Topic: Bitter Cucumbers...

[Gadfium]

The first 'Miniature White' cucumbers appear to be getting to picking size (about 2-3"), but the four I have picked off, have all been bitter.

They still have a tinge of green on the outer skin, and little/no seed visible inside.

Has anyone grown this variety? Are they (probably) not-quite-ripe? They are supposed to be sweet and bitter-free.

They are grown in a growbag (2 plants), and for the past 6 weeks have been getting a once/twice weekly addition of diluted tomato feed.

The greenhouse is quite shady (overhanging trees), but not too humid.

?

[Svengali]

I don't know this variety, but unless it is a female-only type it does sound as if the fruuit has been fertilized.
On my own three plants I have had to remove about 20 male flowers each morning.

[jennym]

Erratic watering causes bitter cucumbers sometimes.

[Gadfium]

Thanks for your replies...

It's not a female only plant, and I've been going around with a paintbrush occasionally in order to promote pollination. Erratic watering is a possibility, although it's never been at the droopy stage.

I'll wait and see if the other cucumbers get any more palatable.

[Ken]

Hi,

You should have been pulling the male flowers off to stop pollination, pollinated cucumbers are bitter.

[Gadfium]

Oh bugger...

 :o

Thank-you. Roll on next year...

What a corking blunder!

[Gadfium]

I found a 'lurker' cucumber yesterday.

It was a completely different colour to the others I had picked to taste. This 'Miniature White' had turned a lovely deep shade of golden yellow.

Guess what?

A beautiful sweet lemony taste.

 :-[