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bitter cucumbers...

sthlndngrowersthlndngrower Posts: 160
in Fruit & veg
I have grown cucumbers Passandra, gherkin and Bedfordshire  prize from seed. I have grown them up bamboo canes in a row but have just read that cross pollination can cause bitterness. I used some of the cucumbers in a salad recently and there was definitely something unpleasantly bitter tasting!
As these are healthy plants and it's late in the season, I am thinking I could dig up the plants, all bar one variety, and replant the other two separately to avoid any further cross pollination. I would cut off and taste any cucumber, and if bitter pop them in the compost.
Would you advise this and if not, what would you suggest?

Posts

  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I had this problem several years ago and just removed all formed fruit, upped the watering considerably, and that sorted the issue.  I grow a mix in every hill, so get tons of cross pollination from whatever three or four varieties I choose each year.. but haven't had the issue since.  

    Transplanting will really set them back and most likely cause bitter fruit itself.  

    Look up each type.. I just looked up Passandra and it said all male flowers should be removed to avoid bitterness.   Maybe that is the issue?  https://www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk/cucumber/cucumber/cucumber-passandra-f1-0176
    Utah, USA.
  • sthlndngrowersthlndngrower Posts: 160
    Thankyou!
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    Passandra F1 is an all female type of cucumber, I am growing it this year.
  • sthlndngrowersthlndngrower Posts: 160
    thank you
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    Just found this thread, picked my first cucumbers today and thought one would be lovely with my salad, yuk it was so bitter. Maybe be the bad growing conditions this year? They were very slow to get going with the bad weather, and the sun has been almost non existent eversince. The type is Jazzer f1  all female grown outside, never had a problem with them before.
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