The right time for harvest of cucumber and oriental pickling melon depends on the purpose for which the fruits are being used. Pickling and salad cucumbers are harvested immature, while for vegetable purpose, fully mature fruits are to be harvested. Harvesting for fresh market is a repetitive process and should be done daily or on alternate days. Allowing the old fruits to remain on the vine will decrease young fruit production. Harvest the fruits by twisting with hands and are snapped off of the vine, as pulling can damage the vine. The average yield varies between 10-15 t/ha.
The harvested fruits should be washed and cleaned before storing. Avoid any bruising and crushing as it reduces the keeping quality. Optimum temperatures for storage of the fruits are between 10-12°C with 95% relative humidity. Under these conditions, the fruit can be held for 10-14 days. The fruits should not be held at temperatures below 8°C as it leads to chilling injury, which manifests in the form of water soaked spots and pitting, followed by decay. Storing cucumbers with other fruits that give off ethylene will accelerate yellowing in cucumber. If the fruits are stored at 5% oxygen in a controlled atmosphere it will slow down yellowing.