Cucumbers are a popular vegetable to grow in gardens, but sometimes they can turn out bitter. This can be due to a chemical compound called cucurbitacin, which is found in all cucumber plants. Under extreme stress, this compound can migrate from the stems, leaves, and roots of the plant into the fruit, causing bitterness. However, there are ways to mitigate this and grow non-bitter cucumbers.
One way to grow non-bitter cucumbers is to choose burpless varieties, which naturally have low levels of cucurbitacin. While no cucumber is completely free of this compound, the low levels in burpless varieties make them less likely to turn bitter under stress. Additionally, choosing parthenocarpic and gynoecious varieties can also help ensure non-bitter cucumbers. Parthenocarpic varieties will hold onto female fruit even without pollination, resulting in seedless cucumbers that are even more delicious. Gynoecious varieties only produce female flowers, which can be pollinated by male flowers from other varieties. By following these steps and properly watering, fertilizing, and mulching cucumber plants, gardeners can enjoy non-bitter cucumbers with great taste and production.
Key Takeaways
- Choosing burpless varieties with low levels of cucurbitacin can result in non-bitter cucumbers.
- Parthenocarpic and gynoecious varieties can also help ensure non-bitter cucumbers.
- Proper watering, fertilizing, and mulching can also contribute to non-bitter cucumbers with great taste and production.
Cucumbers and Cucurbitacin
Cucumbers belong to the Cucurbit family of plants, which also includes melons, squashes, and gourds. All cucumber plants contain a chemical compound called cucurbitacin, which is responsible for the bitterness of some cucumbers and melons. This natural chemical resides within the roots, stems, and leaves of the plant.
Under normal circumstances, cucurbitacin is tied up in the roots, stems, and leaves. However, when cucumber plants undergo extreme stress, this chemical can migrate from the stems, leaves, and roots into the fruit. This explains why sometimes only part of a cucumber is bitter, and when the skins are removed, the bitterness can often go away.
To ensure that cucumbers never become bitter, it is recommended to grow burpless varieties of cucumbers. Burpless varieties naturally have low levels of cucurbitacin, making them less likely to develop bitterness even when exposed to extreme stress.
Watering, fertilizing, and mulching the plants also play a crucial role in preventing cucumber bitterness. Drought stress and uneven watering can stress out the plant, leading to the accumulation of cucurbitacin in the fruit. Therefore, it is important to water deeply and regularly, approximately once a week, and apply a thick layer of mulch around the plants to control moisture.
Fertilizing cucumbers every two weeks with a granulated all-purpose fertilizer and bone meal, followed by water-soluble fertilizers, can keep the plants well-fed and prevent the leaves from turning yellow, which can increase the chances of producing bitter cucumbers.
Growing Non-Bitter Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a member of the cucurbit family of plants, which includes squashes, melons, and gourds. All cucumber plants contain a chemical compound called cucurbitacin, which is responsible for the bitterness of some cucumbers. This natural chemical is found in the roots, stems, and leaves of the plant.
Under normal circumstances, cucurbitacin is tied up in the roots, stems, and leaves. However, when the cucumber plants undergo extreme stress, this chemical can migrate from the stems, leaves, and roots into the fruit. This can cause the fruit to become bitter, especially if only part of the cucumber is affected. Removing the skin can sometimes alleviate the bitterness.
To grow non-bitter cucumbers, the first step is to only grow burpless varieties of cucumbers. Burpless varieties naturally have low levels of cucurbitacin, making them less likely to become bitter when the plants are stressed. While no cucumber is completely free of cucurbitacin, growing burpless varieties can significantly reduce the likelihood of bitterness.
The second step to growing non-bitter cucumbers is to water, fertilize, and mulch the plants properly. Burpless varieties are resistant to bittering, but they are not completely immune to it. Extreme stress from drought and uneven watering can cause the plants to collect cucurbitacin in their fruit, resulting in bitterness.
To prevent this, the plants should be watered deeply once a week using drip irrigation, which can help prevent radical transformations in soil moisture. A thick layer of mulch around the plants can also help control moisture levels and prevent evaporation.
Fertilizing the plants every two weeks with a granulated all-purpose fertilizer and bone meal can help keep the leaves dark green and healthy, reducing the chances of producing bitter cucumbers. Water-soluble fertilizers can also be used, such as Jack’s general purpose 20-20 mixed with fish fertilizer.
