trying to grow 5 varieties of cucumbers - bitter fruit /male flower problems

[chickbob]

usually just grow burpless tasty green & crystal apple. Always thought bitter fruit was a myth and picking male flowers a chore best avoided.

However, this year growing 5 different varieties in close proximity. Tried 1st cucumber on Dekah plant and it was bitter. Already had 3 off burpless and they all lovely.

Have read that you need to pick off male flowers.

However, on burpless tasty green, packet says don't pick off male flowers. Confused!?

To ensure the plant with the bitter fruit doesn't stay bitter do I need to pick ALL male flowers off ALL 5 plants? Even burpless where it says you don't? Also, little fruits that have already formed on all plants - are they worth chancing, or will they be bitter too? Should I cull them now? Or is it pot luck if a male flower happens to pollinate a particular female flower? and one fruit may be bitter, the next 10 fine?

Anyone grow successfully more than 1 heritage variety and/or have any tips?
So much conflicting advice out there - should you really only grow 1 variety at a time?

Am growing burpless green, zanzibar, Dekah (this one is the bitter fruited one), crystal apple and miniature white - lots of fruit but small - is it likely these will this all be bitter too?

[SarzWix]

The plants which need the male flowers removing need to be enclosed in a mesh/fleece/net-curtain cover so that no insects can get to the flowers, and every day you have to check inside the cover to remove any male flowers from those plants. Then the ones which need the male flowers left on can be uncovered and pollinated. It is a pain in the rear, but is just about possible to manage...

[chickbob]

Arh, no wonder people so happy 'all female' varieties hit the shelves. What a pain. However, these yummy, brown when ripe cucumbers have to be worth the hassle for just one year.

Tho - do I pick of all the little cucumbers already formed and start again once net in place?

[Potstubsdustbins]

I would think that all cumbers already showing will have the same problem, pollination takes place before the fruit forms.

Colin

[SarzWix]

I sorted the problem by acquiring another greenhouse I have the all-female types in one greenhouse on the allotment and the ones which need the male flowers in the the other at home.

[chickbob]

just picked burpless green cucumber and thankfully it was yum. Have ripped off all male flowers and even those on the burpless green one. going to take my chances - surely flies couldn't have corrupted al lmy lovely little cucumbers. and if they're bitter then the chicken's are less picky than me.