silver streaks on greenhouse cucumbers

Question

Every year I grow F1 hybrid all female cucumbers in my greenhouse and as they get larger they develop grey/silver streak (sometimes slightly brown) markings on the skin. It does not seem to affect the cucumber in any way except that it looks unpleasant. How can I grow more beautiful cucumbers? I grow organically so would not use chemicals. Many thanks.

Answer 1

It sounds like they are experiencing cracking, which is uncommon on cucumbers but possible. Typically cracking is caused by irregular watering. The plant has a period of being dry and then get a heavy watering. The plant, being water starved, sucks up the water rapidly and over fills its fruit with water. Small cracks form (you can kind of think of them as stretch marks on fruit) and they heal quickly, but leave scars that get bigger as the fruit grows. The fruit tastes fine and is fine, but looks a little marred.

Making sure they are evenly watered will correct the problem on future cucumber fruit.

Answer 2

Thanks very much for the answer. I am not sure that this is it however, as I water very regularly every other day in the greenhouse, even ‘counting’ as I go along with the hose to make sure I give them the same amount each time, as I know irregular watering causes cracks in tomatoes.So I have got into the habit of watering cucumbers as well regularly this way. Perhaps I should try drip watering so its the same amount all the time going constantly into the soil.