Why do cucumber and how to prevent it?

It's nice after the frosty winter and no less than a long spring to replenish the supplies of vitamins with a crispy cucumber. Particular pride can be experienced if this vegetable Grown by own hands. However, very often the joy of summer residents can be spoiled - the cucumber does not meet expectations, its flesh is far from being called sweet. In such a situation, the question always comes up: "Why are cucumbers bitter?"

The causes of the appearance of bitterness

In fact, the cause of the appearance of bitterness in these vegetables is one: the presence of a substance called cucurbitin, which gives the vegetable an unpleasant taste. This substance was historically designed to deter insect pests. Thanks to this, the plants had the opportunity for full ripening of the seeds, and, therefore, full reproduction.

Usually, cucurbitin is predominant in young fruits. Today, breeders have made sure that in modern hybrids of such a substance there was a minimum amount, so bitterness manifested itself to a lesser degree. The presence in the cucumber of a gene called bi, allows to guarantee the absence of bitterness. In this case it is outwardly impossible to distinguish the bitter cucumbers and plants on which they ripen, from their sweet fellows.

The main reason why cucumbers are bitter is understandable. However, this property can manifest itself in different degrees.

The following factors can lead to the fact that the summer resident will find that he has a bitter Cucumbers:

1. Abundant direct exposure to sun rays.
2. Not enough abundant watering.
3. Excessive or insufficient humidity of the ambient air.
4. Overheating of the plant in hot dry weather.
5. Inadequate balance of fertilizers (especially potash and phosphorus).
6. Diseases of plants.

Also, the reason why cucumbers are bitter, can be a sharp drop in daytime and nighttime air temperature.

How to prevent the appearance of bitterness

The homeland of cucumbers is tropical forests in the southeast of Asia. The climate there is warm and humid, there are no direct sun rays. At home, cucumbers curl over the trees. It is important to create similar conditions for the plant, then the question of why cucumbers are bitter, just does not arise.

Sprinkle cucumbers in the evening with warm water so that the soil is fully hydrated. In hot and dry days, additional sprinkling is carried out. A watering can with small holes is suitable for these purposes. This watering helps to wash off the dust from the leaves, create a favorable moisture. The plant also absorbs moisture through the leaves and shoots. Good watering is especially important during ovary formation.

It is desirable to comply with the temperature regime. Ideally, it is about 28 degrees in the daytime and 16 at night. With a sharp cooling, cucumbers should be covered. In addition, when bitterness occurs in cucumbers, it is necessary to feed them with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers: best complex or potassium nitrate. In order not to raise the question of why cucumbers are bitter, it is possible to grow hybrid varieties that are resistant to the appearance of cucurbitin. However, even in the case of the appearance of bitter cucumbers on the bed, it is not necessary to be upset. Such vegetables should be cleaned immediately after harvesting and peeled off their tails. Cucumbers that are bitter, can be used for salting, as in the process of conservation, cucurbitin is destroyed, and bitterness goes away.

Despite the fact that cucurbitacin can spoil the taste of cucumber, the substance is useful. It has anti-tumor properties. Therefore, one should not try to grow varieties in which it is absent. It is much better to create optimal conditions for plants, observing the cultivation of agrotechnics.