Bitter cucs

[supermum]

I was given some cuc.seeds...type unknown...which are now like triffids in my polytunnel, problem is, the plants have loads of cucs, from tiny to almost ready so I picked the largest which is almost shop bought size...maybe not as thick...disaster, it was very bitter.

I read about removing the male flowers...how do you sex a cuc flower, they all look the same to me!

[realfood]

There are photos of female cucumber flowers on my website. They have the embrio cucumber quite clearly showing.

[Farmer_Gyles]

i grew cucumbers last year or the year before - very bitter - i was told on here it was a lack of water - still don't have a clue!

[Incy]

I can now recommend marketmore having just harvested and eaten my first 2. Delicious and no messing about removing flowers needed

[Jerryfb]

Feeding tomato food to cucs can also make them bitter

[kibob]

Feeding tomato food to cucs can also make them bitter

What is the best feed for cucs than? I keep reading conflicting advice and am unsure,,, any ideas greatly appreciated

[realfood]

I have used tomato food on cucumbers over many years and have never had a bitter cucumber.
The usual causes of bitter cucumbers are:-Traditional type of Cucumbers. This type is suggested for cool greenhouses and usually produces long, straight and smooth green Cucumbers. Remove all male flowers as they form from this type of Cucumber, to prevent pollination of the female flowers and resulting bitter fruit.
Allowing cucumbers to suffer "stress", such as lack of water, can cause bitterness.

[coreopsis]

Cukes bitterness is usually at the end of the fruit but can't remember which one.Try cutting off the ends of the cuke (more from the stem side)and then taste it.