Should I plant out my courgettes and squashes under cloches?

[dilettante]

My poor little cucurbits are suffering a little I think from being stuck inside. They've got a lovely bright west facing window to sit by, and since I live on a hill they get a ton of sunlight, but only after midday. They're looking a little leggy. I think they'd probably benefit from going outside on the plot under cloches (old five litre water bottles), but my plot has a bit of a slug infestation at the moment. I went down last night after the rain, and with the heat as well, I could hardly move for slugs. There are three or four frogs inhabiting my compost pile, but they seem to be being a bit slack so I chucked a few slug pellets about the place. After the long wait for these plants to germinate I'd be gutted for them to get eaten. Should I take the risk and plant them out anyway, with a defensive ring of slug pellets? I suppose it wouldn't take too long now for any new seeds I sowed to germinate.

[WendyC]

They won't thank you for going straight from inside to out without hardening off. Can you put them outside, somewhere sheltered for the day and bring them in at night. Colder nights are forecast again for the weekend.

[dilettante]

Oh yeah, sorry, with hardening off, of course. I'd probably just leave them in the garden. Actually that's probably a good solution if I pot them on an put them out before work for a couple of weeks. Thanks.