my cukes taste HORRIBLE!!!

[gladahmae]

I have 6 or so cukes planted this year (straight eight heirloom from burpee) and they're producing like crazy! The first few that I picked were great, and the kids LOVE cucumber. This morning I picked 4 more, and just went to cut them up for lunch and all but ONE were REALLY bitter and tasted awful. Is this a product of too much heat? Did I pick them too late (the were kinda fat/round)? Help!!

 

[suki'smom]

My first cuke of the year was very bitter but it was also very fat so I think I got to it too late.

 

[Fred's Hens]

It's been a horrid summer for both drought and heat. This isn't the greatest conditions for gardening. It's been a rough year, one so bad, I'm bone weary of it and it is only mid July.

 

[crchickens]

I have not even gotten any to grow, so bad tasting ones are better then none!! My plants have tons of blooms, but it is so dry and hot, and they just are doing horribly. I had one pepper come on, and it rotted before it was bigger then a golf ball. I had two successful tomatoes so far, and I have a few squash. The rest of the garden is a flop. This is our first year here, and I always had fantastic gardens in PA. I water twice a day, but the heat is so intense. Live and learn, and we will do things a little differently next year.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I have not even gotten any to grow, so bad tasting ones are better then none!! My plants have tons of blooms, but it is so dry and hot, and they just are doing horribly. I had one pepper come on, and it rotted before it was bigger then a golf ball. I had two successful tomatoes so far, and I have a few squash. The rest of the garden is a flop. This is our first year here, and I always had fantastic gardens in PA. I water twice a day, but the heat is so intense. Live and learn, and we will do things a little differently next year.

And work in lots and lots of calcium carbonate and chicken poop this fall!!!!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1250/eb1250.html
from Wash. State Univ.

gives varieties that aren't bitter usually in Eastern Washington

 

[msmeower]

I think the bitterness is from the intense heat. If they're turning yellowish instead of dark green, feed them to the chickens. If I pick mine really young, like pickle size, they taste OK.

 

[WorkingWith]

With the crazy heat everyone is having i try to pick mine earlier. Just be happy you are actually still getting cuckes alot of people are having horrible times withe gardens this year. Chickens could always eat them, or you could give them to the inlaws

.

Matt Olsen
Working With
All it takes are two hands and a plan

 

[Oregon Blues]

I've never been able to grow cucumbers that are reliably good. So I switched to growing Armenian cucumbers. Problem solved. They are really good tasting cukes and never bitter.

The variety I grow is called Painted Serpent, but there are a lot of varieties available.

 

[gladahmae]

picked 5 more today and had to throw every single one on the compost pile.

If I water the heck out of the plants will it help offset this soapy, bitter taste? Is it too late, and the plants should just be ripped out? (Don't get me started on the squash bugs, too.)