What Are Burpless Cucumbers? Here’s Why Gardeners Love Growing Them

Cucumbers are a vegetable garden staple. They’re easy to grow, and they can produce fruit all summer long if you provide them with the proper care.

There’s just one rather uncomfortable downside—while delicious, cucumbers can cause some people to burp, or even experience indigestion. The solution? Burpless cucumbers, which are bred to minimize this potentially unsavory risk. Here, we asked gardening experts about these problem-solving plants, and how you can grow them at home.

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Related: https://www.marthastewart.com/cucumber-companion-plants-11987498

What Are Burpless Cucumbers?

Regular cucumbers contain a compound called cucurbitacin. This causes the bitter taste that we associate with these vegetables, but it can also have a less-than-desirable effect on some people. They can cause an upset stomach upon eating, says Tammy Sons, gardener and owner of TN Nursery. This can include bloating, gas, and indigestion.

Burpless cucumbers, however, are a different matter. “These cultivars have been bred to have a lower cucurbitacin content,” she says. “This results in a less-bitter, sweeter cucumber, and less gas production from the digestion of the compound.”

These cucumbers also have thinner skin, so you usually don’t have to peel them, says Carrie Spoonemore, co-founder of Seed to Spoon. So they’re great for salads and snacking right out of the garden.

There are a few caveats, of course—namely that burpless cucumbers won’t taste like the cucumbers that you’re used to due to the lack of cucurbitacins. Most won’t mind it, but everyone’s taste is different. Their thin skin can also be a limiting factor. “They’re intended for slicing rather than pickling, and because of their thinner skin, they don’t store quite as long after harvest,” says Spoonemore.

Types of Burpless Cucumbers

There are a few different kinds of burpless cucumbers to consider. Spoonemore recommends the following:

Diva: “I’m growing it this year, and it’s been one of the best-performing cucumber varieties I’ve ever had in my garden,'” she says. These cucumbers have thin skin and a mild flavor, but they’ll keep producing even when the summer weather gets particularly hot.

Sweet Success: It can set fruit without pollination, and is resistant to scab and leaf spot.

Burpless Beauty: These plants have very productive vines that yield deep green, delicious cucumbers.

Tasty Green: This crisp, deep green cucumber can thrive even in particularly hot or humid climates.

How to Care for Burpless Cucumbers

Caring for burpless cucumbers is similar to caring for regular cucumbers. They need six to eight hours of full sun a day in order to produce abundant harvests, and they prefer fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter.

“Consistent watering is one of the most important factors,” says Spoonemore. “Cucumbers don’t like drying out, and inconsistent moisture can lead to bitterness and misshapen fruit. I recommend deep watering whenever the top inch of soil begins to dry.” Sons recommends watering a cucumber 1 inch a week.

Fertilizing is also important, as cucumbers are heavy feeders. Both experts recommend fertilizing every few weeks during active growth. Use a balanced fertilizer, or one formulated for vegetables.

Harvesting Burpless Cucumbers

Harvest your burpless cucumbers when they’re around eight inches long (depending on the variety). “The skins should be shiny and fresh—the flavor is considered sweetest when the skin is shiny,” says Sons.

Make sure to regularly harvest the burpless cucumbers so they continue producing throughout the season.

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