Is it too early?

[Catleigh]

I have got tomatoes and sweetcorn in the conservatory. Nice and established. My courgettes are looking good with 4 - 5 leaves developed (in addition to the original 2 seed leaves). Is it too early to plant them outside in raised beds?

[grenhouse]

I don't put mine out until mid may, they don't handle the cold very well and we could still get frosts. I have been too eager in the past and lost them. I would put them out in the day and bring them in at night for a while yet to be honest.

steve

[Flummery]

Depends where you live, your local climate, and whether you're a gambler! You might get away with it in Essex. We wouldn't in East Yorks.

[Creemteez]

As Flum says, if you are a gambler, go ahead. You say you have "courgettes" - (ie - more than one plant), so you could hedge your bets and plant out one or two -after some hardening off, of course. That way, if they are nipped by frost you'll have other plants in reserve to replace them. If you get away with it, you'll have a nice early crop and a later one too!

[Gearoid]

Ooh, I'd say it's still too early. The forecast for the coming week looks cooler than we've enjoyed lately and unless your plants have been well hardened off, a cold night may well stunt them, esp the courgettes.