Garden on Windy Balcony with Direct Sunlight Help - Ask Extension
Hello. I made a raised garden bed in march and put cucumber and lettuce started from seedlings in it. Its been difficult to get them to grow but more ...
Knowledgebase
Garden on Windy Balcony with Direct Sunlight Help #937467
Asked July 01, 2026, 10:56 AM EDT
Hello. I made a raised garden bed in march and put cucumber and lettuce started from seedlings in it. Its been difficult to get them to grow but more recently, with addition of fish emulsion and more frequent watering, they have been growing (not the lettuce though, it has stayed small). With the heat wave coming up, I wanted to know if there is anything else I need to do to take care of the cucumber, especially since it gets direct sunlight all day?
Baltimore City County Maryland
Expert Response
Here is some general info from the UnMD on growing lettuce and cucumbers.
Growing Lettuce in a Home Garden | University of Maryland Extension
Growing Cucumbers in a Home Garden | University of Maryland Extension
First, it's too hot for growing most lettuce varieties now. They are a cool weather crop. Harvest some of what you have before it bolts and tastes bitter, unless you have a heat tolerant type. Plan to replant in the late summer or early fall.
For your second question:
Next year, I'd suggest growing starting lettuce and/or radishes in March or April, followed by patio or determinate varieties of tomatoes in May. Also in May, in you second container (moved into the sun) you can try for a compact variety of summer and/or winter squash. Bush beans and peppers could be alternative crops that should do well. Keep plant spacing in mind (read the labels).
Good luck
Len
Growing Lettuce in a Home Garden | University of Maryland Extension
Growing Cucumbers in a Home Garden | University of Maryland Extension
First, it's too hot for growing most lettuce varieties now. They are a cool weather crop. Harvest some of what you have before it bolts and tastes bitter, unless you have a heat tolerant type. Plan to replant in the late summer or early fall.
For your second question:
- Water early in the morning until water runs from the drainage holes. Check the soil again in late afternoon. On very hot days, you may need a second watering, but only if the top 1–2 inches of the mix are dry.
- Mulch the container with 1–2 inches to keep the root zone cooler.
- Don't fertilize during the heat wave. Wait until temperatures moderate.
- Harvest cucumbers promptly. Large, overripe fruit increase stress on the plant.
- If possible, provide afternoon shade. A 30–40% shade cloth from about 1–5 p.m. can reduce heat stress without depriving the plants of the morning sun they need.
Some afternoon wilting is normal in extreme heat. The key question is whether the plants recover by evening or early the next morning:
- If they perk back up, they're coping.
- If they remain wilted overnight despite moist soil, they're under serious heat stress or the roots have become too hot.
Next year, I'd suggest growing starting lettuce and/or radishes in March or April, followed by patio or determinate varieties of tomatoes in May. Also in May, in you second container (moved into the sun) you can try for a compact variety of summer and/or winter squash. Bush beans and peppers could be alternative crops that should do well. Keep plant spacing in mind (read the labels).
Good luck
Len
