Sometimes gardeners are faced with the fact that a bitter zucchini grows on the garden. Why might such a problem occur? The appearance of bitter cucumbers is not uncommon, sometimes other vegetables and fruits may be bitter. But with zucchini, this happens quite rarely. Let's try to identify the main reasons.
Why is zucchini bitter?
In fact, cucumber and zucchini are the closest relatives, so the main reason for the appearance of bitterness is one. The thing is cucurbitacin - this substance accumulates in vegetables and causes a bitter taste. An increase in its concentration in zucchini can occur due to various factors. For example, the lack of regular watering or a sharp change in humidity. That is, if during the summer heavy rains were observed, which were then replaced by long dry periods, then bitter zucchini may well appear on your bed.
The concentration of cucurbitacin also depends on the variety. Breeding work carried out over the years has provided us with varieties that contain the minimum amount of this substance. However, do not forget that there is a risk of pollination with other crops. Especially dangerous in this regard are decorative pumpkins, bitter and inedible. Therefore, when choosing a place for the beds, consider this factor.
It is interesting that many gardeners answer the question “why is zucchini bitter” that this is due to an excess of fresh organic fertilizers. However, with an excess of organic matter, another phenomenon arises - an intensive growth of green mass, a decrease in the growth of fruits and a deterioration in their condition.
Why zucchini bitter after cooking
Everyone loves fried zucchini, and squash caviar in our country is generally beyond competition. However, sometimes a dish after cooking has a specific bitter taste. In principle, you can eat, but somehow you don’t want to. So, why is zucchini bitter after cooking? There are only two answers to this question. First: zucchini was initially bitter for some reason, which was already mentioned above. Therefore, the whole dish acquires a specific taste. The second option - bitterness gives some other product. For example, quite often you can buy on the market or even grow on your site a large red hot pepper instead of sweet Bulgarian. Just one seed per package, and here on your site a completely different plant grows. Outwardly, they are quite similar, but the hot pepper has a sharp tip. However, if you process a large number of vegetables, it is easy not to notice it. So hot pepper gets into the general dish and gives it bitterness and pungency. Another cause of bitterness is rancid sunflower oil, which you could use in cooking. Another flavor may give the dish some seasonings, so make sure that you are not mistaken in the recipe.
So, we have identified all the main reasons why zucchini is bitter (in the garden or as part of a finished dish). Properly care for plants, adhere to the recipe. And you will minimize the risk of such a phenomenon.