"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 27/6/04 11:09, in article , "Don"
wrote:

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
How do you know when cucmbers and gherkins have finished growing and
are
ready to pick?

With both if you leave them too long they grow big and bitter. They can
still be eaten but you will have to peel the skins off.

When to pick is a matter of taste. Personally I pick cucumbers when
about
nine/ten inches long and gherkins about four. I am estimating length as
I
don't measure them.

My husband's family used to grow cucumbers commercially and his elder
daughter used to pick them when very small and eat the whole thing like an
apple from a tree. She said they were always very sweet that way.
snip

Thanks to responders :-)

{FX pounding feet as David rushes outside to measure his gherkins}

{FX pounding feet returning...gasp...pant..}

I have a few gherkins which are about 3.5" long by 2" diameter and one which
measeure about 5" long.

The experiment with gherkins is to try and match the small fat cucumbers we
found in Cyprus which were just right to eat whole with a packed lunch.

These are still smaller than the Cypriot cucumber/gherkins which I estimate
as 7" to 8" long.

May try one today or tomorrow just to see what it tastes like.

Hopefully the cucumbers will also be sweeter and less watery than the
commercial product. They are growing long, thin and knobbly at the moment -
I am waiting for them to fill out.

Cheeers
Dave R