The pick-up device 1 disposed in the direction of travel in front of a harvesting machine 2 for cucumbers has a circulating conveyor belt 11 having upward jutting spikes 12 made of rubber or elastomeric plastic and further has an associated circulating cover belt 18 having upward jutting transverse moldings 22, which are tilted forward in the direction of circulation. Directly behind the place at which the spikes 12 reach with their tips the lowest point of their path of circulation, a cutting device 24 is active, which cut off the cucumber plants raised with the spikes 12. A sensing roll 30 resting on the ground 9 controls the height position of the pick-up device in such a way that the blades 27, 28 of the cutting device 24 and the tips of the spikes 12 do not penetrate into the ground 9, but always maintain a short distance from the ground. This configuration ensures an operation which is not disturbed by plant pile-up and even permits use in plasticulture.
