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Hello Team,
Please refer to the attached image, I harvested a cucumber from my plant, but I noticed there are some spikes on its surface. What is it? Does the plant lack anything? Should I waited for some more time (the fruit was soft, hence I cut it off). Are those spikes normal? I don't see such things when I buy cucumber from the shop. Please advise.
Thanks
Balaji.
Hello @balaji27
Thank you for sharing your question about your cucumber. What you are seeing on the cucumber is completely normal for many home-grown varieties. Those small spikes or prickles are a natural feature of certain cucumber types, especially garden varieties that have not been bred for the smooth appearance preferred in commercial supermarkets. When cucumbers are grown for retail sale, they are usually from varieties that naturally have fewer prickles or they are brushed off during post-harvest handling, which is why the cucumbers you buy look smooth.
In your photos, the cucumber shows evenly spaced, tiny white prickles on the skin. These appear typical rather than a sign of disease or nutrient deficiency. Many cucumbers develop these structures while growing, and they simply rub off with gentle washing. They do not indicate that the plant is lacking nutrients, though slightly uneven colouring can sometimes occur due to sun exposure or watering patterns rather than a deficiency.
Harvest timing is the only point worth considering. You mentioned the cucumber felt soft, which can happen when it is slightly overripe or has been left on the vine a little too long. Cucumbers are best picked when they feel firm all along their length. Softening can also be caused by irregular watering, heat stress or rapid growth bursts. It is usually not harmful but suggests the fruit was at the end of its ideal picking window.
Overall, the spikes are normal, the plant does not appear to be lacking anything based on this appearance alone, and you did the right thing by harvesting once it softened. Future fruits should firm up if picked earlier, and you can gently brush off the prickles before eating.
If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.
Eric
