On 2013-02-15 10:08:53 +0000, David Rance said:

On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 Nick Maclaren wrote:

In article ,
David Rance wrote:

But actualy Monty is right, we don't eat ripe cucumbers, we pick them
immature and eat them that way.
Just think about it for a minute.
Hard for some of you to admit it.
BUT HE IS RIGHT.

But that's not what he said. He said that because it was bitter it was
unripe and followed it up by saying that he then felt guilty about
cutting into something that wasn't ready and that it was now wasted (or
words to that effect).

A better term than "unripe" would have been "not ready".

His exact words, after tasting it, were "not quite ripe", then "not
quite ready, it's a little bit bitter". I've always understood that
bitterness in cucumbers was to do with irregular watering and/or uneven
temperatures, not to do with whether it's unripe or not ready.

Or am I wrong? If a cucumber is bitter when it's not ready will it lose
that bitterness when it is ready?

It's a long time since I tried growing cucumbers but, when I did, I
didn't have much success. They were bitter! So what do I know?! :-|

David

We've picked ours when still very small and the flavour is superb.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk