[ally]

My courgettes are developing their second true leaf .... I now realise that I am way to early for them.  what should I do they will be huge by mid may!!! Pots in green house, or start again? 

[DD.]

Want the easy option?

Clue: I've just sown mine!

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

I asked the same question about 3 days ago and the consensus was ditch and start again unfortunately.

Mine were very leggy though.

[Stree]

I have 2 on the go ( given 3 away)  sown last month. In the greenhouse, not leggy.
started in heat then out into secondary plastic greenhouse in main greenhouse.
Sown more today as well. Interesting to compare later.

[mike86]

i did the exact same thing, mine are now about 3" tall with 2nd leaves. ive sown some more over the last few days. but i think im going to keep the first batch and see what happens.

[Annen]

If they aren't leggy, try potting them on and keep in the greenhouse. Last year mine was in a 5 inch pot and had a courgette on by the time I put it out (It was the only one as the plant promptly died due to the persistent cold and wet)
I also have one that seeded itself in the compost last October and has overwintered in the front room window.  It is now in a 9" pot and is being supported by canes. Mind, that is probably a butternut rather than a courgette.

You could hedge your bets by putting more on the go in the next week or so.

[ally]

Ok I will pot on 2 out of the 3 see what happens in the GH .... Lost two in the wind on tuesday when they where sunbathing .... they were leggy and the stems bent! so have sown more, just popping through now!  Yes I love courgettes !!!

Lesson learnt ... or not I will do the same next year as I have done for the past 3!!  GH is full of seedlings that shouldnt have been sown til now or next month ....

[sowitgrowit]

I shall be sowing mine this weekend I think - they'll then be transplanted to their final position on top of my compost heap when/if the weather improves   :blink:

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

On top of the compost heap?  :blink:

[gavinjconway]

On top of the compost heap?  :blink:

It's his raised bed...   

[Silkychicks]

I sew my courgettes allways mid-march: around this time they are normally about 10 to 15 cm: with second leaf ofcourse.

During the day they are outside but at night I take them in because we can have frost at night untill the end of april.
By the time I put them at their spot they are quite big and strong.
The same with pumpkins.

So my opinion: plant them a little deeper and enjoy your courgettes

[DD.]

BUT - we can expect frosts until the end of May, so therefore should we not be sowing a month later than you, i.e. about now?

[sowitgrowit]

On top of the compost heap?  :blink:

Yup     Not to be composted, either.

I haven't much space for courgettes so I will pop reasonably well established plants onto one of my 3 heaps (finished composting now).  Should be handy for greedy plants if I water into the middle of the heap with an upturned bottle.

[Silkychicks]

Frost untill the end of may? 
I allways thought you had the rain and the sheep we had the snow and the ice!
No I really didn't know you have a longer period of frost then we..

You know I would start early anyway because otherwise the ideal time for production is so short.. maybe if its much colder overthere now you can keep them inside when spring has started.. Well I mean april, otherwise you will have a long period of time carrying everything out and in again. That's not ideal.
Ofcourse you can throw my ideas in the bin, because I don't know how your summer goes. It is just that I prefer big plants, also because of the snails..

Here things go to fast now inside, that is why they are outside during the day. As soon as something sprouts it goes out. The last few days I was busy and all of a sudden I have floppy Raphanus sativus caudatus! They grew 8 cm.. Lying flat..

[DD.]

Courgettes, as you know can grow massive.

If you start them too early it is very difficult to keep them inside. Also grown too long in the warmth can make them intolerant to the lower outside tempertures.

I will not begin to consider planting out tender plants until at least the middle of May. I think it was 3 years ago now that 3 had a sharp frost in June. Needless to say a lot got wiped out.

We can expect the first frosts around mid-October.

This site only predict - it's not to be taken as gospel!

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/main/weather1-result.asp