[erainn]

Time to roll the dice and transplant from pot my courgettes and one squash into my plot.

I have dug a number of small pits, filled in with compost and will be planting into them, what I am unsure of is how to best protect them, as they still smallish, even though in full leaf.

Was thinking of placing a clear plastic tray (ones used for fruit in supermarket) over the top, but wonder if that may over cook them on a sunny day?

Any ideas most welcome on how to best to nurture/protect these little fellers?

[Kleftiwallah]

I normally peg down a cylinder of chicken wire about 14 " high and the same in diameter for the first few weeks.

Cheers,     Tony.

[angelavdavis]

I am not sure you need to protect them against frost now - you are only up the road from me and a couple of my courgettes have been out for about three weeks now and OK (the others are in a coldframe with no lid on it and will be planted out this weekend.  

The only threat they may have is from slugs and snails.  I usually cut the top and bottom off a clear plastic bottle to form a protective collar around vulnerable plants and sprinkle just a couple of pellets inside to protect against slugs in the soil.

[JayG]

Agree with Angelavdavis - they are a bit of slug magnet when first planted out, although in the past I managed to lose a part-grown courgette plant which rocked to and fro so much in the wind it twisted the stem off (a strategically-inserted short stick fixes that problem.) 

[Aidy]

As JayG says, wind is the biggest enemy now until they gowing and get established.

Mine have been out for a few weeks now and seem to be happy enough.

[TerryB]

Polythene over hoops pushed into ground.
Large plastic bottles from water fountains.
2 old window frames to form a clotch with the ends covered in polythene.

[compostqueen]

I covered mine with the first thing to hand which was a large galvo sieve. Just to keep the birds off it til it got going 

[Pony Girl]

How long should I harden off my courgettes? Am planning on planting them out under cloches but to keep them open at both ends to allow some ventilation.

[JayG]

At least a week, although it does depend on weather conditions, especially the expected weather when you plant them out - last week you might have got away with planting straight out under cloches, but conditions look much less favourable now.......

Don't leave the cloches on for too long - even with the ends open you might restrict the access of pollinating insects, increase the humidity which can lead to getting mildew earlier than they otherwise would, and of course make the all-important watering that much harder.

Don't forget slug protection when first planted out, although they should be safe when they have grown larger. 

[missmoneypenny]

I didn't put any protection down save for slug pellets then found one or two were snapped. I  think a fox uses my plot as a corridor and have noticed one of my neighbours  who's very experienced and has a great  plot despite not being in the best of health, had surrounded his with lots of bendy and often prickly branches, kind of bent over the little plants. I surmised it's to deter foxes and have done the same, so far with success.