Cucurbitacin is the substance responsible for the bitterness in cucumbers. Insufficient watering isn't the only cause of bitterness; cucurbitacin accumulates when potassium and phosphorus are in excess, and infrequent watering concentrates it in the veg.
Plant them once the risk of night frost has passed in your area.
If you don't have a greenhouse, try this method:
- fill half a barrel—or any large wooden or metal container—with nutrient-rich soil. It’s a good idea to put a layer of horse or cow manure at the bottom; this will help warm the soil. Then, plant your cucumbers there.
Plant just three seedlings, and you’ll have an abundance of cucumbers.
One important detail: don't fill the container to the top with the soil mixture; leave a gap of about 20 cm between the rim and the soil surface.
You can protect the young cucumber plants from the cold using a material like garden fleece.
Just avoid using plastic sheeting, as the plants could scorch without proper ventilation.
