Courgettes

[Droppey]

I'm going to be planting my courgettes and butternut squash into bigger pots this weekend, is it too early to pop them outside to harden them off?

Also with these plants do I need a cane alongside it to tie it to for support? I have no idea how big they get!

Cheers

[Creemteez]

Hi Drops,
Firstly, where the heck is Oswaldthistle? - Or did you make it up?
It's relevant as to whether it's a good idea to put your courgettes our for hardening off.
They really are quite tender little beasts. I put mine out to start the process at the weekend and although it was sunny, there was quite a sharp breeze and some of them are suffering for it.
If they have some true leaves, then you can probably risk it if you put them somewhere sunny (but not too much!) and sheltered from any wind. But bring them back in as soon as the temperature starts to fall in the evening.
As to pot size, if you are just growing them on before finally planting into the ground, a good rule of thumb is to increase the pot size by two.
If you want to grow them in pots they will need at least a 20" pot and a good, well beefed up growing medium (half mpc, half well rottted manure).
Bush varieties of courgette should remain quite compact, but others (and butternuts) trail for some distance and can be trained to trellis or a wigwam of canes.
Eigther way, remember, WATER, WATER, WATER. And FEED, FEED, FEED!!!

[Droppey]

Hi Creemteez

Hehe Oswaldtwistle is a town in the north west near Blackburn and Accrington (who are they? eggsacally).

I'm growing the courgettes in pots due to lack of space and they've got lovely jubbly leaves on them and growing by the day but I don't have any rotted manure!! Is there an alternative that I can use? Also what is mpc? I'm thick you seee

[Two_Sheds]

what is mpc? I'm thick you seee

multi-purpose compost.

[Droppey]

D'oh *feels very stupid now*

[Creemteez]

Never mind, hon,
I spend an awful lot of time trying to work out some of the initials on a lot of threads.
If you've no well rotted stuff, don't worry, you can just plant into MPC, you'l just have to realy stay on top of the watering - and I mean EVERY DAY-TWICE A DAY in prolonged dry spells, and feed once a week with a good tomato plant feed once the plants start to set fruit.
Don't sweat it, courgettes are pretty easy to please.

[Droppey]

Hehe my kind of gals

[JennieAtkinson]

Just give them plenty of room. Their capacity to spread particularly at the end of the summer is phenomenal and by then I find the ones in pots have put roots down into the membrane in the polytunnel and I can't move them!

[Droppey]

Wow the lil blighters hehe

[Solitaire]

I wanted to plant courgettes, but don't have anywhere inside, can I seed outside ?

[NOG]

Yes once any chance of frost is passed, You should be ok.