Why are my cucumbers bitter

[Miri1996]

I have planted different types of cucumbers for the past few years and every year I have to throw them in the compost, because they are bitter. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

**Still trying to get my hubby to agree to let me have my chicken****

 

[ozark_chickies]

Have they been getting enough water? I find that my cucumbers start out sweet, but when it gets dry here, they taste horrible . To fix it, I start watering them.

 

[Miri1996]

Thank you for the reply. I guess I will have to water them more often, I live in S. California and it tends to get pretty hot here. Thank you!!!



**Still trying to get my hubby to agree to let me have my chicken****

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yep, they need more water.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Better yet, switch to Armenian cucumbers. I grow Painted Serpent and they have wonderful flavor and are always crisp and never bitter. They are even still good when they get gigantic.

I gave up on regular cucumbers. Keeping them well watered did nothing to stoop the inedible bitterness.

 

[Shawnee_b]

I did some painted serpent. One I really enjoyed was a "punta keera" from India. Rust colored, tasty. Made B&B's and dills from what I didn't eat fresh. Cool seeing rust/yellowish B&B, seems to represent the "butter" part of bread and butters

Cukes are curcubit family (squash melons and gourds too) They produce curcurbatacins which are bitter. Too hot or uneven not enough water.

 

[JustAnotherAlex]

I grew some of the Puna Keera cucumbers a few years ago. They didn't get bitter, and were still good after they got bigger than I would eat an ordinary cucumber. Even my dog liked them, as evidenced below.

 

[Shawnee_b]

Yes, puna not punta. I really liked them. One of my Chinese Hairless Cresteds goes in the garden and eats cherrie toms off the vine.

 

[Adorkable]

I had the same problem with my cucumbers. Try Lemon cucumbers. If you can past them looking like a lemon they are great tasting, super productive (even in our scorching Oklahoma heat), and never bitter.