Cucumbers shaping up oddly

Question: Hello! Actually I’m not sure whether my bush cucumbers are oddly shaped because it’s the first time I’ve ever grown them. But I have several round, fat ones instead of the normal long, skinny shape. Even from the same plant. Many are more white in color and not getting dark green. Am I harvesting too soon? Too late? Did I perhaps accidentally buy pickling cucumbers? Is there something else going on? Some have been fatter on one and and tapered on the other (no photo of those), which I have heard may be due to problems with pollination. Thanks for your help!

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 26, 2024, 4:24 PM EDT
response: The issue with varying fruit size/shape is likely due to an environmental factor, but we are checking with some vegetable specialists to confirm which may be the culprit (fluctuations in soil moisture, for example, or perhaps just high heat stress). Do you know what cultivar you are growing?  You are correct that fruits with a pronounced taper are due to poor or incomplete pollination, which could be due to too few pollinating insects around or active at the time the flowers were open, or due to high heat having killed some pollen.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 26, 2024, 6:35 PM EDT
response: Thanks, Miri. I have two varieties of cucumber. One is Bush Champion, which I grew from seed. The other type I bought as seedlings and unfortunately discarded the tag, so I don’t know what variety they are other than that they are a bush type.  I look forward to hearing more from the specialists. Thank you so much!   On Fri, Jul 26, 2024 at 4:24 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 29, 2024, 1:10 PM EDT
response: The specialist who responded thus far says that the short cucumbers are definitely pickling cucumbers, and the whiter-skinned fruits are not being picked early enough and are getting too mature, since pickling cucumbers should be harvested comparatively small (short). The other cucumber pictured next to the pickling type is a slicing cucumber, which should not be growing on the same plant since they are definitely different cultivars. (Perhaps two seedlings that were supposed to be the same variety but were not were included in one pot when the transplant was purchased? Some nurseries starting vegetable seeds may be putting two in one pot in case one seedling doesn't make it.)  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 29, 2024, 7:46 PM EDT
response: Thanks, Miri. That's interesting about the possibility of the nursery putting two seedlings together. I also realized that it's possible that what I think is one plant is actually two side by side and I can't tell...I did lose track of where I planted one of the seedlings!   I appreciate knowing to harvest the pickling cukes sooner. Thanks for the assistance from both of you!   On Mon, Jul 29, 2024 at 1:10 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 30, 2024, 9:30 AM EDT
response: You're welcome!