Toss your cucumbers immediately if you see this

Plus, a few tips and tricks to help them last longer.

Is your vegetable garden already overflowing with cucumbers? Same! Now, a follow-up question: how many of those cucumbers have come off the vine and started decomposing? Or, if you bought them at a grocery store or farmers market last week, how are those cucumbers in your crisper drawer doing? 

If your answer is that they look a little past their prime, here's what you need to know about when to throw them out. Plus, we're including tips on picking the best cucumbers and storing them so they last longer. 

When Do Cucumbers Go Bad?

Thanks to their high water content, cucumbers spoil more quickly than other vegetables. According to Healthline, cucumbers are more than 96 percent water.

However, water content isn't the only culprit—their thin skin makes them even more vulnerable. Cucumbers are sensitive to the cold and actually endure damage if they spend a few days in it, causing the vegetable to compress and, if left unattended, rot. 

According to the USDA's FoodKeeper app, cucumbers will last in the fridge for about 4 to 6 days—afterward, they'll start showing signs of moisture loss and spoilage. 

4 Signs To Look For—and Why It’s Important

• Wrinkles: “Wrinkly, dull skin usually is the first sign [of a bad cucumber]”, says Atlanta-based chef Hudson Rouse. “After that, it starts getting dimples or craters in the skin, and then soon after that, mildew follows.”
• Craters: Rouse notes that after cucumbers start wrinkling, they'll begin to develop dimples or craters in the skin that lead to mildew. 
• Slime: Cucumbers are best when their moisture stays inside. Once it starts seeping through the skin, cukes are more susceptible to rot and mold. 
• Mold: This one's pretty self-explanatory. If you see mold or discoloration, toss those cukes. 

Can My Cucumbers Be Saved? 

Depending on where they are in the spoiling process, your cucumbers may still be usable. While the only place moldy or slimy cucumbers should go is in the trash or compost, you've got options for wrinkly, shriveled, and soft cucumbers. 

Since spoilage can spread beneath the skin, you'll need to cut your cucumbers and check before chucking them in brine. “If there are large dimples or craters in the skin, you can count on the flash on the inside around that area not being good either,” Rouse said. 

Don't like the texture of wrinkly cucumber skin? That's not a problem. Rouse usually peels wrinkly cucumbers and uses them in a marinated cucumber salad or mignonette. 

“A perfect cucumber is crisp and juicy. If the crispiness is going away, I still try to use the flavor profile if I can,” he said. 

How To Make Cucumbers Last Longer

Cucumbers store best between 50 and 55 degrees F, so place them in the warmest part of your fridge. Keep them away from ethylene-producing fruits, like apples, and make sure they stay dry. You may even want to put a few paper towels underneath them. 

Cucumbers fresh off the vine can sit on the counter for a few days if you prefer cucumbers warmer. Meanwhile, put packaged cucumbers straight in the fridge. “If you bought them at the grocery store, they've likely been harvested over a week ago,” Rouse said. 

The absolute best way to know how fresh your cucumbers are is to purchase them at a farmers' market or grow them yourself. If you know you won't be using your cucumbers for a while, purchase them closer to the intended serving date. 

If you do use store-bought cucumbers, opt for organic produce or locally-grown vegetables. Better-looking cucumbers without wrinkles or craters are fresher, so it's okay to be judgmental. Finally, Rouse urges caution when unpeeling individually wrapped cucumbers. 

“When unraveling the tight plastic on the European cucumbers, be careful not to pierce or bruise the skin,” he said. “[Trying to remove the plastic] can do more harm than good sometimes.”

Read the original article on Allrecipes