when can I plant out squash plants?

[Edith]

I planted a load of pumpkin, squash and cucumbers around 6 weeks ago (I accept this may have been on the early side...) and I have around 10 plants at the stage at which I'd normally be planting them out. They are pretty big.

I'm wondering what to do here. Should I keep potting them on and start hardening them off in maybe a couple of weeks? or should I start hardening them off gradually now? I've had to move them out of the mini-greenhouse already (I need the space!) but they are still under a cloche.

[Nicos]

Hi there- I've moved your thread to a new location so more peep will see it!

[kingkano]

When is your last frost? These being quite tender, a frost will kill them. A cloche might help them survive. If it gets really cold they might check in growth too. Other than that, have a go and maybe plant some backups now just in case.

I thought I was being early, I will be planting some out in a couple weeks under a double cloche! lol

[binley100]

Just a tad too early I think , I don't plant mine out until end of May / beginning of June. My seeds will be sown about the middle of this month.
If you can keep them in for a while longer before hardening off that would probably be good ....and as Kingkano says plant a few backups in a few weeks time.

[Bramble_killer]

plant them out if you can protect them or start another sowing now

[gojiberry]

Definitely to early around here Edith. Being in Cardiff which is nearer the coast and tends to be warmer in the cities you may get away with planting out beginning of May and using a bit of fleece.

Ian

[Flummery]

I haven't started mine off yet! Our last frost is usually late May. You might manage with a heavy duty cloche but accept that you might have to start again.

[Two_Sheds]

A cloche might protect the foliage but the soil will still be cold and possibly wet

You may lose them I'm afraid - it's your call

[chris]

I've not started mine off yet either.. in two minds what to do - we're going away at the end of the month, for a week and last time we trusted a certain someone to water the seedlings, I came back and had to repot every single one as they were soaking.

[PAULW]

Mine have just hatched, I lost most of mine last year to a sneaky frost in May.

[zazen999]

All mine are just hatching at the mo - I've got one from a few weeks back in the greenhouse but the rest were sown last week....

[Alison]

Not sowed mine yet (athough did sow an early courgette for use in the polytunnel yesterday) as they're very tender. I'd have thought that you need to wait about another 6 weeks before it's defo safe to put them out.

[AntonyM]

I would leave them under the cloche, but expect to lose most of them, or at the least their growth is going to be badly checked... ....maybe sow some more now ?

I sowed my cucumber seeds yesterday, and won't be sowing courgettes for another week or two yet.

[Jono]

Another here who hasn't sown yet.

I'd definitely get a backup sowing in now.

Fingers crossed for your other plants. Would be ace if they did survive and you got a good early crop.

[Two_Sheds]

I have a page marked in my diary "SOW TENDER CROPS IN GREENHOUSE NOW" - it's on 5th April, yay hey