Courgettes? in April? in a Polytunell?

[CimaDirapa]

Hi busy bees,

I decided to start my two courgettes plants (one yellow, one green) earlier this year, now that I am in the Polytunell owners club (since February) do you think these can be started in the unheated poly? I recorded night temps of 0 to 4C and day time up to 25c (with the doors open in the day). If not, when should I transfer them out of the house? I am running very low on window ledge space.

[Creemteez]

Hi CD, welcome to the Vine.
It is still a bit early to be sowing courgettes - or anything like that - without a bit of added heat. They are warmth lovers and just won't play if the conditions aren't right. Don't know where you are in the country (pop it on you personal details), but even down here in Cornwall it's still too cold. They need a constant even warmth to start with. See if there is anything you could move to your poly-tunnel form the window sill. Lettuce? Brassicas? Peas? All surprisingly tough little beasties that won't mind it cooler.
Good luck!

[Bigmallly]

I have about 20 courgettes in the greenhouse, it's amazing what difference bubblewraping the greenhouse makes. It's really warm even on cold days and the plants are thriving. Polytunnel may be a different matter. A guy on the lottie lost all his Toms last week in his PT when we had the snow. Again, mine survived.

[zazen999]

I've also had some courgettes and gherkins in the greenhouse for about 3 weeks - last year I had courgettes in a greenhouse in the Cotswolds from Feb onwards. Sow the not too expensive ones now, and the really expensive ones in a month. Put extra fleece over them at night. Bring them indoors for the night if snow is coming.

[CimaDirapa]

I have about 20 courgettes in the greenhouse, it's amazing what difference bubblewraping the greenhouse makes. It's really warm even on cold days and the plants are thriving. Polytunnel may be a different matter. A guy on the lottie lost all his Toms last week in his PT when we had the snow. Again, mine survived.

Of course!! dohh! I happen to have loads of firm bubble wrap (the one laserjet tonner cartidges comes in) I can simply slip the module into one of these and place it in the poly, so mini poly in a poly! excellent advice Bigmally. Zazen, I am actually on the Cotswold edge where they fall into the Severn vale so not as cold as on the upper hills.

[Bigmallly]

Be careful not to suffercate them with the bubblewrap, they still need ventilation.

[jacob]

It's a fuss, but mine go out to the GH for the day, and back in at night. I got courgettes in May last year . I reckon they'll be OK in the GH unless it goes sub-zero.

[MarkHackwell]

I started some courgettes last month in the heated propagator and there good plants right now It said too sow a couple early March and the rest late march soo I have. I was reading in my polytunnel book the other day because I thought the ones I sowed in early march they were getting quite large and according too them you put them out in the polytunnel in Mid April so you can get a harvest by Mid May because they can tolerate some low temperatures but place fleece overtop if its too cold It also mentions if they dont do well you always have the ones you sowed at the end of March too back them up and this is what im going to try . I would put just a couple in and see how well they do so that if they dont survive you still have plants left Also it depends on the variety you have which variety is it?