Cucumber worries

[TJM]

hello!

I am growing a veggie/flower garden for the first time this year. My cucumber plants were doing just fine till the other day when my pool burst and thousands of gallons of pool water flooded my yard. My cucumber plants were right in the tidal waves path ):

The two cucumber plants survived, but I am worried. Is the chlorine/other chemicals in the pool water going to harm my plants? I took the hose out and rinsed the garden bed to hopefully rinse out the pool water. Today I noticed the plants have yellow spots on the lower leaves that came into contact with the pool water.

Is it going to be safe to eat the cucumbers? I'll attach pictures below.

Also, I have no idea what type of cucumbers these are, I bought them from walmart and the package just says cucumber. Some of the cucumbers on the plant feel firm when I squeeze them and are about 6-8 inches long. Are they ready to harvest? I have about 40 cucumbers some just popped up and some have been growing for a while. I'm happy about that!

attached to this post are some pictures of some of the larger cucumbers, and a picture of the yellow on my leaves 24 hours after the pool water flooded the garden. I also have one large 11 inch cucuber that is really fat. Its more yellowish green. Will this ripen to green or is it okay to eat a yellow cucumber?

[kathyd]

Can't answer most of your questions TJM, sorry . But I've eaten my cukes from about 4" long and they've been fine, so I'd start munching now if you're worried about chemicals moving through the plant. Yellow sounds dodgy to me - sounds as though it's not had enough nutrients or something - mine have always grown green and stayed green, and if they've turned yellow they've then dropped off the plant shortly afterwards... you could pick it, cut it and see? If it looks/smells and tastes OK I'm sure it'll be fine .

In terms of yellow on the leaves, lots of my courgettes, cucumbers and squashes get these, often if I wet the leaves while watering. It probably doesn't matter, but if the leaves start going droopy or manky then pull them off. Your plants probably have lots of other leaves, they won't miss a few . Cucurbits are subject to lots of diseases, your plant may just be getting some kind of a virus - you should still get a harvest though, provided it takes its time to spread.

I have no idea what chemicals you'd have in a garden pool, but as I said above, if you're worried about the plant absorbing them then pick stuff and eat it now rather than leaving it... a healthy green cucumber will keep in the fridge for 2 or 3 weeks normally.

Fingers crossed someone with experience of pools and cukes will be along shortly with some more informed advice!

[Martin H]

Shame about the plant, I wouldn't do anything other than cross fingers and hope they recover from the drenching. I wouldn't worry about the pool chemicals affecting the fruit, after all you were prepared to swim in the stuff! If it tastes okay it'll be fine.

Cucumbers are best for eating before they are completely ripe. As they ripen they go yellow and get bitter, so it's best to pick them young. Like Kathy says, they do keep for quite a while in the fridge.
Try a piece of your big yellow one and see, but I expect it doesn't taste as good as the younger green ones.

[TJM]

Thanks for your replies! I just pulled two cucumbers a few hours ago and will have a taste tomorrow. I think you're right about the yellow spots on the leaves being there from getting water on them while watering. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing while I watered them yesterday and soaked the whole plant with water while I wasn't looking.

I think I'll mess around with this yellow cucumber and pull it off right now. Your probably right about it turning yellow from being on there too long. Thanks for the advice (:

And should I wait to eat the cucumbers after I pull them off the plant? Or can I pick them and eat them right after harvesting?

[Nicos]

Hi there...sorry I can't help with advice about your cucumber plants, but could you please put your rough location in your profile?
It will help other Grapes with their advice in future if they know you are located somewhere in the USA ???( you mentioned Walmart)

Oh.....and welcome to the Vine!

[Feral007]

If they are green cucumbers gone yellow then I'd say they've gone to seed. Keep the seeds for next season, and swap with others as well.
If they are yellow cucumbers, then different matter entirely.

From the length of them I'd say green. If they are telegraph cucumbers as they are known here (can't remember what they are called in the UK) then long ones are fine.
I like the shorter lebanese cucumbers. And also the Apple cucumbers. But since I don't seem to have any luck with cucumbers these days......