We've been blessed with a long run of wonderful sunshine here in Devon but the rain has finally returned - our baked soil is likely rejoicing and the beetroot, peas, broad beans and onions we've planted outside recently will be happy to have a good drink.

We wanted to remind you that it's almost time to sow your courgettes and squash so if you don't have your seeds yet, now's the time. We usually wait until mid/end-April to sow ours, planting out mid/end-May to guarantee the plants don't get hit with any potential last frosts.

Talking of last frosts - check out our section at the bottom which talks about what last frost dates are and how you can use them to find the perfect time for your outdoor plantings.

For a full list of things you can sow this month click on the link below:

Almost time to sow your courgettes and squash!

You can give courgettes and squash the same treatment when it comes to sowing seeds. We like to wait until towards the end of this month to sow ours and do so into large modules or 9cm pots, transplanting them outside in mid/late May after the last risk of frost has passed (here in Devon).

For courgettes we'd recommend doing two sowings for a successional harvest, one in April and the other in early June.

Both squash and courgettes are tender plants and will need hardening off before planting out, spacing courgettes around 90 cm apart and squash around 1.5m apart. Both plants are very cold-sensitive so cover them with fleece if there is a danger of frost.

Squashes are hungry and benefit from a good dose of manure or compost added to the soil before planting. They are also sensitive to wind so try to find a sheltered spot in your growing space.

Using mulch around the base of the plants will help retain moisture, leaving a gap around the stem.

Remember a little goes a long way for courgettes! In peak summer you might be harvesting up to three fruits per day, per plant - so if you're only feeding a small family you won't need scores of plants....unless you want marrows 😉

For more indepth growing information on courgettes and squash check out our free downloadable growing guides by clicking the links below:

​Courgettes​
​Squash​

Some of our favourite varieties are:

Squash:

​Delicata - famous for their sweet flavour when roasted

​Red Kuri - A bright orange, chestnut flavoured, smallish winter squash. Red Kuri is firm but smooth, sweet and nutty

​Meruhen - It’s a truly special variety with exceptionally sweet and rich flavour—possibly even sweeter than butternut!

Courgettes:

​Cocozelle - Very productive courgette producing dark and light green stripy fruit over a long period

​Black Beauty - A classic dark-green summer squash with creamy white flesh

​Solara - a fantastic modern open-pollinated yellow fruited courgette producing an abundance of fruits over a long period

Last frost dates

Before we get too complacent and giddy with the warmth of spring…there’s still a chance that we might get an overnight frost!

Any non-hardy plants already planted outside are at risk of frost damage on nights like these. For those plants already in the ground, horticultural fleece can be an excellent tool for protection on nights where the frost hopes to catch us out!

Any tender plants waiting on your hardening off benches will also benefit from a layer of fleece to keep them toasty.

Knowing your last frost date can help you to plan the perfect time to plant outside, not too soon before the risk of frost but not too late that the plant won’t have enough of a growing season to get established.

In our little spot in Devon ours is around the last week of April. Do you know when yours is? It can be tricky to work out as a patch of land just down a valley from another can have an entirely different last frost date!

If you don't know the last frost date for your local area your best bet is to ask any local gardeners or growers and keep a diary for yourself for a few seasons to record the first and last frost dates so you can work out an average and use that to help you plan for the future.

Hope that's helpful!

All the best and happy seed sowing :)

Chloe and the rest of the team

P.S. Don't forget to harden off your plants before planting them outside! They need at least one week on a hardening off bench (or makeshift version) to acclimatize to the wind, rain and cold nights. A sheet of horticultural fleece to keep them cosy on cold nights is a must.