outdoor cucs squashes & pumpkins,when to start

[snakeshack]

I notice from other threads that some of you have cucumbers up.
as I have a patch which is manured and covered to smother weeds I am going to fill with summer and winter squash and pumpkins grown through holes into pockets of manure.
when should I be starting these off?
What is the spacing?

[Eyren]

I don't sow squashes and outdoor cues until April, as they are frost-tender and grow very quickly. I start them off indoors, then by the time the weather is mild enough for them, they're just the right size to pot on - I think if you were to direct sow them in May, they might not get a long enough growing period to fruit well (at least, the squashes wouldn't).

Basically, check the last frost dates for your area, then sow about a month before that.

Gardening and weather - first and last frost dates in the UK, Australia and USA

(The people with cues up are presumably either growing indoor varieties or being hopelessly impatient!)

[lynda66]

i'm being hopelessly impatient .... but i have planted a few squash and cukes, basically to see what happens, planted in fibre pots, and will transfer to storage containers when they are big enough, then keep them indoors till they can go in the polytunnel and hopefully if i can keep them alive long enough .... into the ground ... if not then i'll sow more ..... i planted some january, some feb and will plant more end of march until i get some that can be planted out.

oh yeah, i also have grow lights so light isn't a problem

last year, i grew all mine up towers, so they had about 12-18 inches between each plant, and with plenty of feeding they did really well, but if you have the space, and don't want to grow them up supports they need about 3 feet between.

[Alice]

They get very big very quickly Snakeshak so if you are going to grow them outside I would go with Eryn's advice. If you start the squash indoors harden them off carefully before planting out. They seem to be very soft and don't even like a warm breeze blowing on them to start with so I give them some fleece for the first day or two til they toughen up a bit.
When you transplant your squash and cucs be careful not to plant them deeper than they were as the stems rot. Good luck.

[Flummery]

I start mine in pots indoors (windowsill) in April - LATE April! They are surprisingly fast growers and you will be stuck for somewhere to put them otherwise - not to mention that they will go lank and leggy. Good strong plants harden off better and are less prone to attack by slugs and snails - which LOVE them!
It's never worth rushing a good plant! Best of luck.

[Eyren]

I start mine in pots indoors (windowsill) in April - LATE April!

You're a tad further north, though, Aunty Flum

That's why we always ask members to put their approx location - a hundred miles further north or south can make a big difference, as can whether you live in a city or out in the sticks, whether you're growing in a sheltered garden or a windy allotment, etc, etc! Getting familiar with your micro-climate is a key gardening skill

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks for that last frost link - ours is late March so I can get mine in to start off now

[lynda66]

we've had snow here in may before now so i have to make the weather fit round me or i'd never grow anything lol

[Flummery]

Last year we had one in late May. Himself and I were off for a few days in Ireland and all the way to East Midlands airport the ground was white and a thick white frosty mist rolled in as dawn broke. REALLY glad I hadn't put me toms out!

[zazen999]

Mine are being sown mid april...and will go into a sealed plastic container unless we actually manage to sort out a greenhouse before then.

I have lost loads of cuckes/courgettes - not because they don't germinate but because once they are planted out the ground just isn't warm enough and they can sit there happily doing nothing all summer long if it is too chilly.

Plus the seed is too expensive and rare to lose these precious plants.

[coreopsis]

The ground frost might happen even after "last frost day".I lost my cukes once because of ground frost in the night(they were in unheated greenhouse on the shelves).It's true,they grow VERY quickly indeed,but once the stem becomes "woody" the slugs are not interested in it anymore.

[pigletwillie]

Nothing is gained with them being sown too early as when it is warm enough for them, they romp away, if its not, they sit there and sulk.

Even with my heated greenhouse, I will only be sowing mine in Mid April.

[Alison]

Won't plant mine until next month, probably about the middle. Have tried early squashes in the past and to be honest they just got big and unruly way before I could plant them out. Also have never had any luck with early cucumbers, I'll sow peppers and chillies early but leave the curbits (or however you spell it) until later.

[snakeshack]

thanks for the info,will probably wait till mid april then as i only have a mini plastic greenhouse and space is at a premium what with all the window cills being full

[kirsty b]

Was going to sow cukes/squash/courgettes mid April. Plan to harden off and plant out late/end May.
Was going to start toms and such in the next week or so.