Hello,

My tomato and cucumber plants were thriving but the last week they've started wilting and dying very quickly. I thought they weren't getting enough water so have been upping that a ton now, anyone know what's going on?

In your climate, squash and tomatoes will likely need water every day when in a pot. (If it is warm, the orange from the last post might be every 3-4 days depending on soil.)

But it looks like your vegetables probably have warm roots. During the day, stick your hand down into the soil in the pots. If it feels warm you will need to insulate the pots somehow. Painting the pots white will help a little. Insulate the pots with bubble wrap, or put it in a bigger pot with leaves or straw between the pots, a bottomless cardboard box full of leaves....

do you have those plants on a roof top? Way too much heat for them in pots, the reflected heat off the pebbles is literally cooking the plants. I would move the pots to a grass surface or at least to a place where they could get shade from the afternoon sun,

Thank you for the help both of you! Yea I can tell the roots are warm so that's probably the problem. Unfortunately I don't have anywhere else to put them, they're on a small side of our house. I put a rug down underneath them to try to keep them off the hot rocks (not sure if this will help) and will try to insulate the pots when I get a chance.

That should help a lot! Good luck, and keep us updated.

They are not easy to find, but get light/white colored pots.
Get an air space under those pots; get two two by fours.
Put water trays under the pots to catch some of the water that drains out.
The cucumber needs , at minimum , nitrogen.
In pots water every day and fertilize often.
Use a pail and pour water in till it starts to run over the edge, at least twice a week.
When we get plant killing heat here, lake and creeks dry up, I always do that.
Even in normal hot weather , I do it once a week.

All good suggestions from RpR! Nearly all of my potted tomatoes are in white or light colored pots. And the watering tip is dead on! With potted tomatoes, you do have to fill the pot up, wait, and fill it up again. Just make sure the pots drain well.