Topic: Sowing Squash and Pumpkin seeds direct into a bed

[George the Pigman]

Well went today to the lotty and found nearly all of the squash and pumpkin plants I planted 9 days ago had died  No evidence of slug damage  All the leaves were dried up and dead . Certainly not lack of water! I know they don't like transplanting so I've always grown them in roottrainers but it's often a bit hit and miss.
Has anyone any experience of sowing them direct into a bed? The textbooks say its the best way to grow them. If so how do you do it?

[Deb P]

To be honest I've never tried sowing squash direct, but I've heard of folk who use hotbeds managing to grow them in cooler conditions. I find they need decent temperatures to germinate and careful hardening off. Mine are currently in pots outside my greenhouse at home, I'm waiting for the night temperatures to be consistently over 10degrees and for the nematodes I applied last week to get going before risking planting out at the allotment.

[George the Pigman]

 Yes Deb P they certainly don't like cold. I planted them out well after the last frost here but then we had a cold spell here and it got down to 4C or 5C at night and only the mid  teens maximum during the day. Basically April in June! The poor little things got too  cold.    I'll have to knit jumpers for them in the future!!