Native to India, cucumbers may have become spiny for the same reason that some animals are camouflaged or have horns…to protect themselves from predators. This is no doubt the case with cucumbers. Grow cukes in full sun in well-draining soil that has been amended with plenty of compost.

How do you get rid of cucumber spikes?

Some of them, particularly pickling varieties, are prickly. If the cucumbers have a lot of spines, remove them by rubbing a cloth or a soft vegetable brush along the length of the fruit. The burpless varieties of cucumbers are susceptible to bruising.

How do you know when cucumbers are ready to be picked?

A cucumber is normally considered ripe when it is bright medium to dark green and firm. You should avoid cucumber harvesting when cucumbers are yellow, puffy, have sunken areas, or wrinkled tips. These are well beyond being ripe and should be discarded promptly.