YUK! Very bitter cucumbers!

[Nicos]

Advice needed please!

We have taken our first cucumbers and they are really bitter.
(yes, I understand they must have been stressed with the hot weather )

I've done a bit if gooooogling and seen videos of people rubbing the cut off stem end to make it 'soap up' releasing the bitter chemicals ( curcubitacins)...or soaking in vinegar to counteract the alkaline.
Has anyone any experiences of how to make them edible please?

such a waste....

[Guest]

Just being thick but is the bitterness through the whole fruit. From memory the ones I had that were bitter were fine when I peeled them

[Jay-ell]

What type of cucumbers are they? I've read that certain indoor cucumbers get bitter if they are polinated and that you have to take all the male flowers of before they open.

[Nicos]

NG...First one was chopped up so hard to tell which part of the flesh exactly, but I had already peeled it.

Jay...hmmm...not sure of the variety...will see if we still have the packet.....

(I forgot to mention.... they were grown outside and were the short, prickly skinned type)

[Bren In Pots]

Nicos if they all taste bitter could you use them in pickles, be a shame to waste them.

[lottie dolly]

OH ek Nicos,what darn shame,bloomin things /happenings this year,

[veggiechicken]

If they're bitter, chuck them. Its not worth the risk.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ing_67687.html

[Nicos]

Funny thing is that the one we tried at lunchtime- from one of the 3 plants was absolutely fine!

Maybe only one plant is affected?

Thanks for that link VC....I hadn't made the link between cucumber and courgette/squash...silly me!

[Scarlet]

As Jay-ell has said. Some cucumbers need the male flowers taken off. They are disgusting when bitter. Are you growing different types? If so that may be your problem.

[Nicos]

All same type.
Outdoor ones.
And nope...we've not kept the packet!

[Scarlet]

Well ive grown the "white" cues from T&M (actually tried twice) they developed 1000's (well, lots) of male flowers so there wasn't a chance I could take them off...they were truly disgusting! In fact the kids thought it was hilarious letting their mates taste them.

[Jay-ell]

If they're outdoor ridge types (e.g. marketmore or chinese slangen) then it doesn't matter if it has male flowers or if the cuces get pollinated