Good day, dear readers! Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse, every gardener wants to get a rich harvest of juicy and crispy fruits. To get a good harvest, it is worth making considerable efforts to care for the plants. Often in greenhouse cultivation, you may encounter the problem of bitter cucumber pulp. Today I will tell you why this happens and what to do in order to avoid it.
Why does bitterness appear in cucumbers?
Regardless of the cultivar, all cucumbers contain a special substance - cucurbitacin. If it is contained in a high concentration, the pulp of vegetables acquires a characteristic bitterness.
The following points lead to an increase in normal concentration:
- Poor selection of seeds.
- Heat and drought.
- Unsuitable soil characteristics.
- Watering with too cold water.
- Diseases and pests.
- Irrigation violation.
- Sharp temperature jumps.
- Errors in the selection and dosage of fertilizers.
- Landing thickening.
The maximum amount of cucurbitacin is found in the peel and at the base of the stem. To get rid of bitterness, it is worth cutting off these parts of the fruit. Excessive bitterness can be dealt with with salt or heat treatment.
How to avoid bitterness in the pulp?
To prevent the occurrence of bitterness, it is worth considering a number of important factors:
- Ground requirements. Cucumbers grow well on light and fertile soils. On clay and sandy soils, the crop ripens bitter. If your greenhouse has unsuitable soil, simply replace the top layer with a more fertile substrate.
- Proper nutrition. For proper nutrition of the culture, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and a number of other useful elements are needed. However, when making dressings, it is worth remembering the well-known rule: more does not mean better. Excessive nitrogen content will just lead to bitterness. Micronutrient deficiencies also adversely affect crop quality and palatability.
- Choosing the optimal watering regime. In no case should the soil be allowed to dry out. The water temperature for irrigation is also important, the temperature of which should be at least 22 degrees. I recommend doing the following: I have a barrel in the greenhouse, into which I pour water in the morning. During the day, the water warms up naturally. A drip irrigation system would be a great idea. This solution will save landing in extreme heat.
- Compliance with the temperature regime. Cucumbers react negatively to sudden temperature fluctuations. Before fruiting, a comfortable temperature is at 20 degrees during the day and at 18 degrees at night. At the fruiting stage, the maximum daytime temperature should not exceed 27 degrees, and at night it should not be lower than 20 degrees. You can adjust the temperature regime in the greenhouse by systematic ventilation. Hypothermia is also detrimental to cucumbers, as is heat. When it is too cold outside, airing should be abandoned.
- Illumination. Cucumbers are a heat-loving crop, but direct sunlight should be avoided. Diffused light is considered optimal. Greenhouses with film surfaces should be covered with a darker material. In polycarbonate greenhouses, you do not have to make extra efforts for proper lighting. The optimal length of daylight hours for culture is at least 12 hours.
Personally, I would add a couple more tips to help you grow juicy cucumbers without unpleasant bitterness:
- Do not feed crops with fresh manure. This fertilizer can only be used in the autumn. I bring in organics for digging.
- After each watering, be sure to mulch the beds with natural material. I use cut grass from my yard.
If you stick to this list of rules, you will be able to grow high-quality tasty vegetables.
Read also: In the greenhouse, the ovaries of cucumbers turn yellow. Reasons and recommendations
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