Wednesday, August 3, 2011
I Grew a Mutant Cucumber!
Cucumbers are coming in at a steady rate now. I'm picking about one cucumber every other day. I've been using the cucumbers in sandwiches, I should save them until I have enough cucumbers to make Sweet Dill Pickles!
In the midst of the cucumber vine, I did find a weirdly shaped discolored cucumber. Check out the one on the left. It looks like such a mutant! Not only is it an orangey color, it's round!! It came off the same vine as the one on the right. I did a Google search on why cucumbers turn this orangey color, and the search revealed that cucumbers turn this color when they are on the vine too long and over ripe. They are still edible despite the weird color but they might taste bitter. I tasted the orange cucumber and it tasted just fine. It wasn't bitter at all, so it went into my sandwich for lunch.
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Isn't it interesting what one plant will do with different fruits? My neighbor is sharing cucumbers right now as mine finally are blooming again. The heat just knocked them down. I love cucumbers so many ways.
ReplyDeleteIt's possible that it crossed with another cucurbit. Are you growing yellow zucchinis or pattipan squashes? Or even melons? If the cuke flower got pollen from another summer squash it could very possibly grow into a mutant form.
ReplyDeleteJust read an article on what causes deformed cucumbers last week at VeggieGarderner. He stated Improper Pollination, Hot Temperatures or too much Fertilizer is usually the cause. May want to check out the post: http://www.veggiegardener.com/deformed-cucumber/
ReplyDeleteYummy, cucumbers! Sweet dill pickles, even better! Round cucumbers, odd indeed.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I'm glad it still tasted good.
ReplyDeleteI've had this kind of mutant cucumbers every year. I just pick them off and eat them, usually get over a dozen of them out of several vines. I do not think is is over fertilizer, could be under fertilized, since I do not add anything to the soil other than using composted soil. I am more inclined towards hot weather or improper pollination. My vines were set apart from every other veggie and I don't grow other varieties of squash except zucchini or yellow squash which are situated atleast a hundred feet away from cukes.
ReplyDeleteMimi did I send you cuc seeds? Some of mine look like this too!
ReplyDeleteI think they are like that when they don't mature correctly.
ReplyDeleteOnce the vine gets a be a little long in the tooth, I end up with cukes of all shapes and sizes. Right now, they area starting to resemble pears. I don't mind so much. At least they are not going to waste.
ReplyDeleteha - a new variety of yellow globe cukes!
ReplyDelete