hotbed refilling for april – basil, melons, cucurbits

[dan hazelrowanParticipant]

hi Charles,

I’m thinking of refilling the hotbed for more heat through april, for basil, melon and cucurbits – also tomatoes, aubergines and peppers will appreciate

i’m guessing basil and melons will be good to sow asap but cucurbits – shall i sow soon on hotbed or wait till mid month?

Dan

[charlesModerator]

 Yes Dan if you have time and materials to hand, it is worth refilling for those heat-loving plants.

However April is looking to be much warmer than last year and I decided yesterday simply  to put two barrowloads of fresh manure on my hotbed in the greenhouse, with its core temperature still an impressive 40C, from the initial fill on January 29th. 

Yes it is good to sow melon and basil now, other cucurbits a little later, mid April is good, even late April for courgettes in case of frosts up to mid May, and cucumber for outdoors is best sown mid May.

[dan hazelrowanParticipant]

Thanks charles, yes my neighbour will bring some manure this weekend hopefully, my hotbed has shrunk almost to half size and thats with lots of stamping!

I may sow basil and melon soon then, can you prick out melon and the other curcubits? That would make life much easier, or are they too fragile?

[charlesModerator]

 I have never pricked them out, but with handling really carefully, I know of people who do. The stems are so tender.

[dan hazelrowanParticipant]

Hi charles, my neighbour , in better late than never style just brought some fresh manure , so looks like i have some hotbed refilling to do now!

I am about to prick out my basil and also melons appearing so they will appreciate it,

Anyway , am going to sow squashes on friday and am considering courgettes also, for convenience, pre full moon power and also to make use of hotbed heat.

The courgettes when planted out in may will be under fleece, will that negate the frost risk , or are they even too sensitive for that?

[charlesModerator]

 Fleece helps in slight spring frosts esp if held above leaves. Good idea to sow before full moon except they may be too rampant!

[dan hazelrowanParticipant]

thanks charles – good tip to suspend the fleece over with hoops

Yes rampant courgettes! they are a sight to behold though, a summer treat, giant spikey garden monsters

and just realised, actually saturday is the day for sowing – a fruit day, so squash saturday it is!

ps i am really feeling for you with the leatherjackets – thankfully none here yet , touch wood….

[Author]

Posts