By following these steps and growing burpless varieties, gardeners can enjoy non-bitter cucumbers throughout the season.
Choosing Burpless Varieties
To ensure that cucumbers never turn bitter, it is recommended to grow burpless varieties. Burpless cucumbers naturally have low levels of cucurbitacin, the compound responsible for bitterness in cucumbers. While no cucumber can have zero cucurbitacin, burpless varieties have very low levels of this compound, making them less likely to turn bitter, especially during the hot summer months when plants are stressed.
Some popular burpless varieties of cucumbers include Party Time, Beta, Alpha, China Jade, Suyo Long, and Early Prince. These varieties are also parthenocarpic, meaning they produce female fruit without pollination, resulting in completely seedless cucumbers that are even more delicious.
It is important to note that while burpless varieties are resistant to bitterness, they are not bitter-proof. Extreme stress, such as drought stress and uneven watering, can still cause cucumbers to collect cucurbitacin in their fruit and turn bitter. Therefore, it is recommended to water, fertilize, and mulch plants to prevent extreme stress.
To fertilize cucumbers, it is recommended to use a granulated all-purpose fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 5-5-5. Additionally, bone meal can be added to the soil to provide calcium and phosphorus. Water-soluble fertilizers, such as Jack’s General Purpose 20-20-20 and fish fertilizer, can also be used every two weeks to keep the leaves dark green and healthy. It is important to water plants deeply and consistently to prevent drought stress and maintain consistent moisture levels in the soil.
Parthenocarpic and Gynoecious Varieties
Cucumbers contain a chemical compound called cucurbitacin that can make them taste bitter. This compound is naturally found in the roots, stems, and leaves of the plant. However, under extreme stress, this compound can migrate from the stems, leaves, and roots into the fruit, making it bitter. To avoid this, gardeners should grow burpless varieties of cucumbers, which have low levels of cucurbitacin and are less likely to become bitter.
Apart from burpless varieties, gardeners can also grow parthenocarpic and gynoecious varieties of cucumbers. Parthenocarpic varieties can produce seedless cucumbers even without pollination, while gynoecious varieties only produce female flowers. Both of these varieties are less likely to become bitter, making them ideal for growing in hot weather when plants are more likely to become stressed.
To ensure that the cucumbers never become bitter, gardeners must water, fertilize, and mulch their plants properly. Drought stress and uneven watering can stress the plants and cause bitterness. Gardeners should use drip irrigation to water their plants deeply, about once a week, and apply a thick layer of mulch to control moisture levels.
Fertilizing cucumbers every two weeks with a granulated all-purpose fertilizer, bone meal, and water-soluble fertilizer can help keep leaves dark green, preventing bitterness. Gardeners should apply the fertilizers in a ring around each plant and scratch them lightly into the top one inch of soil.
By growing burpless, parthenocarpic, and gynoecious varieties of cucumbers and properly maintaining them, gardeners can enjoy a bountiful harvest of sweet and delicious cucumbers throughout the season.
Watering, Fertilizing, and Mulching
To ensure that cucumbers stay free of bitterness, it’s important to properly water, fertilize, and mulch the plants. While burpless varieties of cucumbers are less likely to become bitter, they are not completely immune to it. Extreme stress, such as drought stress and uneven watering, can cause the Quaker potassium compound to collect in the fruit and make it bitter.
To prevent this, the plants should be watered deeply once a week, and a thick layer of mulch should be applied around them to control moisture. This helps to prevent radical transformations in soil moisture, which can stress the plant. The mulch layer also slows down evaporation, keeping the soil moisture levels consistently moist and reducing the need for frequent watering.
When it comes to fertilizing, it’s important to keep the plants well-fed and the leaves dark green. Yellowing leaves greatly increase the chances of producing bitter cucumbers. A granulated all-purpose fertilizer with an NPK ratio of around 5-5-5 should be applied every two weeks, along with bone meal. These fertilizers should be applied in a ring around each plant and lightly scratched into the top inch of soil.
Water-soluble fertilizers can also be used in conjunction with granulated fertilizers. A one tablespoon per gallon concentration of a water-soluble fertilizer, such as Jack’s general purpose 20-20, mixed with fish fertilizer, should be applied using a watering can. This should be done after the granulated fertilizers have been applied and the mulch layer has been replaced.
By properly watering, fertilizing, and mulching cucumber plants, gardeners can ensure that their cucumbers are never bitter, providing delicious and enjoyable harvests throughout the season.