Homegrown cucumber

[AidaB]

I was given some random seeds for Christmas, including cucumber.
I am not a huge fan of cucumber, OH won’t even try it!
Just in need of some advice. The cucumbers that grew in the really hot weather are super light in colour and quite prickly.
I read somewhere bitter cucumbers can cause gas.
They don’t taste particularly bitter to me, I have only had a little nibble.
Do you think it’s ok for the piggies to have some? Perhaps peeled to remove the prickly bits!
I know home grown veg never looks like brought veg…. I just can’t quite get my head around if these will be ok for our Guinea pigs? Which is the only reason I tried to grow some.

Or perhaps I need to find a willing neighbour to taste test them too!
Any advice welcome.

 

[Engel]

Some varieties of outdoor cucumber are prickly so I wouldn't worry. I take the back of a knife and run it over the skin, they (the spiky bits) come off so no need to peel. Wash, chop and serve

(I didn't manage to grow any this year, the sun cooked the plants so I'm jealous)

 

[Piggies&buns]

They look lovely.
It’s normal for some types of cucumber to be prickly.
Cucurbitacin (the chemical which makes it bitter) occurs when the plant is stressed and the chemical gets into the fruits themselves (it’s normally in the leaves, stem and roots most).
As long as they don’t taste very bitter then they should be fine but if it does taste bitter then don’t eat it as it can make you ill.
When it comes to the piggies, if you (although maybe not you personally you won’t like them!) would eat them then they would likely be fine to but always if in doubt leave it out

 

[AidaB]

Thank you. Think I will try and find someone else to give me a second opnion.

Sorry to hear all your plants got sun cooked Engel. Our beans suffered, and are currently attempting to recover.
Also had something tip over the pot with carrots in and eat almost all of them… possibly a badger!

 

[Sweet Potato]

I had a home grown Cucumber from my grandmas garden last week it was prickly but nice and the piggies loved it. I'm not a massive fan of Cucumber myself but I love it in potato salad with spring onions and celery salt.

 

[Engel]

Sorry to hear all your plants got sun cooked Engel. Our beans suffered, and are currently attempting to recover.
Also had something tip over the pot with carrots in and eat almost all of them… possibly a badger!

It was a complete failure this year the only things that have survived I'm a fashion is a few tomato plants, corn, herbs, spring onions and strawberry plants. On a more positive note I have some pepper plants growing indoors so I'm hoping that they produce fruit over autumn and into the winter. Going to plant some winter cos to grow in the window for the pigs too.