What is up with my Gherkin Plants??

Robert.szwentner

hi guys, a little advice please on my gherkins that are trying to do a kamikaze!

i have grown gherkins before, but this is my first year in the new raised bed that i built before lockdown. the soil i used wasnt very good (poor drainage - tried to resolve but was only partialy successful), i also planted the first batch of gherkins way too early in the season and because of that they died or shocked from the drop in temperatures we had in mid may.... however,

i planted a second batch of gherkin plants early june and they were doing fantastically!! until, very recently when temperatures spiked and we were getting a lot more full sun (it is england and the full sun doesnt last too long. my problem: as soon as the sun is out the gherkin plants are wilting and look like they are dying. the soil is not dry nor water logged. the gherkin plants are mature and were hardened off properly , all are bearing fruit and some have fruited fully and yet when the sun comes out they look like they are struggling. yesterday as a test i watered one single plant around its base and it did not improve.

is it a case that they should be in constant shade but also have very warm temps?

any advise much appreciated

thanks in advance

herbaceous

Mine do that all the time on the rare occasions the sun gets hot enough Robert.szwentner.  I think they just wilt to conserve moisture, as long as they recover fairly quickly I don't worry too much 

Robert.szwentner

Thank you herbaceous panic over lol. They do look very happy at night 

floralies

Is that a fence or a wall behind? I can't quite make it out in the photo. If it is a wall then that is retaining heat from the sun and giving that out as well as direct sun, so the leaves will wilt until night time when it is cooler.

Robert.szwentner

Just a wooden fence @floralies does help to protect from wind but does also act as a sun trap