2007-06-22 06:14:33 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Any stress on a cucumber plant such as high temperatures, low moisture, low fertility or foliage disease can contribute bitterness. Bitterness is usually associated with fruit harvested late in the season from unhealthy, poor-yielding plants.
Try using a balanced fertilizer (such as a 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 analysis....use one cup per every 10 feet of row), water regularly (keep soil moist--NOT soaked) and apply a straw mulch around the plants to prevent drying out between waterings.
Hope this will prevent further bitterness in your cukes. GOOD LUCK!!!
-Certified Professional Crop Consultant with over 30 years of experience and a Degree in Plant Science.
2007-06-22 06:50:48 · answer #1 · answered by jazzmaninca2003 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not enough water. I have a trick that my mom used to do for bitter cucs. My best friend of 12yrs did not believe that it worked until she tried it herself. So here it goes and you can judge for yourself. Cut the ends off the cucs, take one of the ends and rub it in a circular motion around and around on the cut end, then do the same for the other end. As you are rubbing you will see a white foamy substance starting to come out of the cuc. Taste it, it's bitter. Anyhow, if you do this before you peel your cucumber it won't be bitter. Really.
2007-06-22 06:52:07 · answer #2 · answered by Sptfyr 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One possibility is letting them grow too large. A lot of cucumber varieties will get bitter as they get larger. Pick cucumbers six inches and under for optimum taste.
2007-06-22 06:26:15 · answer #3 · answered by srmm 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in some kinds of cucumber, it is the skin. In others, like English cucumbers, there is no bitter taste at all and you can eat the skin, seeds, the works.
2016-05-17 11:23:59 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
bitterness occurs in certain members of the gourd family such a certain varieties of cucumbers by not having enough water or lack of water while the cukes are developing...this is well known by commerical producers....
2007-06-22 06:29:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was looking into this for my mother as well and found this great site with a lot of info:
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1250/eb1250.html
2007-06-22 06:19:14 · answer #6 · answered by Isobel23 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ohhh...! I was wondering about that, too. Now I know why. Not enough water makes cucumbers bitterrrr. Thanks everyone and thanks for putting your question :)
2007-06-22 09:49:00 · answer #7 · answered by Cosmos 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not enough water
2007-06-22 06:27:09 · answer #8 · answered by trekkie706 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