ASK KATIE — ABOUT GROWING FOOD
Why Do My Cucumbers Have Pointed Ends?
Don’t feel bad, it’s easy to get pointed cucumbers and the cure is just as easy.
What causes pointed-end cucumbers is a good question, as I think everyone has had this happen. I’ve grown much of my own food for over 50 years and taught gardening most of that time. This year I had some deformed cukes.
Yes, I fess up.
The good news is that you can still eat them fresh, make pickles, make relish, or ferment them.
But they are ugly! I agree.
The photo above is of my little babies.
The three cukes on the left are from the same vine. So what happened?
Cucumbers are heavy feeders, thirsty critters, and fast growers. These traits make them easily influenced by environmental conditions. It also means that they will work their little buns off — oops they don’t have buns, I knew that. They are heavy producers!
Pointed ends are the result of a lack of water.
Homegrown cucumbers have a lovely smell, crunchy texture, and mouth-watering taste. Crisp glossy skins hold in the flesh which is mostly water.
The vines are strong and reach out wildly, supporting huge fruits. They too, hold a lot of water and carry this water to the fruit.
Being heavy feeders, this constant flow of water carries the nutrients from the rich soil to the leaves and fruit.
So, what happened to my cucumbers?
I seldom grow less than a perfect cucumber. That’s kinda bragging. Oh, well.
We had a week of temperatures above 100 degrees F — hot. My cucumbers are in containers so I needed to water them three to four times a day in that heat. I watch my plants closely. In fairness to you all, I’m retired and a homebody so it’s easy for me.
During the heatwave, a friend needed me to tend her garden and another friend needed me to shop as the whole family was sick. I feel a lot of joy when I can help out, don’t you?
Anyway, I was out in the heat so much that I skipped watering my plants. I watered them in the morning and when I got back in the evening, but they dried out mid-day.
The soil was dry on top!
Cucumbers don't like to sit in soggy soil but they don’t like to dry out either.
When growing them in the ground, water them deeply when the soil is dry an inch down. This will depend on your soil but it’s a general guide. Typically one to three times a week depending on your soil and weather. When the weather is extremely hot they need watering more often.
In containers, water them when the very top of the soil is slightly damp but not dry. Play with your soil until you can tell. Again, if you’re growing in heavy soil test for dryness. Lighter soil, test for slight dampness. If that doesn’t make sense — keep watch on your plants, temperatures, leaves and fruit.
Visit an old gardener in your area. You’ll likely get lemonade with your information.
In conclusion:
Growing our own food can be a wonderful experience. It can be challenging when first getting started as each plant differs and all plants are influenced by environmental conditions.
Because cucumbers are heavy feeders, thirsty critters, and fast growers, they suffer quickly when temperatures fluctuate. When temperatures are high they need more water to carry nutrients. If they don’t get consistent water the fruit is the first to suffer and will not fill out. This results in a pointed end.
It’s okay to eat cucumbers that have pointed ends. But use the information your plant is giving you to know to water your plant.
Don’t feel bad. I get them from time to time.
An extra treat for ya — spa water.
My daughter taught me about spa water way back in 1996, oh, my.
- Filtered water
- One lemon — cleaned and sliced
- One medium cucumber — sliced
Put lemon and cucumbers in a gallon jar and fill with filtered water. Put in the refrigerator for about four hours.
Pour over ice and enjoy. I find this extremely refreshing. I guess that’s why they call it spa water.
Thank you for stopping by. If you have more questions just leave them in the comments.
Happy Gardening, Katie.
I tend plants and people from my 120-year-old home and small garden. Read more about me here.
