5. Remove the blossom end. When your cucumber is growing, the bottom end of it is called the blossom end (where the flower was). Trim this end off of your cucumbers, as it contains enzymes that soften pickles.

Which end is the blossom end of a pickle?

You can see the stem and you’ll know that the blossom was on the opposite side of the fruit. If you buy cucumbers from the store they probably won’t have any stems. Find the blossom end by looking for the rough dot (instead of the smooth, indented dot) at the end of the cuke.

What is the blossom of a cucumber?

Cucumber flowers are small and yellow with five wrinkled petals per blossom. They are found on the vines of the cucumber plant. The flowers grow under large green leaves that help to provide shade and protection from the environment.

Which end do you cut a cucumber?

It is recommended to cut at least 1/16th inch off the blossom end, that is, the end of the cuke furthest away from the plant if you picked it or if you can determine the stem end. If you cannot tell which end is the blossom end, then cut BOTH ends.

Do you cut ends off cucumbers before pickling?

Cut Off The Blossom End Of Each Cucumber

One of the most important secrets to making crispy pickles is to cut off the blossom end of each cucumber. The blossom end contains an enzyme that can change the overall chemical balance in your pickles. This enzyme will cause them to soften when canned.

Fermented Dill Pickles – No Canner Required

What is the blooming end of a cucumber?

When your cucumber is growing, the bottom end of it is called the blossom end (where the flower was). Trim this end off of your cucumbers, as it contains enzymes that soften pickles. Just a little sliver off the end takes care of those enzymes. 4.

What does it mean when a cucumber plant flowers?

They produce the pollen needed to form the fruit, but they do not produce the fruit. … However, if you see the female flowers on your cucumber plants, but they are not “setting” fruit, then the problem may be that you do not have pollinators.

What type of flower are seen in cucumber?

While the blossoms of many flowering plants are called “perfect flowers” due to their containing both male and female parts, cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants produce separate male and female flowers on each plant. These girl-and-boy blossoms are termed “imperfect” due to being unisexual.

Are cucumber plants supposed to flower?

Cucumbers, like squash, pumpkins, watermelons, cantaloupes, and many other plants, produce male and female flowers separately on the same plant. They often begin producing male flowers several weeks before the females appear. The males make pollen and are necessary, but they do not produce fruits.

Which is the stem end of a cucumber?

If you are picking the cucumbers from your garden it is easy to determine the blossom end…it is opposite to the stem. But what do you do if you are getting the cucumbers from a farmer and are just not sure which is the stem end? The stem end is indented and smooth (left image), the blossom end is rough (right image).

What side do you cut a cucumber?

Push the knife forward and down into each cut. Slice your cucumber into whatever size and shape you desire. You can make cucumber sticks for a vegetable platter or chop up small pieces and toss them in a salad.

Why do you cut off the end of a cucumber?

The compound tends to be concentrated at the ends. Hence you rub the ends, sprinkling the salt helps in extracting the white milky fluid that contains the cucurbitacins. By cutting off the ends of the cucumber you reduce the likelihood of getting the cucurbitacins to spread to the rest of the cucumber.

How do I cut a cucumber?

Directions

Remove the skin of the cucumber. …
Hold a sharp knife with one hand and hold the cucumber with the other hand firmly.
Put the knife blade on the edge of the cucumber and push the knife forward and down into every cut.
Cut the cucumber into whatever shape or size as desire.

Why is it suggested to remove the blossom ends from cucumbers if used for pickling?

I’ve heard of many. The best tip is be sure to remove and discard a 1/16-inch slice from the blossom end of fresh cucumbers. Blossoms may contain an enzyme which causes excessive softening of pickles.

How do you keep cucumbers crisp when pickling?

5 Secrets for Crispy and Crunchy Pickles

Use small, firm cucumbers.
Jar them immediately after picking, or as soon as possible.
Soak cucumbers in an ice water bath for a couple hours.
Cut off the blossom end of cucumber.
Add tannins to the jar.

What end is the blossom end of a cucumber?

5. Remove the blossom end. When your cucumber is growing, the bottom end of it is called the blossom end (where the flower was). Trim this end off of your cucumbers, as it contains enzymes that soften pickles.

Do cucumbers get blossom end rot?

Answer: Blossom-end rot is a disease that strikes tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and watermelons. It is not caused by a pest but instead by growing conditions. You don’t need to worry about it spreading from plant to plant, although of course plants of the same type may develop it on their own.

How long after flowering will cucumbers appear?

Cucumbers appear at the center of each fertilized female flower as tiny green finger-like projections that enlarge almost daily as production progresses. It takes roughly 50 days from pollination for cucumbers to be ready to pick.

Should I pick the flowers off my cucumber plants?

To avoid a bitter tasting Cucumber, pick off male flowers once a week. If you allow the male flowers to develop and pollinate the female flowers, the fruits that develop will leave you with a nasty aftertaste as the seeds contain a bitter compound called cucurbitacin.

Why is my cucumber plant flowering?

Pollen is transferred from the male to the female flowers by bees and other pollinators. When properly pollinated and fertilized, the female flowers develop into fruit. The first flowers to appear on cucumbers and other vine crops are predominately male.

Do flowers on cucumber plants turn into cucumbers?

Cucumbers rely on pollinators for pollination. Bees are the main pollinator for them, although bees tend to prefer other plants over cucumbers. Bees carry pollen from male cucumber flowers to female cucumber flowers, which allows the female flower to produce a cucumber.

Is a cucumber flower a complete flower?

Statement 1: The flower which has all the whorls is called a complete flower. Statement 2: Cucumber and maize are examples of complete flowers.