Potting on/outside question

[chris]

I've heard that some crops don't like to be sat in too much wet compost - and to pot only up to the next pot size - but what about if you plant from say 5 inch pots to outside? Do they sulk then?

I've a courgette that's flowering (just noticed) in a 5" pot, I'd planned on growing them outside in the ground - am I ok to plant out straight away (once hardened off) or do I need to go to a large tub first? I'd also like to do similar with a couple toms as I'm not going to have the room for them (which is the reason why I'm asking in the first place)

[Rhona]

I've done that very thing with my courgettes, and they're fine.

I hardened off for two weeks, then out on a not-too-hot day, put a plastic-bottle ring around them, and water loads. I shade them when they're newish in the ground if very hot. They flop at first; but they'll be ok and not so prone to it as they get bigger.

[Two_Sheds]

The ground is different to a big pot: it is free-draining, full of nutrients etc etc.

A large pot with a little plant in it has lots of unused compost, which gets wet, soggy and goes sour