Everything in the garden has experienced stress during the recent heatwave and hot weather is going to continue. Leaves have been scorched and plants have wilted. Here are some tips for gardening in extreme heat.

If your plant is thirsty – give it a drink by watering close to the soil, under the plant. For routine watering, morning is better so that the plant can take up moisture before the worst of the heat. But if the plant is wilted in the sun, it might need water right away.  Wilted plants should be watered as soon as possible to reduce their time in a wilted state. Perhaps you can also provide some temporary shade - like shade cloth or an umbrella - to reduce the stress. It might need some support too.  More detailed information about watering, when to water, how to water, is here. 

Mulch around the base to reduce evaporation from the soil, and don’t fertilize while the plant is stressed. Hopefully, this is just a temporary setback, and the cucumber will recover – then you can return to routine watering and fertilizing.