Topic: Tasteless Cucumber

[pammiep]

Just picked my first cucumber and couldn't wait to try it but it's absolutely tasteless, so watery.  Do you think its because I have over watered it ?? I was gutted ???

[tim]

Being 99% water, I suppose it's easy to be watery.  But then a cu does not have a huge amount of flavour? Watering? I doubt it. So long as they are not waterlogged, the lap it up. What fertiliser?

Sometimes they can be bland because they have grown very quickly, or are overgrown. And some varieties have more flavour than others.

Out of 3 Tomatoes picked from the same bunch, 2 can be tasteless.

Keep trying!

[pammiep]

Hi tim, I just used a general tomato fertilizer and it wasn't a huge one so wasn't over grown.  Do you think then the rest of cukes on that plant will taste same then?
pam

[tim]

Tom fert is fine.

Others? Report back!!

PS What variety?

[pigeonseed]

I can't remember what kinds I've grown, but they're standard ones not heritage varieties or anything, and they're always very tasty, and not watery like supermarket ones. They have a more ... almost waxy texture, and a stronger cucumber taste.

My soil is very poor but I've been adding lots of compost.

So don't give up on them - try another kind next year?

[pigeonseed]

Oh I've just noticed this is inthe under glass section. Mine are outdoor ridge cucumbers. Could that be the difference?

[tim]

Might be that all the 'flavour' has been washed out of the soil??

Our Burpless are not too bad. But I bet your plants are better than our miseries - sown 14 May & barely surviving!

[cleo]

Pammiep-like Tim I wonder what variety?. Home grown cus should have some flavour. I`m struggling to find an answer. The seed is expensive enough without having to be let down on taste.

Some varieties I have tried that seemed OK

Birgit,Petita(half sized fruit) Pepinex 69 and Futura-of those Birgit was my favourite but I can no longer find them in `trade` amounts

[tim]

Not even these?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/veg/cus08.jpg

[cleo]

Would that be page 202 Tim?-no Birgit anymore,that`s why I offered Pepinex 69 this year :)

[tim]

Of course.

Sad!!

[Jeannine]

Our Carmen are very tasty, in fact with a wee bit if sugar I think they would pass for a honey dew. I haven't tried it but have thought about once or twice.XX Jeannine

[tim]

Carmen did us well.

[pammiep]

Meant to look last night and forgot.  Must admit though my green house doesn't get a lot of sun and this cuke needs to be kept above 60 as its a all female, so maybe it hasn't been warm enough for it?  will check variety though and let you know.

[pammiep]

The variety is Femspot!

[tim]

Above 60? So they say, but ours survive & produce even with frequent temps down to 50.

[cleo]

I agree with Tim-60 may be desirable but in my experience no way is it essential.

Femspot-and I quote from my trade catalogue

All female flowered,quick,strong grower,earlier than most other cucumbers,bitter free,ribbed. This is our best selling variety for the plant trade.

One bad review is enough-I`ll stick with Pepinex 69 unless I can find Birgit at a sensible price