Can Cucumber Plants Get Too Much Sun

Crisp cucumbers are tasty in the summer, making them a preferred choice for growers. They may be easy to grow, but the sun is one thing to look out for. Can cucumbers get too much sun?

Cucumbers love to be in full sunlight, enjoying a full 8 hours each and every day. However, if temperatures rise above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, there is a risk that cucumbers will wilt due to excess dryness. Favorable conditions for cucumbers include warm temperatures that range from 65 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit

So, just how much sun do cucumbers need, and how can you save your cucumbers from wilting? Find out the answers to these and more below.

Can Cucumbers Tolerate Full Sun?

When you plant cucumbers, they start to form deep roots and spread out into the soil. They require ample space and don’t perform well when large trees or plants are nearby. Apart from ample space, they require warm temperatures and soils, tolerating more than 8 hours of full sun.

The key to keeping cucumbers safe is to ensure they are kept within optimal temperatures, ensuring that they never dip below 55oF. Cucumbers love full sun and can tolerate it as long as temperatures are not too hot, and the air is not too dry.

How Much Sun Does a Cucumber Plant Need?

Cucumbers love basking in the sun and will grow beautifully when exposed to rays the entire day. When deciding where to plant cucumbers, go for an area that will offer your cucumbers full sun for at least 5 hours a day.

Cucumbers can thrive with 8 hours or more of full sun, loving temperatures warmer than 60oF. Ensure that the area you’re choosing to plant doesn’t have too much shade, giving them the heat that they love so they can grow in favorable conditions.

How Hot is Too Hot for Cucumber Plants?

Cucumbers do love full sun, but there is such thing as too hot. When the sun and temperatures reach more than 85oF, cucumber plants can start to wilt. Part of the reason why there is a limit to how much heat cucumbers can tolerate is their high water composition.

Hot and dry temperatures can dry out leaves, stems, and cucumbers, causing them to wilt. If you have high temperatures in your area, you should give cucumbers plenty of water and provide them with some shade with a sheet or cover in the late afternoon.

Why Do My Cucumber Plants Wilt in the Sun?

When temperatures rise, it can make plants suffer. Plants will often react to stress by wilting, not standing tall and strong. One of the leading causes behind cucumbers wilting is heat, especially dry ones.

Another potential reason behind your cucumber wilt is the lack of water. Because cucumbers thrive in warm temperatures, a sudden increase could make them soak up more water, which will lead leaves to wilt and eventually shrivel if you’re not quick to give them some moisture.

A less common reason behind wilt is disease or fungus, which can be detrimental to plants. If you notice wilt and other symptoms like white spots or rot, your plants might be infected. There are treatments, but most of the time, plants can’t make it and have to be removed from the garden.

How To Save Your Wilting Cucumber Plants

With temperatures on the rise, cucumbers could suddenly start to melt. If they do, there are some things you can do, and the sooner, the better. Try these three things to revive them as soon as you start to see cucumbers wilting.

#1. Give Them Some Water

Most of the time, wilt is due to hot, dry temperatures. Cucumbers do like warm conditions and full sun, though there is such a thing as too hot. The dry heat will drain plants of moisture, causing them to lose water and wilt.

What To Do:

Give them some water as soon as you notice your cucumbers starting to wilt. Remember that cucumber roots can extend pretty far into the ground, so make sure you give plants enough so that the roots can soak up all the moisture. You may notice an instant perk, though it may take a day or two to whip them back into shape.

#2. Cut Shriveled Leaves

Shriveled leaves can take nutrients away from other stems and leaves. For that reason, you should cut them off, especially if you notice leaves starting to wilt.

What To Do:

Use a sharp and clean pair of shearers to locate shriveled leaves and cut them off. You may need to do this often to keep nutrients going to the right places, avoiding any waste toward parts of the plant that might not make it.

#3. Add Some Shade

Even though cucumbers grow in full sun, you can still help them out by giving them some shade. If you notice that cucumbers are starting to wilt after a heatwave, you may need to add some protection, especially in the late afternoon when the sun is high.

What To Do:

Grab plant covers or sheets and drape them over plants. If you have some rods or pieces of wood taller than your plants, you can attach them, so they don’t disturb leaves or stems. Drape them over any time that temperatures rise or when you notice your cucumbers starting to wilt.

Final Thoughts

Though cucumbers love the sun, they can have too much. Too much sun can lead them to wilt, which, if not tended to, can cause them to die. To keep your cucumbers happy, make sure to give them plenty of water and be cautious of temperatures that rise above 85oF. You may need to add some shade to your garden to keep cucumbers from experiencing stress due to high heat.