Content
Probably every vegetable grower at least once in his practice has had to deal with such a problem as bitter cucumbers in open ground. Advice from experienced gardeners will help you avoid such troubles.
With the right agricultural technology, cucumbers in open ground will be sweet
What makes cucumbers bitter in open ground?
The main factor in the appearance of bitterness in fresh cucumbers is the high concentration of cucurbitacin, a bitter-tasting toxic organic substance that is produced in the tissues of plants of the Pumpkin family and protects them from destruction by herbivores.
As a rule, an increase in the content of this biochemical compound occurs as a result of stress, which is provoked by improper conditions for growing cucumbers in open ground.
Unsuitable soil
The cause of bitterness in cucumbers can be growing them on depleted soil, especially clay or sandy soil.Plants that do not receive enough nutrients experience stress, as a result of which the level of cucurbitacin in the ovary increases, and cucumbers become bitter.
Crooked fruits lose their presentation
Dense planting
Densified plantings often cause deterioration in nutrition and ventilation of plants grown in open ground. In addition, placing bushes too close increases the likelihood of the development and spread of fungal diseases. All this provokes stress in plants and, as a result, the appearance of bitter cucumbers.
The use of trellises will help to avoid dense plantings
Incorrect landing date
The bitterness content in fresh fruits is influenced by the timing of planting cucumbers. Plants planted in open ground too late do not have time to get used to increasing daylight hours and high temperatures, and those sown ahead of schedule may become victims of return frosts.
Lack or excess moisture
Cucumbers that arrived in the Russian Federation from the warm, humid tropics are considered moisture-loving plants. However, when grown in open ground, they tolerate both a lack of water and an excess of it equally poorly.
The superficial root system of cucumbers is not able to extract water from deep layers of soil.Therefore, insufficient soil moisture can cause a deterioration in its nutrition and the death of small lateral roots. As a result, the plant becomes sick and the fruits become bitter.
Excess moisture, which can cause rotting of the root system and the appearance of bitterness in cucumbers, will also not be beneficial. Frequent watering with a hose becomes especially harmful. A large pressure of cold water not only drives plants into a state of stress, but also erodes the soil at the base of the stems, exposing the root system.
It is better to water cucumbers in open ground using a watering can.
Heat
Bitterness can also be caused by air temperatures above +30 °C. In this case, the leaves of the plant wither, and the cucumbers themselves acquire an unpleasant bitter taste.
Temperature changes
Despite the fact that cucumbers are considered an unpretentious crop, these plants are very vulnerable. Sharp temperature fluctuations often cause disturbances in vegetation processes - slower growth, deformation of fruits and the appearance of bitterness in them.
A sharp decrease in temperature can cause not only a deterioration in the quality of fruits, but also the death of the crop.
Diseases and pests
The cause of bitterness in cucumbers when grown in open ground can be an invasion of pests - whiteflies, aphids, mole crickets, spider mites and nematodes. Trying to protect itself from uninvited guests, the plant increases the synthesis of cucurbitacin, and the fruits become bitter.
The development of diseases also does not have the best effect on the condition of plants and the taste of cucumbers.
Diseases reduce stress resistance of plants
Late harvest
It has been established that overripe fruits are most often bitter. To prevent this from happening, you need to harvest the crop every 2-3 days during the fruiting period.
Other reasons
The cause of bitterness in cucumbers grown in open ground can be:
- incorrect choice of planting material - seeds collected from bitter cucumbers can subsequently produce the same fruits;
- whip damage;
- deep loosening of the soil in the root zone;
- lack or excess of sunlight.
Growing cucumbers on a trellis will help prevent damage to the vines
What to do to prevent cucumbers from becoming bitter in open ground
Following the rules for growing cucumbers in open ground will help prevent the appearance of bitterness:
- Correct landing. Cucumbers should be placed at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other. The interval between rows when growing in open ground should be at least 40 cm.
- Organizing proper watering. It is recommended to irrigate cucumbers so that the soil is constantly in a moderately moist state. The frequency of watering is determined depending on the composition of the soil. If, when growing on clay or chernozem soil, you can moisten it once every two or three days, then on sandy soil you will have to do this every day. It is recommended to water the cucumbers with warm, settled water. Experienced gardeners recommend placing a large container in the garden or vegetable garden for this purpose, in which the water will settle and heat up during the day. It is advisable to water cucumbers in open ground in the evening, when the heat subsides.
- Feeding bushes. Proper fertilizer will help you get a good harvest of sweet cucumbers when grown in open ground. For the first time, the plants are fed with organic compounds after the appearance of 2-3 true leaves; for the second and third times (during flowering and ovary formation), superphosphates are added to the soil. Root fertilizers are applied in the late afternoon over pre-moistened soil. It is also better to leaf feed after the heat has subsided. Spraying cucumbers at midday can cause burns on the leaves.
- Formation of bushes. It is recommended to regularly pinch cucumbers of long-climbing varieties, shortening the central stem to 1.5-2 m.
- Sun protection. The so-called shading will save cucumbers from direct sunlight, the harmful effects of which often cause bitterness. Ideally, build a shelter from agro-fabric attached to trellises. If this is not possible, you can plant a row of corn on the south side of the bed, which will create shade for the cucumbers in the hottest part of the day.
Corn stalks can be used as supports for cucumbers
How to remove bitterness from cucumbers
Unfortunately, there are often cases when, despite all efforts, cucumbers in open ground turn out to be bitter. Simple manipulations will help save the situation:
- Since most of the bitterness is contained in the peel, it makes sense to simply peel the cucumber and remove the stem and tip. The result will be sweet, juicy pulp, which is suitable for making salads.
- If getting rid of the peel did not help improve the quality of the fruit, and the pulp remains bitter, you can cut the cucumbers into slices and sprinkle them with salt. The bitterness will be felt less.
- The unpleasant taste goes away after heat treatment, so a good option for using moderately bitter cucumbers is to use them in the canning process. Well, if they are too bitter, you can soak them in water before putting them in jars.
Some housewives get rid of the bitter taste of cucumbers grown in open ground by soaking them in warm water. True, after such a procedure, the shelf life of the fruits is significantly reduced, so it is advisable to use them immediately after removal from the water.
A slight bitterness will make pickled cucumbers more piquant
Advice from experienced gardeners
To prevent such a nuisance as bitterness in cucumbers, experienced gardeners advise, first of all, to choose stress-resistant varieties of cucumbers. In most cases these are hybrids marked F1.
If you have to collect cucumber seeds yourself, it makes sense to taste the leaf from the bush. If it is bitter, the fruits from those seeds will also be bitter.
To protect against sudden temperature fluctuations in cold weather, it is advisable to cover the beds with agro-fabric or lutrasil.
Important! Cucumbers react extremely negatively to any mechanical damage, so these plants should be handled very carefully when grown in open ground.
Cucumbers must be picked in such a way as not to damage the vine.
Conclusion
The reason why bitter cucumbers grow in open ground is usually due to incorrect agricultural practices of this crop. Correct selection of a site for growing cucumbers and proper care of the plants will help prevent the appearance of bitterness in fruits. And if some still turn out bitter, it’s also not a problem - a moderate content of cucurbitacin can be beneficial for health.
