How To Tell When It's Time To Harvest Lemon Cucumber Plants

If you are looking for a type of cucumber that has a mild taste and is great for eating fresh off the vine, in a salad, or pickled, look no further than the lemon cucumber. These round, yellow cucumbers are fast becoming a popular option for gardeners to grow. Choosing to grow lemon cucumbers, along with your other vining plants, will add fantastic variety to any vegetable garden. However, when growing these beauties, it's necessary to know the best time to harvest them off the vine.

Typically, lemon cucumbers are ready to harvest when they are approximately 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches long and bright yellow in color on the outside. The peak time of year to harvest lemon cucumbers is usually in August and September, with some plants starting to produce harvestable cucumbers in late July and continuing to produce well into October. These vining plants will continue to produce cucumbers every two weeks if you are diligent about regularly harvesting them.

While lemon cucumbers are a unique vegetable that's surprisingly easy to grow, there are a few things to keep in mind to yield a large harvest. The key to more lemon cucumbers in the kitchen is to pick them often from your plant. As mentioned above, this kind of cucumber plant produces frequently when you are able to stay on top of the harvest. A good rule of thumb is to go ahead and pick them as soon as they are yellow in color and about the size of a golf ball.

Another great tip when harvesting lemon cucumbers is not to let them get too big before you pick them. Smaller lemon cucumbers will be less seedy on the inside and have more flesh when sliced. When they grow bigger (like the size of a softball), the skin can get tough and they will contain more seeds. Additionally, make sure your plant has great support with a cucumber trellis so the plant can continue to climb and grow. If you remember to harvest your lemon cucumber plant early and often, you will be sure to have a bountiful harvest throughout the season.