Cucumber plants contain a bitter compound called cucurbitacin.

And you can taste

the bitterness of this compound big-time when cuke plants are under stress - especially
when they're not getting enough water. So it's not surprising that cukes tend to turn bitter
most frequently at the end of the summer - when it's good and hot and there's a drought
drying out your plants. The solution? Water, water, water. Give them lots more to drink
next year and you should have better results.

July Bitter Cucumbers A Temporary Problem

2006
If you've noticed that your cucumbers are a little (or a lot) bitter
lately, don't give up hope. A little water, mulch and patience will
provide relief.

Most cucumber plants contain a bitter compound called

cucurbitacin, which can be present in the fruit as well as the foliage.
By Bitterness in cucumbers tends to be more prominent when plants are
B. Rosie Lerner under stress from low moisture, high temperatures or poor nutrition.

Extension
Consumer For some cucumber eaters, the bitter taste can be accompanied by a
Horticulturist digestive discomfort known as a burp. Some of the newer cultivars
Purdue University of cucumbers do not have the bitter compound and, thus, no burp.
So, some seed companies called their bitter-free cukes "burpless."

The amount of bitterness in the cucumber depends on the severity of

the heat and drought. In most cases, cutting off the stem-end and
removing the skin of bitter cucumbers will remove much of the
bitterness. Some fruits will be bitter all the way through and should
be discarded. Bitter cucumbers will not taste any better when
pickled!

Watering during droughty periods to provide 1 to 1 1/2 inches of

water in a single application will help keep bitterness out of
subsequent fruits. Apply a mulch, such as straw, shredded bark or
newspaper, to help cool the soil, conserve moisture and keep weeds
under control.

Next year, your best bet is to plant bitter-free cultivars and provide
optimum growing conditions, when possible. Many cultivars are
listed as being bitter-free, including Carmen, County Fair, Diva,
 Green Knight, Sweet Slice, Sweet Success and Tasty Green. New
cultivars arrive each year, so be sure to read through next season's
garden catalogs and Web sites to find the bitter-free types.

7-20-06

Back to Purdue Editor: Olivia Maddox, (765)

Writer: B. Rosie Lerner
Gardening News 496-3207
Home

Cucumber bitterness explained

September 2, 2010

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Why are some cucumbers bitter, while others are
not?
A natural organic compound called cucurbitacin is the culprit, according to
Oregon State University vegetable breeder Jim Myers.
"Wild cucumbers contain relatively large concentrations of cucurbitacin
and are highly bitter," he said, "while their domestic cousins we grow in
the garden and buy in the store, tend to have less but varying amounts of
the bitter compound."
Cucurbitacin is found mainly in the vegetative parts of the plant such as
leaves, stems and roots. On occasion and to a lesser degree, it spreads
to the fruit. It doesn’t accumulate evenly within each cuke, however, and
can vary in concentration from one fruit to another.
When harvesting slicing cucumbers, take note: The bitter compound is
likely to be more concentrated in the stem end than in the blossom end of
the cucumber. It is also more prevalent in the peel and in the light green
area just beneath the peel – and less likely to be found in the deeper
interior of the fruit.
Vegetable scientists have several explanations about why some
cucumbers become more bitter than others. Cucumbers picked from
vines growing under some type of stress, such as lack of water, are often somewhat bitter. Misshapen fruits are more
likely to be bitter than are the well-shaped fruits. More complaints come about bitter cucumbers grown during cool
periods than during warm times. Fertilizers, plant spacing and irrigation frequency may also affect bitterness.
James M. Stephens, vegetable crops professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences, came up with a method of peeling a cucumber to avoid serving bitter-tasting cukes.
Start peeling at the blossom end of the fruit. Slice away one strip of the green peel toward the stem end and stop
about one inch from the stem. Then wash off the knife blade and repeat peeling from blossom to stem end until the
fruit is peeled. Rinse the knife again and cut up the cucumber as needed.
Bitterness seems to vary with the type of cucumber grown. But you can expect some degree of bitterness from time
to time in most any variety of cucumber commonly grown, Myers said.
 Author: Judy Scott

Source: Jim Myers

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What Causes Bitter Cucumber

Image by Joe Quick

By Heather Rhoades
Cucumbers fresh from the garden are a treat, but occasionally, a gardener bites into a homegrown
cucumber and thinks “my cucumber is bitter, why?” Understanding what causes bitter cucumber can
help to prevent having bitter cucumbers.

Why a cucumber is bitter

Cucumbers are part of the Cucurbit family, along with squash and melons. These plants naturally
produce chemicals called cucurbitacins, which is very bitter and, in large quantities, can make a
person ill. Most of the time, these chemicals are confined to the leaves and stem of the plant, but can
work their way into the fruit of the plant in certain conditions causing bitter cucumbers.

What causes bitter cucumber

Too hot – One of the most common reasons why a cucumber is bitter is due to heat stress. If a plant
is stressed due to heat, it may start producing bitter cucumbers.
Uneven watering – Another possibility for what causes bitter cucumber is if a cucumber goes
through alternating periods of drought and overwatering, the stress from this can cause the plant to
produce bitter fruit.
Temperature fluctuations – If the temperature fluctuates dramatically from one extreme to another
over an extended period of time, the plant may start producing bitter cucumbers.
Heredity – Perhaps the most frustrating reason why a cucumber is bitter is simple genetics. There is
a recessive trait that can cause a plant to produce bitter fruit from the start. You may plant seeds from
the same packet and treat them all the same, only to discover one of the plants produces bitter
cucumbers.

My cucumber is bitter, how can I prevent this?

In order to prevent bitter fruit, you have to address what causes bitter cucumber fruit in the first
place.
Always use best practices when it comes to raising your cucumber. Keep cucumbers in an even
temperature, which means that you should be planting the cucumber so that it gets the right kind of
sun for your climate (sunnier areas in cool climates, morning and afternoon sun only in hotter
climates). Water evenly and regularly, especially in times of drought.
Unfortunately, once a cucumber plant starts to produce bitter fruit, it will most likely continue to
produce bitter cucumbers. You should remove the plant and start over.
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