Burpless cucumbers are among the most popular crops to grow in backyard gardens and patio containers. It’s no surprise. In addition to their crisp skin and refreshing flavor, burpless cucumbers are also easy to grow.
What makes burpless cucumbers different? The amount of cucurbitacin. The more of this natural compound, the more bitter the taste and, in theory, the less burp inducing. Cucurbitacin is found in pumpkins, gourds, zucchini, and cucumbers. It’s used by these plants as a natural defense against some animals, pests, and diseases.
Due to hybridization (crossing of two plant varieties to retain the most desirable qualities of each), we’re able to enjoy cucumbers that have been bred to contain less of the cucurbitacin compound which, in turn, diminishes the potential for the indigestion that sometimes leads to burping. Burpless cucumbers often offer improved resistance to certain diseases like scab, yellow virus, and powdery mildew.
Burpless cucumbers tend to be sweeter and milder tasting with thinner skins and fewer seeds than other cucumber varieties. There are many different varieties of burpless cucumbers and, just like their thicker-skinned plant cousins, they are delicious and fresh tasting. When you grow burpless cucumbers from seed, you’ll enjoy rapid growing plants that require minimal care. They are generous producers, too.
You can direct sow seeds once all chance of frost has passed. Burpless cucumbers enjoy a warm location in full sun. And while some can be allowed to grow along the ground, staking or trellising saves space in the garden and makes the cucumbers easy to access and cut from the vine. Remove fruits promptly to encourage more production.
Cucumbers are most often used in the kitchen for slicing and pickling. It’s easy to remove the skin of the cucumber with a vegetable peeler or remove just intermittent strips of the skin for a colorful addition to your salads.
