and too late for squashes/pumpkins?

[aquilegia]

Is it too late to start squashes/pumpkins?

I got a whole load of new ones (thanks again Phil!) yesterday and although I was planning on saving them for next year, I'm rather impatient and want to grow some this year.

I'd rather not sow them direct (slugs). Would they be ok to start off in pots this weekend? When should I put them out?

[aquilegia]

[sandersj89]

Not at all, in fact I started some Butternut, Avalon, last night. And the final batch of pumpkins, Mars, are just poking their heds up.

This is in pots in a greenhouse.

Jerry

[sarahr]

I hope not, I've only just started the marrows the other week. And I bought some butternut on mailorder which hasn't arrived yet.

[Tulipa]

I sowed butternut, courgette and pumpkin yesterday.  The pumpkin packet says sow indoors April to June so you will be fine.

Have fun.

[legless]

sowed my squashes at the weekend.

[aquilegia]

Oh that's good! thanks all.

I think I sowed my courgettes far too early (as usual!) - about two months ago. oops.

And when will you all be planting yours out?

(I'm so excited about the thought of loads of different squashes!)

[Tulipa]

I plant mine out early June when I hope there will be no more frosts.  I am in Hampshire. 

Last year I put a collar cut from a lemomade bottle round each plant and covered the soil inside and outside with sharp sand to keep the slugs away from my precious plants.  I shall do the same this year.

We only tried butternut squash for the first time a few weeks ago and are now absolutely hooked so can't wait for them to be ready!

[Mrs Ava]

I will be doing my last (I hope) sowing of melon seeds this weekend.  They will romp in the glass melon house Ava has built me on the lottie....welll, thats the plan!

[legless]

planting all my tender stuff out the first week in june. (tomatoes, squashes, cucumbers, sweetcorn, courgettes and runners)

[wardy]

Me too!  All ground frost and air frost here this week in N Derbys.  Freezing cold last night - it felt like winter.  Blowing a gale here today so not venturing out.  I envy EJ not having any frosts and being able to get stuff out earlier and having a much longer growing season.

[Mrs Ava]

Ooo Wardy, I might be risking it.  We are very lucky as we are incredibly sheltered, and the site is now incredibly dry!  Needs must - I can't get up to the plot as much as I like, or need to, so things have to get out.  I do make backup sowings just in case...problem is...where are they going to go if the rest take off!

[philcooper]

Ooo Wardy, I might be risking it. 

Yet an other list member takes up the noble art of extreme allotmenteering - (gardening) life on the edge in Essex!!

[Multiveg]

I'd prefer extreme gardening to extreme ironing or even extreme accounting!

[wardy]

Me too  ;D