Watering plants during dry periods and practicing good disease control can reduce bitterness. Cucumber varieties differ in their tendency to produce bitter fruit. Straight Eight often produces bitter fruit. Sweet Slice and Burpless Hybrid have fewer problems. A brown or black spot develops on the blossom end of the fruit.
Secondary organisms invade the affected tissue and cause the fruit to rot.
Blossom-end rot is a physiological disorder caused by lack of calcium in the developing fruit. Wide fluctuations in soil moisture levels impair calcium uptake by the root system. Excessive nitrogen fertilization may also contribute to blossom-end rot. Avoid overfertilizing with nitrogen. Initial symptoms are shiny white or yellow areas on the sides of the fruit exposed to the sun.