumbers to change color. ...
- Differences in Varieties. Not all cucumber varieties display the uniform dark green to which you are probably accustomed. ...
- Additional Considerations. ...
Are all cucumbers the same color?
Not all cucumber varieties display the uniform dark green to which you are probably accustomed. Different varieties develop with different colors. For example, lemon cucumbers are yellow and round, resembling a lemon more than the common cucumber. Armenian cucumbers have a light green or yellow-green hue.
Which cucumbers don’t have green skin?
This cucumber variety is one of the few vegetables from the Cucumis sativus species that doesn’t have green skin. This slicing type of cucumber has thin pale-yellow skin and a fresh, crisp taste. Unlike other types of cucumbers that have light green to white flesh, Salt and Peppers have a greenish-yellow flesh with very few seeds.
Do cucumbers turn green when they mature?
The vast majority of cucumbers start out green and then turn other colors as they mature- which you do not want them to do. They do not turn green with age. Green is the Yellow (ish) cucumber races exist! Ordinary cucumbers will not turn green when they don’t get enough water. Cucumbers need sunlight to develop and maintain their green color.
Is cucumber a fruit or a vegetable?
You may be surprised to know that botanically cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are actually a type of fruit. These long green “fruits” are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family that include watermelons, pumpkin, and zucchini. There are nearly 100 varieties of cucumbers grown in most countries in the world.
What colors can cucumbers be?
Although green cucumbers are most common, cucumbers can actually come in many different colors, including white, yellow, and even orange. Although green cucumbers are most common, cucumbers can actually come in many different colors, including white, yellow, and even orange.
Why are my cucumbers not green?
Excessive moisture results in white cucumbers because water leaches nutrients from the soil. Without the nutrients needed for proper development, cucumbers turn pale or white.
Why are my cucumbers yellow and not green?
If you encounter a yellow cucumber, it's usually over ripe. When cucumbers become over ripe, their green coloring produced from chlorophyll begins to fade, resulting in a yellowing pigment. Cucumbers become bitter with size and yellow cucumbers are generally not fit for consumption.
Which Colour cucumber is best?
Best to pick: When the cukes are consistently dark green and about 8-10 inches long, they're ready to be picked. These standard grocery store cucumbers are straight with dark green flesh that occasionally have a light yellow patch near the top.
Which cucumber is best white or green?
Green cucumber vs white cucumber When choosing between a standard green cucumber and an ivory white cucumber the difference can seem to be only skin deep. Some fans report that small white cucumbers can taste sweeter, while others report a more sour or bitter flavour when it comes to the larger white cucumbers.
Will cucumbers ripen after picked?
The question, “Do cucumbers ripen after you pick them”, must be met with a resounding, “no.” Unlike some fruits, cucumbers do not continue to develop after harvest. Ripe cucumbers have a firm, green flesh.
Can you pick a cucumber too early?
Cucumbers can't really be picked too early, though allowing them to ripen to their ideal size will give you the best texture and flavor. Young cucumbers will be sweet, but very crunchy.
What can I do with unripe cucumbers?
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Can you eat orange cucumbers?
The short answer is yes, they are safe, but you likely won't want to eat them because of the taste.
Which type of cucumber is the healthiest?
English cucumbers are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and dietary fiber, as well as silica and other active ingredients.
Are baby cucumbers just small cucumbers?
Mini-cucumbers are typically cucumbers that are harvested early, when the fruit is small. They are usually quite tender, and can be consumed with or without the skin. Additionally, some varieties of cucumber have smaller vines and produce smaller fruit as a rule. The mini-cucumber is eaten both raw and pickled.
What kind of cucumber is used for pickles?
Kirby cucumbersWhat kind of cucumbers to use? Kirby cucumbers, which are small with bumpy skin, are the more popular choice for pickling. I prefer Persian cucumbers, which are smaller and have thin skin. If those are not available, I use English cucumbers (again, thin skin that is not waxy).
How do you green up cucumber plants?
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What do Overwatered cucumbers look like?
Leaf yellowing is a common sign of overwatering. When roots are sitting in water, they become damaged and unable to absorb nutrients. When leaves are yellow from overwatering, they will often be stunted and limp and may fall off. When this happens, check drainage around the base of the cucumber and reduce watering.
Why are my cucumber plants pale green?
Poor nutrition affects cucumber plant health Cucumber vines are heavy feeders. If your vines are pale green or yellow, especially the older leaves, they may need a nutritional boost. In the garden, adding a few inches of compost in the spring should provide all the nutrition your vines need.
What do you do with yellow cucumbers?
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Cucumber Varieties
Once available only at the best-stocked farmer's markets, different types of cucumbers are showing up at co-ops, grocery stores, and garden patches more than ever. There are a number of common cucumber varieties—Armenian, English, lemon, Persian—that you may encounter.
Armenian Cucumbers
Armenian cucumbers are long, thin, and slightly variegated in darker and lighter shades of light green or a yellowish-green. They are delightfully crunchy and are delicious when simply sliced and eaten raw.
English (Or Seedless) Cucumbers
English cucumbers are also called hot-house cucumbers and seedless cucumbers. This variety is long and thin with dark green skin.
Garden Cucumbers
Garden cucumbers are the most common cucumbers in North America. They are relatively smooth-skinned and dark green.
Gherkins
Gherkins are very small—sometimes not even two inches long. If you're looking for a cucumber to pickle, this is a great choice because they'll easily fit in a jar. They are popular in France, where pickled gherkins—known as cornichons —are a classic accompaniment to pâté.
