Question
I’d like to know why cucumbers are so bitter. I’ve noticed a difference in taste depending on the time of harvest.
Answer
The bitterness of cucumbers is due to a chemical compound called curcubitacin, naturally present in the plant’s leaves and fruit. In fact, it is the presence of curcubitacin that causes belching after eating cucumbers. However, curcubitacin levels vary according to climatic conditions, and are at their highest when conditions are dry and hot, and the soil is low in organic matter. It therefore goes without saying that, to obtain bitter-free cucumbers, you need to try to keep the soil rich and also cool and moist, especially in hot weather. To this end, vegetable gardeners should learn to use organic mulches (shredded leaves, cocoa husks, forest mulch, etc.), as they often already do in their flower beds. Avoid cedar mulch, however, as it impoverishes the soil.
How to Reduce Bitterness?
If your cucumbers are bitter, remember that curcubitacin is mainly present in the skin and also at the end of the fruit closest to the stem. So, by peeling the cucumber and removing the tip, you can reduce the bitterness a little.
You should also know that it’s curcubitacin that makes cucumbers indigestible for some people. So, if you can’t tolerate cucumbers at all, try growing “burpless” cucumbers (i.e. cucumbers that don’t contain curcubitacin), like ‘Marketmore 80’ (warning: ‘Marketmore 76’, with a similar name, contains cucurbitacin!). And don’t tell me you don’t know where to find them! These days, with the Internet, it’s possible to locate all seeds quickly… and even if the variety isn’t available from a Canadian source, you can import seeds from abroad without the slightest complication.
Larry Hodgson published thousands of articles and 65 books over the course of his career, in both French and English. His son, Mathieu, has made it his mission to make his father’s writings accessible to the public. This article on bitter cucumbers was originally published in Le Soleil on October 21, 2004.
Mi primo siempre ha sido un gran aficionado a los casinos físicos, pero con la pandemia dejó de visitarlos. Hace poco, durante una reunión familiar, mencionó que estaba considerando probar los casinos online, pero no sabía por dónde empezar. Le recomendé que buscara opciones con bonos gratuitos, ya que son ideales para principiantes. Después de investigar, encontró una promoción de 20 euros gratis sin depósito en un casino con licencia de Curacao. Este bono le permitió jugar durante horas sin necesidad de invertir nada, y lo mejor fue que pudo probar diferentes estrategias en la ruleta, uno de sus juegos favoritos. Lo que más le sorprendió fue lo sencillo que era registrarse y empezar a jugar. Me comentó que esta experiencia le ayudó a ganar confianza en el mundo digital. Para quienes estén interesados, aquí está el enlace que él utilizó para obtener más información: https://revizorro.org/20-euros-gratis-sin-deposito-casino/ .
Well, yes, this is why I do not grow many. The climate here gets warm and arid early, and stays that way late. Here, cucumbers are early spring and autumn vegetables, rather than warm season vegetables. I do like pickling them though, so I keep trying.
Great article! I finally grew a success crop of cukes after trying for many years. Very little bitterness but thanks for the great tips!!