Q. I have six good looking, healthy green-leafed cucumber plants, but unfortunately, six out of 10 (cucumbers) are usually bitter. Do you have a solution for this bitter issue?

Jack J. Dyke, San Jose

A. Cucumbers naturally contain a bitter chemical called cucurbitacin. It can be present in the cucumber, usually showing up in the peel, but sometimes in the fruit itself. Some varieties are more bitter than others.

Normally, cucurbitacin stays concentrated in the vine and leaves, acting as a deterrent to creatures that might eat them, but when the plant has been subjected to stress — lack of sun or cooler than normal temperatures, lack of water or irregular irrigation, or soil that doesn’t have enough nutrients — the fruit can become bitter.

When growing cucumbers, make sure you are providing them with enough sun, water and fertilizer to keep them — and you — happy. Growing the right variety for your micro-climate also will help.

As you already have a number of bitter cucumbers, there are a few things you can do to counter the bitterness. Peeling them will help, as will using salt on them. You can even over-salt them, let them sit for a while, and then rinse. Sprinking them with sugar also will counteract the bitterness.

Although there is no scientific proof that this method works, thousands swear by a process that is said to remove some of the bitter cucurbitacin. You take a thin slice off each end, then rub the slice on the exposed cucumber tip until white foam appears. Rinse the cucumber and repeat the process on the other end.

Q. My peach tree does not look well and I see brownish balls attached to branches — many, many of them.

My thoughts are to cut it down and remove it, spray it with something, cut back the affected areas or just wait it out.

John Berk, Bay Area

A. I’m not certain what the balls are — they could be armored scale (an insect), a fungus or a disease. More concerning is that from the photo you sent, I’m not seeing much foliage on your tree, which should be leafed out and covered in lovely peaches.

You could try sprays, pruning and waiting it out, but as a great horticulturist once told me, “Dead is dead.” I think you should cut your losses and remove the tree.

Do you have a gardening question? Submit it using this form. Email photos to jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.