Kirby Cucumbers
Kirby cucumbers are usually short and they're always bumpy. They have a range of skin color from yellow to dark green.
Lemon Cucumbers
Yellow, round, the size of a generous fist, these cucumbers look like lemons, which explains their name. Lemon cucumbers are sweet, without the bitter edge that most cucumbers have. They have thin skins, minimal soft seeds, and are flavorful.
Types of Cucumbers (With Pictures and Names)
You may be surprised to know that botanically cucumbers ( Cucumis sativus) are actually a type of fruit. These long green “fruits” are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family that include watermelons, pumpkin, and zucchini. There are nearly 100 varieties of cucumbers grown in most countries in the world.
Persian Cucumber
The Persian cucumber is a small cucumber with smooth skin and very few seeds. Compared to the English cucumber, the Persian cucumber is shorter, but still good for eating fresh.
English Cucumber
Another example of a burpless cucumber is the long, slender English cucumber with smooth dark-green shiny skin.
Lebanese Cucumbers
Lebanese cucumbers are another type of burpless cucumber plant that has thin green skin and a sweet taste.
American (Garden) Cucumber
Garden cucumbers are a short plump type of burpless cucumber that is commonly sold in North America.
Kirby Cucumber
If you want a great pickling cucumber that holds its crunch well, then Kirby cucumbers are a great choice.
Gherkins
Gherkins are an unusual type of small cucumber that have spiky skin, such as Cucumis anguria, and a crunchy texture. Another type of gherkin is the Mexican sour gherkin (also called cucamelon) which has a smooth skin.
Common Slicing Cucumber
In modern times, most slicing cucumbers sport a dark green color. The U.S. Standards for Grades sets the standard for "well colored" as no less that 75 percent of the cucumber surface to be a medium green or darker. It also requires that a light green color or darker goes to the blossom end of the cucumber on one of the sides.
Discoloration Due to Diseases
Diseases cause normally dark green cucumbers to change color. Belly rot, also known as soil rot, is a fruit rot caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani. It causes the cucumber to turn yellow and brown when they are small. On larger cucumbers, it appears as dark brown spots of decay.
Differences in Varieties
Not all cucumber varieties display the uniform dark green to which you are probably accustomed. Different varieties develop with different colors. For example, lemon cucumbers are yellow and round, resembling a lemon more than the common cucumber. Armenian cucumbers have a light green or yellow-green hue.
Additional Considerations
Cucumbers can become discolored for other reasons, and their ability to do so depends on the variety. When cucumbers rest on their side on the ground, they may become "yellow bellies" with large yellow spots. Use black plastic mulch to reduce this problem. Cucumbers become duller if they are not harvested quickly enough.
Variations of cucumber
There are three main variations of cucumbers that are cultivated today.
How to store cucumber s
Keep cucumbers in a plastic bag in the fridge for about a week. American Cucumbers from the grocery typically have a wax coating to retain moisture. English Cucumbers and cucumbers you may find at a farmer’s market do not, so these will lose moisture faster and should be wrapped in plastic wrap.
Cucumbers are shaped strangely and aren't dark green
Hello everyone. This is my first year gardening and I have a lot to learn! Would you please help me figure out my cucumber problem? I used starter plants that I purchased from a nursery to start my cucumbers. They are labeled as "burpless hybrid." The leaves are green, the vines are growing and climbing, and flowers are everywhere.
Re: Cucumbers are shaped strangely and aren't dark green
No problem. You are doing great. Yes, cucumbers may come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors, but the test is to slice it up and taste it. Taste like a cucumber? If so, you are good to go. Have fun. Do you have any bees around? Perhaps the flowers are not getting pollinated?
Re: Cucumbers are shaped strangely and ayren't dark green
There's lots of varieties of cucumbers and they come in all shapes and sizes. If you want a cucumber you are familiar with, like the ones you find in supermarkets being dark green and straight, buy a packet of cucumber seeds named Marketmore.
Re: Cucumbers are shaped strangely and aren't dark green
Wow! Thanks for your quick responses. We (unfortunately) have a colony of carpenter bees that live in our house and (fortunately) it seems like there are always several of them working in my garden during the day. I haven't tried tasting one yet. I did notice just now that I have one that looks darker and more uniform but shorter.
Re: Cucumbers are shaped strangely and aren't dark green
JoyousFaith08 wrote: Wow! Thanks for your quick responses. We (unfortunately) have a colony of carpenter bees that live in our house and (fortunately) it seems like there are always several of them working in my garden during the day.
Re: Cucumbers are shaped strangely and aren't dark green
Yes, I was going to say this one looks a leeetle bit past best harvesting size, which may also account for the lighter color. You will see when you cut into it whether the seeds are still soft and tender or have started developing hard shells.
Re: Cucumbers are shaped strangely and aren't dark green
One of my wife's former fellow co-workers has a daughter that complained about the taste of store bought cucumbers. Seems her grandfather always had a garden and would give her fresh cukes out of his garden and that in turn spoiled her.
Reasons for White Cucumbers
One reason that cucumber fruit turns white is a fungal disease called powdery mildew. This problem begins on the upper surface of the fruit and the cucumbers may look as though they have been dusted with flour. As it spreads, the entire fruit may become covered with the mold.
Is it Safe to Eat White Cucumber?
It’s best not to eat diseased white cucumbers. Those that are white because of blanching or too much rain are safe to eat, although nutrient deficiencies may result in a significant loss of flavor.
