[davesellars]

I have a few courgettes (small yellow and green roundish type - sorry I don't have the exact name to hand...) that I started off indoors.  They have developed initially a weak stem of about 4 inches before the first leaves and thus are very floppy and very prone to snapping.  I've potted them on From the first set of leaves theyare quite strong.  I've got them tied up but I want to get them outside this weekend.

I was wondering once I get them into the ground is it OK to bury most of this stem in the soil with the purpose of making the plant less prone to snapping in the wind etc or should I just tie them to a short cane and hope for the best?

[mumofstig]

don't bury the stems, they'll rot 

Tying them to a short cane is the best option IMO

[Chrysalis]

I lost half a plant to the wind last weekend.  it still has two leaves and looks really healthy, please MoS, will it come back and flower/fruit?
Sorry to hijack the post, but it seems close to the subject.  I nearly planted the stems, so thanks for the tip not to!

[Salmo]

I always bury my stems and I have never had one rot. I am on light sandy soil, on clay soil may be different.

I would delay planting out until this windy weather has gone away.

[shokkyy]

I've had two squash plants snap off and both have immediately started growing new leaves and shoot, so I'd think they'll recover as long as the whole thing's not gone. It might put them back a bit though.

[AnneB]

I go for burying the stems and don't have a problem.  I have had stems snap in the wind in the past, but they never grew again after that.

[Growster...]

We cloched all our courgettes - and squash, while the wind was blowing, and it seems to have done the trick, although they were putting up a bit of a moan for a while.

There was no alternative I reckon, they had to go back in the warmth and protection for a spell!

Mrs G gave them a dose of weak liquid manure as a treat...

[davesellars]

In the end we were too busy with preparing the inside of the polytunnel and then planting tomatoes to do anything with the courgettes.     Although, I think I now have a nice protected spot from the wind at the side of the polytunnel (also where a row of tomatoes have gone in) that will be suitable for the courgettes so i'll get them out this week and prop them up with a short cane just to make sure.

My squashes seem to be hardy *...  they mostly survived the winds albeit with a fair amount of battering...  a  couple that had snapped earlier on have started growing again.