by Despite its well-known unpretentiousness, cucumber is still a rather delicate plant. If it doesn’t like something, very soon the lower part of the vegetable, and then the entire skin with pulp, becomes bitter.
Remember how in childhood you had to taste the “bottom” of a cucumber before cutting it into a salad? Many summer residents are still forced to check how sweet the fruits of the harvest are, whether there is any bitterness in them. Let’s figure out together why bitter cucumbers grow, and how to get only quality vegetables from the beds.
Why cucumbers are bitter
Plants, like people, can experience stress. And they react to it in their own way. In particular, cucumbers, under unfavorable growing conditions, begin to produce cucurbitacin, a toxic organic compound that gives the fruit bitterness. The substance is synthesized in the leaves and then distributed throughout the plant, accumulating in the root system. Because of this feature, cucumbers were even considered poisonous in the 18th century and were not eaten! Sweet cucumbers also contain this substance, but in minimal quantities.
Today, cucumber, on the contrary, is considered a medicinal plant. Due to the content of cucurbitacin, the famous vegetable improves the functioning of the liver and intestines, reduces the risk of malignant tumors. Some adherents of alternative medicine attribute antihelminthic and anti-inflammatory properties to bitter cucumbers.
Many plants also protect themselves with similar mechanisms. For example, melons (pumpkin, melon, watermelon) contain saponin – a bitter-tasting organic compound related to cucurbitacin.
Temperature fluctuations, lack of moisture, too hot weather, poor soil, mainly clay or sandy, are the most common causes of bitterness in cucumbers. Just one of these factors is enough for plants to begin to accumulate cucurbitacin in the lower part of the fruit and the peel. At risk are unripe fruits and overripe specimens that you plan to use for propagation.
Which cucumbers are most often bitter? Those that grow in unfavorable conditions. And also plants that grew from the seeds of bitter cucumbers. Therefore, when planting, choose varieties and hybrids that are resistant to bitterness.
If you collect the seeds yourself, try a leaf from the bush. Do you feel bitterness? That means the cucumbers from such seeds will grow bitter too!
The sweetness of cucumbers is also affected by the sowing dates. If they were not observed, and the plant did not have time to get used to the gradual increase in sunny days and high temperatures, bitterness will certainly make itself known.
Why do cucumbers taste bitter in open ground?
Now let’s take a closer look at why bitter cucumbers grow in the garden, and what measures should be taken in each case. The main reasons may be the following:
- lack of moisture and fertilizers;
- too large differences between day and night temperatures;
- “bitter” variety;
- errors in care (incorrect sowing, dense planting, lack of hilling, etc.);
- pest attack.
Lack of water will affect not only the taste, but also the appearance of the fruit. It will take longer to ripen, which will cause the size of the green to decrease and the skin to darken. Lack of nutrients will add to the picture an irregular shape of the fruit and a sick appearance in general. Therefore, do not pour water and fertilizers by eye, use proven dosages.
What to water cucumbers with so that they don’t taste bitter? First of all, with warm water. It is necessary to follow the watering regime and carry out the procedure only in warm weather to avoid temperature changes.
In adverse weather conditions, the beds should be covered with film or lutrasil (light non-woven material) to prevent the plants from freezing. Also, do not forget to hill the bushes to avoid root rot, otherwise the cucumber will experience great stress.
Aphids, whiteflies, thrips, nematodes, mole crickets, spider mites and other pests can cause bitterness in cucumbers. The plant will defend itself from the insect invasion and will begin to produce a bitter substance that repels them. Therefore, carry out preventive measures to protect the plantings and follow the rules of agricultural technology. When planting next year, choose varieties and hybrids of cucumbers that are not bitter. It will also be useful to change the structure of the soil and increase its fertility.
It is better not to add fresh manure to cucumbers. Give preference to well-rotted manure (humus) or bird droppings.
Why cucumbers in a greenhouse taste bitter
Most often, the reason why bitter cucumbers grow in a greenhouse is the lack of regular watering. If their counterparts in the open ground can sometimes be saved by rain, then greenhouse cucumbers are completely at your mercy and often experience stress from a lack of moisture.
Below we will list other common reasons why cucumbers taste bitter and what they lack, as well as ways to eliminate the problems described.
| Causes of bitter cucumbers in the greenhouse | Solutions |
| Too little light | Install additional lighting |
| Too much light | Whitewash the walls of the greenhouse or cover it with white non-woven material |
| Lack of potassium and nitrogen | Feed the plants with potassium nitrate (20-30 g per 10 l of water) and urea (25-30 g per 10 l of water) |
| Sudden changes in temperature | Ventilate the greenhouse regularly (the temperature inside should not be higher than 28°C) and be sure to close it at night and on cold days. |
| “Bitter” heredity | Choose cucumber hybrids that are physiologically not bitter: Gerasim F1, Egoza F1, Round Dance F1 and more. |
| Low humidity | Place a barrel of water in the greenhouse, periodically water the path, irrigate the plantings |
| Damage to cucumber vines | Install supports and tie up the vines |
| Lots of overgrown cucumbers | Harvest every 2-3 days |
| Invasion of pests | Inspect your plantings regularly, remove weeds, and mulch the soil. If insects appear, spray the leaves with an infusion of tobacco dust or onion peel. |
Also, regularly loosen the soil to improve its air exchange, and pinch off the cucumber vines.
Excessive fertilizers cause great harm to greenhouse cucumbers, so try not to overuse them.
Why cucumbers taste bitter and what to do with such vegetables
We have looked in detail at how to prevent bitterness in cucumbers. But what to do if the harvest is already bitter? You can’t throw away the vegetables you worked so hard to grow? Of course not! There are several effective ways to get rid of bitterness in cucumbers.
Since cucurbitacin is mostly found in the peel, you can simply peel the cucumber and cut off the tip of the fruit. Only the sweet pulp will remain. If it is bitter, sprinkle the slices with a little salt. Soaking in warm water (about 3 hours) or heat treatment will also help. Thrifty housewives boldly use bitter cucumbers for canning. But if the vegetables are very bitter, it is better to soak them in water first. And do not forget that cucurbitacin is good for your health in small quantities!
If bitter cucumbers have grown, there is usually more than one reason for this phenomenon. You have seen that the taste of cucumbers is influenced by many factors, so follow agricultural technology and choose, first of all, bitterness-resistant varieties and hybrids. But do not be upset if a couple of cucumbers have not grown so tasty, sometimes these fruits are the ones that can add a special piquancy to dishes.
