Bitter Cucumbers

preecher97 · #1 07/14/10, 01:40 PM

I have lots of cucumbers that were great when they first started bearing. Now they have a very bitter taste. Any idea why? We had not had any rain in 5-6 weeks until Monday this week.

upnorthlady · #2 07/14/10, 03:05 PM

I think maybe you answered your own question - I always heard that cukes need lots of water to stay sweet. When my garden even begins to look dry, I water it.

ksfarmer · #3 07/14/10, 04:13 PM

Dry growing conditions will cause bitterness in cukes.

Speckledpup · #4 07/14/10, 08:33 PM

Mine are bitter from the heat and it being dry.

pancho · #5 07/14/10, 08:56 PM

I grow in hay bales and water every day. Cukes are never bitter no matter how large they get.

mommagoose_99 · #6 07/14/10, 11:12 PM

Water the heck out of the plants and pick off all the cukes you can find. The next cukes will be sweet again as long as you keep them watered

Linda

Ray · #7 07/15/10, 08:47 AM

you need to peel the stem end deeper later in the season, there are bitter enzymes in the dark green skin there. peel deep enough until the bitter is all cut off. also if your canning be sure to get all of the blossom washed off or cut the blossom end off a bit because there are enzymes there that cause pickles to go soft in the blossom. they say in the blossom end too but I'm pretty sure its just the blossom because we've canned pickles for decades and have never cut the blossom end off but have perfect pickles.