Plant In Hot Weather

[Artisan]

Following harvests I have areas in my vegetable garden to plant out other vegetable seedlings I have ready. Assuming that they are continually watered well does anyone know if planting out in this very hot weather would be detrimental to the seedlings?

I have cabbage, perpetual spinach and collard greens seedlings ready. I also want to sow directly in the plot some dwarf haricot beans, radishes and beetroot.

[Greenleaves]

Most brassicas will be OK as long as they are puddled in and kept watered until they establish. Seeds should be OK, I was always taught to give the ground a good watering the day before and again on the day of sowing. I think soil types might play a part with seeds though, clay tends to dry to a crust.

[veggiechicken]

My gardening is on hold at the moment. Seedlings are staying in their modules where I can keep an eye on them for watering and I'm not sowing anything direct either - as I'm a lazy waterer. It'll all be over in a week or two (hopefully) and I'll catch up then.

[Martin H]

Like VC, I am mostly waiting until the weather is more suitable. I did put a couple of cabbage plants out on Friday as a bit of a test, they don't look at all happy now though.

I might try putting some leeks out this week, but I will leave half of them in their pot in a shady corner.

It's not too long now until the schools break up for the summer, that event usually brings plenty of rain until September.

[Jungle Jane]

When you’ve dug your hole,pour a nice amount of water in the hole,then it drains away a bit & plant into the little remaining puddle of water. Water everyday till it’s looking established.

[Thelma Sanders]

When you’ve dug your hole,pour a nice amount of water in the hole,then it drains away a bit & plant into the little remaining puddle of water. Water everyday till it’s looking established.

That's what I do Plus for sowing seeds, I draw a groove with my hoe and fill it with water and leave to drain away, sow my seeds and cover with soil and water again with the rose on the can. Finally pull a dusty layer of earth over the row as a mulch to keep the moisture in.

In Greece I was told to sow lettuce in the late afternoon, so it will germinate in the relative cool of the night, as it doesn't germinate at all in hot temperatures.

[Penellype]

The brassicas and french beans that I have planted out recently seem to be doing fine after a thorough initial watering. I plant things on cooler days or in the evening so that they don't immediately wilt in the hot sun.

[1Bee]

Just for info, not necessarily a recommendation. I've got clay soil, which is incredibly dusty and dry at the moment. I've planted out some kale, and with daily watering it seems to be doing fine.

[nickdub]

Probably mainly depends on how much kit you have and how much trouble you want to take with it. E.g. if you have a trickle irrigation system and you can be bothered to set it up right for you seedlings and probably also rig up some temporary shade, then the world's your lobster ... on the other hand if you are thinking of lining out cabbage or leek plants and just chucking on a couple of cans of water to get them started then I'd say no, wait 'til it rains.

[Jungle Jane]

.. on the other hand if you are thinking of lining out cabbage or leek plants and just chucking on a couple of cans of water to get them started then I'd say no, wait 'til it rains.

If it rains for thirty minutes it’ll be the same water input into the soil as if you water by hand,it’s quite normal to dig into dry soil in the summer to plant things out. By pouring the water in before the plants,it’s as if it has rained the plants won’t know

[bikermike]

I planted out some sweetcorn plants on Saturday.
I raked the ground, watered it, dug holes, watered them, put the sweetcorn in, gave it a water, spread wood chippings over the bare soil and watered that. They weren't dead last night...

[nickdub]

If it rains for thirty minutes it’ll be the same water input into the soil as if you water by hand,it’s quite normal to dig into dry soil in the summer to plant things out. By pouring the water in before the plants,it’s as if it has rained the plants won’t know

Agreed - by rain I mean 2 or 3 days of continuous heavy stuff, not a half hours summer shower. As far as planting now goes, I've put a few things out, but I'm watering them everyday - twice a day in some cases - any less and they'd be dead on my soil in under a week.

[Artisan]

Thanks to everyone for the advice.