Subscribe
Best Of
Links
Categories
Archives
Search
The good: My one plant is unbelievably productive. I have had a harvest this large once a week for several weeks.
The bad: The skins are tough. I usually don’t bother peeling cucumbers before I eat them, but you have to peel these. These cucumbers are very prickly. They are hard to handle–for example, when picking them without gloves. The worst thing is that occasionally they are horribly bitter. There is no way to tell if the cucumber is bitter without cutting into it and tasting it. This is a problem. Since I can’t eat 14 cucumbers a week, I need to give many away. But I’m embarrassed when my friends tell me I’ve given them poisonous tasting cucumbers! I’ve read that “water stress” causes bitterness, but I don’t know if this is true. These cucumbers do not keep well in the refrigerator–they are good for only a couple of days.
New cucumber variety recommendations, anyone?
Comments
3 Responses to “Japanese Cucumber Disappointment”
Leave a Reply
I think I had this same kind of cucumber, although mine are not producing nearly that many (two a week). Very prickly and tough skins. I’m wondering what a good type is as well. I’m thinking of trying English cucumbers next year (the ones that are really long and straight in the store). They are a little sweeter and have fewer seeds than the others, I think, although I’m not sure where to get a hold of some for planting.
Yours look exactly like our non-Japanese cucumbers. I’ve come across one or two bitter ones, though none that are bitter when peeled. I just picked up something that said “cucumber” in the greenhouse. I wanted a “European” or “English” cucumber but couldn’t find one.
So much for being completely non-helpful.
Yet another reason you should live next door. I’LL take them!
And gladly–we love cukes here.