Bitter pickles! :(

[Holachicka]

My pickling cucumbers turned out bitter, but I didn't know until I made pickles with some of them. Will the bitterness fade over time or do I have to throw them out?

What causes the cucumbers to become bitter?

*sigh* I'm so dissapointed.

 

[vfem]

The cukes themselves could have been bitter before they were pickled. It happens often with pickles. The bitterness usually starts in the skin.

 

[Holachicka]

Yes, I'm sure it was the cucumbers. Do you know why they get bitter? watering schedule, too small, too big? And what about letting them sit for a while, would the bitterness mellow out, or do I have to throw the batch out?

 

[Holachicka]

So I finally opened the last jar, sitting in the cupboard for the last 5 months... NOT BITTER!!! it appears that over time the bitterness has faded with the pickling juices! hooray! Sorry to bring back and old post :/ , but I thought this may help others in this next season.

 

[Kim_NC]

Glad your pickles turned out alright.

The most coomon causes of bitter cucumbers are:

Too hot One of the most common reasons is heat stress. If a plant is stressed due to heat, it can start producing bitter cucumbers.

Uneven watering Another possibility is alternating periods of drought and overwatering.

Temperature fluctuations Dramatic temperature fluctuations from one extreme to another over an extended period of time, can cause bitter cucumbers.

Heredity There's a recessive gene that causes some cucumber plants to produce bitter fruit.

 

[PhoenixAngel429]

My pickling cucumbers turned out bitter, but I didn't know until I made pickles with some of them. Will the bitterness fade over time or do I have to throw them out?

What causes the cucumbers to become bitter?

*sigh* I'm so dissapointed.

Vingear would make it more potent over time, so if you can't take it, I would.