Planting out courgettes and squash...

[VolesAteMyPeas]

Hi All,
Just a quickie...
Has anyone been brave enough to plant out their courgettes and squash into their final positions yet? Mine have been hardening off for two weeks now but I'm not sure about the weather! Do you think they'd be ok?
Thank you!
J

[VolesAteMyPeas]

Sweetcorn went out yesterday in little cloches by the way.

[Alison]

Too early for me

[VolesAteMyPeas]

Thanks Alison. My in-laws are in Warrington. They've had a few frosts recently so I can understand that. On the coast here which means no chance of frost but lowered temperatures generally and WINDY.

[Potstubsdustbins]

My are out, but in pots and placed in a very sheltered position, any sudden change in the weather and they are back in the GH.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I've just potted mine on (sown 20 Apr) and will let them grow for a couple of weeks more in the pots in the courtyard garden (quite sheltered) before planting them out at the Hill.

Best to be cautious - the last thing that you want them to do is sulk, and if you wait until the conditions are right for them, they will romp away without their growth being checked.

Let's face it - come the end of August when you are up to your armpits in courgettes and the neighbours are avoiding you in case you foist MORE onto them, you will look back at your eagerness to plant out and laugh hollowly..............

[AaronP]

Been out for a week

I planted two out just over a week ago under a fleece. I have kept the other two in the poly-tunnel, just in case!

They seem OK but the weather a bit warmer in West Cornwall.

Aaron

[Vince G]

Nope, still indoors in sunny Suffolk

[cilla]

I planted mine out yesterday. 2 planted in the ground and 1 in a container. I have fleeced them tonight. First night out and slug got to a couple of leaves. First time growing them, then again first time growing anything!

[sparrow100]

Planted some of mine out 2 weeks ago and the rest are going out this weekend. The broad beans will provide something of a windbreak for them.

[veggiechicken]

Mine have been out for a week or so - beans, courgettes, squash, sweetcorn. Some went out about a month ago. All doing well in sunshiny South Wales. Sheltered garden, lots of trees, very little frost this winter.

[kathyd]

Putting mine out today I think - the weather's so random at the moment here though, don't know what it's like in the UK? I'm sure it's usually warmer than this, and sunnier, in May! Everything seems to be behind this year, or is it just me getting rapidly older and time doing its flying thing??

[1Bee]

My first round are going out today. Under bell cloches, to start with. We're up north, but we've got a sheltered plot, SE facing, with hedges on the NW and N sides...

[Bren In Pots]

My courgettes and cucs spent their first night in the GH instead of a bedroom window and this morning it looks like I've lost my cucs they're very floppy and the courgettes don't look to good either

[Jay-ell]

Next door plot has had them out for a week (although they also have some in the polytunnel.

Put mine out on Monday but have a few more to put out once I prepare the trellis for the climbing courgettes and sweet dumplings. Have a spare Atlantic Giant and Hundredweight to go out in a week or two just in case as I've entered the giant pumpkin competition for Halloween and I don't think Jack Be Little will cut the mustard.

Do you nip out the male flowers for a while until the female ones fprm? We were chatting about it down the plot as to whether this would improve vigor or encourage female flowers. My thoughts were that they train the bees where to come so that they get used to it.