Why Are Your Cucumber Plants Turning Out Bitter Every Single Time?

If you've never had your taste buds shocked by the stunningly unpleasant, lasting astringency of a bitter cucumber before, consider yourself most fortunate. Cucumbers are known for being refreshing and light, but they can also deliver a powerfully bitter taste that can quickly ruin a snack, beverage, or an otherwise perfectly crunchy cucumber salad. This can be a particularly unpleasant surprise if you're growing your own cucumbers, and it's normal to feel like you've done something wrong. Rest assured, however, that cucumbers can taste pretty bitter all on their own, even when coming from the most skilled home gardeners. 

This is because they contain cucurbitacins, which are naturally occurring compounds known for being bitter. Unfortunately for cucumber lovers, they're found in all parts of the cucumber plant but are most concentrated in the stems, leaves, and skin. Additionally, the level of cucurbitacins can vary significantly from plant to plant, and it can even be influenced by weather conditions — fun!

The good news is that, if you're a home grower, it's not necessarily your fault that your cucumbers are turning out bitter. But the even better news is that there are things you can do both during the growing process and on the culinary end to help reduce cucumber bitterness and boost their freshness. From choosing the right kinds to grow in the first place to learning to cut them correctly in the kitchen, you can make it so the only real bitterness is from those who are jealous of your awesome cucumbers.

First and foremost, make sure you're planting the right types of cucumbers if you want to avoid bitterness. Yes, cucumber varieties are not interchangeable, and different kinds bring different sets of challenges to garden and kitchen alike. Many cucumber varieties have been developed over time to contain lower levels of cucurbitacins, so make sure you're selecting one of these. Popular ones include Burpless, Carmen, County Fair, Diva, Fanfare, Tasty Green, and pretty much anything with "slice" or "sweet" in its name. That said, cucurbitacins can still be produced by these varieties. 

Understanding these conditions will help you take steps to prevent bitterness from happening. The thing is, cucurbitacins are a defense mechanism. That bitterness you dislike? Animals and insects don't tend to care for it either. When cucumber plants are stressed by things like dry soil, extreme temperatures, or animal bites, they produce higher levels of these compounds to theoretically increase the chances of survival. 

To grow an unstressed (and therefore less bitter) cucumber, you'll therefore need to create an optimal growing environment. This means planting cucumbers in a nutrient-rich soil that drains well, in a spot that gets plenty of sun. Cucumbers also do best in warm temperatures, between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit — if temperatures in your area tend to plunge at night or reach high extremes during the day, you may want to consider growing your cucumbers in a sunny area indoors or setting up a temperature-controlled greenhouse. Keep the soil moist but not soaked, and check regularly for pests.

Taking steps from the get-go to minimize cucurbitacins while cucumbers are growing is the best line of defense against bitterness in the fruit (although if you want to get technical, cucumbers are actually berries). However, your efforts shouldn't stop in the kitchen. The way you cut cucumbers can make a difference, too. Since cucurbitacins tend to be more concentrated in the stem, cut off the ends of your cucumber first before doing anything else. Fail to do so, and you'll only spread whatever bitterness there is throughout the whole thing while you work. 

Since bitterness also lingers in the skin, it's a good idea to go ahead and peel the cucumber before slicing up the rest of it. Some people also swear by rubbing the ends of cucumbers with salt to draw out the bitterness, but it's unclear if this is actually better or more effective than cutting off the ends and peeling. Others also say that smashing cucumbers instead of slicing can help make them taste better. That said, don't try to disguise an overly bitter cucumber. While cucurbitacins are harmless in small quantities, large doses can be toxic to humans. So, it's best to just cut your losses and try a different cucumber instead.