Is it safe to put out courgettes, and pumpkins yet?

[Callie]

I have quite a few coming along in pots in the greenhouse, wondering if it's a safe to put out yet, they are getting quite larger in the pots (6 inch pots now). We live in Colchester. Any help appreciated, thanks.

[Mrs Dobby]

Depends very much upon the temperature and wind strength. We've had our courgettes out here in Manchester for the past 3 weeks, but covered them with fleece for the first 2 weeks, and if there's a frost predicted, then we'll cover them up! Strong winds can also damage them, so with the forecast for the weekend ahead it may be an idea to keep them in until it improves on Tuesday or Wednesday, or if you can provide shelter and protection from frost, then you should be ok!

[Callie]

Thanks for that. I think I might leave it till next week, just to be on the safe side.

I was looking at your Garden Blog, I am very impressed with your plot. I enjoy gardening too. Have planted out my Broad Beans and Runners, 1 lot of onions sets, some beetroot, carrots and parsnips, and some lettuce. Rest of things are still in the Greenhouse.

[Mrs Dobby]

Thanks for the kind words, the plots coming on nicely, but we've a long way to go to get it as good as some of the others on our allotment site (mind you, most of the really good ones are owned by folks who are retired, whereas we both work full time).

Sounds like you're well advanced with your planting, we've had a bit of a problem with the broadies, only 20 have grown from the 40 we planted, so we've some more just hardening off in the greenhouse at home ready to be transplanted next week!

We've 3 lots of onion sets in, 2 types of garlic that have been overwintering and another 2 beds of onions from seed, but these do seem very small atm, so perhaps they will end up as pickling onions!

Runners and peas are now up, reasonable germination and a few more to plant, along with some more types that we've delayed planting so we get successional crops!

The root bed in on our original plot, and has only been 1/4 cleared so we've not too much in it yet, but as we wanted to wait until the cow parsley was up before we planted, (supposed to reduce carrot root fly problems which we suffered from badly last year), so that should all be in soon! We have however also got carrots in containers at home, along with some heritage spuds (and 4 1/2 beds of spuds in the half plot we are going to be giving up!)

Fun isnt it!

[yoanbob]

my pumpkins have been out for a week now and seem to be doing ok, they are wind protected but not frost

[dan1979]

I'm not that far from Essex (North London) and have had courgettes out for a couple of weeks, they're doing great and the first one has just started fruiting.

[Winged one]

I put my first courgette into the garden about 5 weeks ago now, and it's doing fine (but nice sheltered spot).

I put 2 more onto the plot 2 weeks ago, but into gaps in the middle of the spring cabbages so quite sheltered there too (although at great risk of slug attack - lots of blue pellets out).

All are doing well so far, hopefully we'll start getting some of the plant in the garden next week.

[Snadger]

One of the plot holders on our site came to me and asked if I would have a look at his courgettes which he had planted out. He seemed to think that some malicious so and so had sprayed weedkiller on them.Straight away I new they had been frost blackened as it caught a few of my spuds as well.

Just to be safe, I'm going to give my courgettes pumpkins and cukes another couple of weeks under cover!

Surely we can't get a frost once we're in June can we?