Courgettes - when to plant ?

[Nigella]

Any help on this ?

I have read two different books - which both advise differently - about growing courgettes.
The first suggests starting them off indoors - like cucumbers (April) to plant out May-mid May.

The second 'suggests' that this method is not successful - and it is best to plant the seed direct in May.

Hmmmm  :-\

[Nigella]

[Mike J]

Thanks for asking that - that was going to be one of my next new topics. Look forward to the responses.

[tim]

We sow ours in warmth 11 May - plant out 24 May.

As with so many things, bringing on indoors - assuming you have enough light - allows more control over planting time (frosts) & guarantees that each plant is viable when it goes out.

With sowing outside, you could lose seeds for one or more reasons & have to start again.

But do do at least 2 sowings - 2 weeks apart? And allow some to grow on as marrows for storage.

[NattyEm]

The ones I have say March on the packet so I have :) They are called Zuboda.  No idea what they are like, got them free on a magazine offer.

it says (in brief): Sow indoors in pots during March transfer outdorrs after frost have finished.  Plant 1m spaces.  Sow outdoors April-June harvest from July.

I can't belive they've nearly all germinated - I think I have to offload some of my 14 plants LOL

[legless]

i sow indoors and then plant out but they grow really big really fast so i don't sow until may as i haven't got the space to house them if i sow earlier!!

[NattyEm]

I have to admit to being clueless just how big they would get and how fast ;D  I probably would have waited too!

[legless]

I have to admit to being clueless just how big they would get and how fast ;D  I probably would have waited too!

i learnt my lesson last year!!! :D

[derbex]

My greenhouse ones need to go in there this weekend -while we can still get into the bedroom.

Jeremy

[Sarah-b]

Be careful - I lost a load of courgette plants last year when I planted them out in the last week of May. Some plants are a bit frost hardy, but courgettes are definitely not. When you put plant them out, keep an ear open to the weather forecast and cover them over if a frost is due and if you haven't got fleece, just improvise with whatever you do have!

sb

[Nigella]

Thanks  :)

I will now have a bumper crop !

[*Joanne*]

Got to go and buy my seeds yet i was thinking i was to late glad i am not i will only be growing 2 plants.

[Mrs Ava]

Started sowing my squashes mid March and most germinated!  Am now overrun with them.  Melons and cuces didn't do well last year so did triple the amount as backup!  Half will have to move into the greenhouse today (heated) as I have hardly any floor space in my part of the conservatory left and I don't think the kids would approve if I took over their play 'bit'.

[derbex]

Too right EJ, ours is angling for a play room/conservatory, that's her pocket money 'til 2050 then ;D

[philcooper]

The key is not to have them too big to plant out after the last frost, in my part of the world (NW Hants) that's the end May/beginning June.

As has been said elsewhere, you don't want to be overrun with them so sowing in an unheated greenhouse/window sill in mid April and then potting on into 9cm pots when they have 2 good strong leaves gets them not too big and not too small by the appointed time

On the original bit about planting outside - you're subject to the vagaries of the weather, slugs etc - not a good idea

Phil