General information and discussion about cultivating melons, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and gourds.
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June 12, 2013 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California Central Valley
Posts: 2,543
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what causes early cukes to be bitter?
Here's a question from a fellow community gardener: the first cucumbers he's picked are bitter halfway down, not just at the tip. What causes this? And is there a way to prevent it?
My own cucumber plants are still working on their first sets of leaves. |
June 12, 2013 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 2,648
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This may not be the only cause but I've heard it's from lack of water. It starts at the blossom end and works its way inward. I've also read that the little hollow space that sometimes appears in the seed cavity is also due to lack of water. I've had cucumber plants wilt in the afternoon and then give me bitter cukes. If I water twice a day this seems to eliminate the problem. There are also varieties I see that are described as "never bitter" too so that might be something worth researching before next season. Check back in and let us know how it turns out.
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Michele |
June 12, 2013 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 2,593
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A bad breakup?
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June 12, 2013 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SeTx
Posts: 881
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I was going to say "Tar Heels" but then I noticed you'd edited it.
Still showing up in my new posts search under the original typo'd title, but looks fine here. Weird. What I want to know is, when should I pick my cucumbers? They're much bigger than the pickling cukes I thought I planted... |
June 13, 2013 | #5 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Czech republic
Posts: 2,546
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Quote:
Vladimír Last edited by MrBig46; June 13, 2013 at 12:01 PM. Reason: repair of word cucumber |
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July 10, 2013 | #6 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 57
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Quote:
Divas are supposed to be bitterfree. |
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June 13, 2013 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan
Posts: 1,051
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Soaking the sliced up cucumbers in salty water for an hour before eating seems to help remove the bitterness.
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July 10, 2013 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NJ, zone 7
Posts: 3,162
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Luck of water and to much heat can cause some varieties to become bitter.
This once I grow and can say are not turning bitter for me: Suyo Japanese long, Bait Alpha, Armenian (as stated above technically not ...). Good luck.
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Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!” |
July 11, 2013 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3
Posts: 3,231
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I grow Greek Spiny (from Sand Hill Pres.) and it is not bitter. Also matures much faster than the extra long varieties.
Also agree that lack of enough water can make any cuke bitter. Like lettuce, they need a lot.
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Dee ************** Last edited by ddsack; July 11, 2013 at 02:09 AM. |
July 13, 2013 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Lithuania
Posts: 16
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This year I planted "delikatess" and "saladin H" cucumber varieties in my greenhouse. "delikatess" cucumber is getting bitter... It might be lack of water, but the "saladin H" never got bitter... Last year I managed to grow "delikatess" cucumbers in a container at my window sill and they didn't go bitter at all...
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July 14, 2013 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Czech republic
Posts: 2,546
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I plant these varieties of cucumbers (to pickled): Blanka F1 (Czech-not bitter) and Elisabeth (Dutch-parthenocarpic not bitter).
Vladimír |
July 14, 2013 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NJ, zone 7
Posts: 3,162
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Very nice, Vladimir. Good harvest.
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Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!” |
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