Corn In Propagator - Plant Out?

[sownsow]

In a thermal heated propagator I've currently 8 x sweetcorn and 2 x butternut squash growing in deep root trainers, all of which are appx 3" high.

My query is whether I should take them out and repot them, or harden them off in the root trainers and plant them direct into the raised bed in a week or so? (mr.frost permitting of course!).
Thanks!

[rustylady]

Take them out of the heated propagator now. They really don't need to be in there once they've germinated. Your squash will certainly need repotting as they grow fast and I wouldn't advise planting them out until end of May at least. I believe you have a greenhouse, so your plants could go in there for now.

[CaroltheCarrot]

My advice would be repot them and then begin to harden them off, mine have only just gone into a polytunnel .
someone who knows better will be along soon

See told you

[sownsow]

Cheers for the advice.

rustylady-Hopefully in just over a weeks time I'll be taking ownership of my new GH! I've filled it up a thousand times in my head! I'm just hoping all my efforts in producing young tomato,cucumber,courgette,French bean,corn plants and a few others besides, doesn't go awry at the hardening off/planting stage!

[tamsin]

I leave my sweetcorn in root trainers until planting out (I stick them out in the green house as soon as they germinate).

[Tripmeup]

I've left mine in Rootrainers in the unheated greenhouse too...looking good so far..

[kathyd]

I germinated a few of mine in the polytunnel a few weeks ago (Impatience being my middle name) - kept them covered with thick fleece until they started poking through, and every night after that while small. Do I feel smug? Not really, since a mouse promptly bit them off at ground level!! However, I stuck a couple of the larger debris in a small pot, and they seem to have thrown out little roots where they got chewed through, and appear to be surviving at the moment. I didn't know corn could do that, so it was a useful experiment if nothing else... Fortunately I got a couple more packets of seed brought over from the UK by a neighbour (the French seem to think you're weird eating corn on the cob over here unless you have 4 legs) so I've now got some planted in pots on a hanging shelf where I challenge the little b*&&s to get at them. Nothing showing through yet though, but still keeping my fingers crossed.

When's it recommended to sow direct outside? Or isn't it?!

[HeyWayne]

Haven't even sown any yet. There's another job for the weekend. I always grow mine in loo roll centres, and then plant the whole thing out.

[chris]

He's back!

Planted mine out yesterday, have another two trays of root trainers to go out too.. (currently in cold GH)

[BarleySugar]

I planted mine out today. I sowed into loo rolls a while ago and they've been in the GH, then outside during the days etc. I've only got 15, so each one is covered with a plastic drinks bottle cloche. I didn't get any cobs last year, so I'm hoping for better results.
I also planted 8 of my winter squash with the same protection. It's pouring hard again now, so I've given up for today, the ground was so sticky even after 2 dry days

[Chef_uk]

Is the greenhouse too hot for them though during the day and too cold at night? 28c/4c here this week whereas indoors its a constant 20c.

[leonmc0708]

I lost a load of Mini Pop to the heat in the greenhouse in the last week (not shaded it yet) - aalthough the normal sized sweetcorn was perfectly fine.

[Two_Sheds]

Is the greenhouse too hot for them though during the day and too cold at night? 28c/4c

I'd say 4c is too cold, probably. Mine's a min of 8c, and the corn's doing pretty well (the ones higher up, nearer the light are doing very much better than the ones lower down in the shade).

28c ... are you not using vents/shading? (mine are auto)

[Chef_uk]

Autovent is fully opening at 21c but no shading yet, still have bubblewrap round the bottom half. Going to sort both out this weekend