The downside to......

[David from Dothan]

....starting seeds TOO early.....They start setting "fruit" while still in the pots and as we all know, you can't hem up an elephant in a paper sack. Sooooo, the only option, I see, is to put em (13 yellow squash & 3 zucchini) in the ground, early, and hope for the best.

 

[marlingardener]

Your problem is not planting too early, but having too green a thumb!
If you put them into the garden and a cold snap is predicted, you can cover them with large plastic pots or the whole area with a tarp held up on short poles (clothespins are great little holders for tarps on poles.) I have also filled gallon milk cartons with hot water and cozyed them up to sensitive plants.
Good luck, because those are beautiful squash plants!

 

[Chuck]

Did you pollinate them yourself? If not don't be surprised if they abort. Squash normally abort most if not all of their first fruits. And this early in the year I doubt if there are many pollinators out and about. @marlingardener is correct in saying you can protect them. A product called Nsulate is about the best and I gives about 6 degrees of protection. Just pray you don't get a hard freeze. Squash should be planted a minimum of 3 feet apart

 

[David from Dothan]

Did you pollinate them yourself? If not don't be surprised if they abort. Squash normally abort most if not all of their first fruits. And this early in the year I doubt if there are many pollinators out and about. @marlingardener is correct in saying you can protect them. A product called Nsulate is about the best and I gives about 6 degrees of protection. Just pray you don't get a hard freeze.

No sir, did not self pollinate. In fact, when the blooms came on, I didn't even pay attention as to if they were male or female flowers......fully expecting them to abort the flowers. I will be rather surprised if the "fruit" does not abort. NO prediction of temps even CLOSE to frost temps from here on out......course I don't put a WHOLE lot of faith in weather forecasters.

 

[David from Dothan]

Your problem is not planting too early, but having too green a thumb!
If you put them into the garden and a cold snap is predicted, you can cover them with large plastic pots or the whole area with a tarp held up on short poles (clothespins are great little holders for tarps on poles.) I have also filled gallon milk cartons with hot water and cozyed them up to sensitive plants.
Good luck, because those are beautiful squash plants!

You are too kind mg..........but I think it's probably because I'm an impatient gardener who likes "pushing envelopes" cause, well...... ya "just never know".........rather than having a green thumb (let alone "too green a thumb")

 

[Chuck]

No sir, did not self pollinate. In fact, when the blooms came on, I didn't even pay attention as to if they were male or female flowers......fully expecting them to abort the flowers. I will be rather surprised if the "fruit" does not abort. NO prediction of temps even CLOSE to frost temps from here on out......course I don't put a WHOLE lot of faith in weather forecasters.

The same here. I keep worrying about those Pacific fronts hitting Calif. and moving east. But so far the Arctic looks OK for us but that can change almost immediately. If everything looks OK on the 15th I will plant 1/2 of my tomatoes. On squash, melons, cucs I always direct seed but the temp should be OK not long after the 15th.

 

[vette-kid]

You are too kind mg..........but I think it's probably because I'm an impatient gardener who likes "pushing envelopes" cause, well...... ya "just never know".........rather than having a green thumb (let alone "too green a thumb")

...I like your style

 

[headfullofbees]

You are too kind mg..........but I think it's probably because I'm an impatient gardener who likes "pushing envelopes" cause, well...... ya "just never know".........rather than having a green thumb (let alone "too green a thumb")

I'm the same, but sometimes we get lucky.

 

[NE Ohio John]

Pinchng off the first flowers should encourage more & better root growth early in the season resulting in stronger plants and a more productive plant.

 

[David from Dothan]

Wellllll.......I did lose 6 of the squash, BUT had 19 that did NOT abort......VERY surprised at the outcome.....but another anomaly that supports the gardening motto I live by....."ya just NEVER know"...... Here is a pic of the largest one (3/21/2019)

 

[vette-kid]

Awesome, I feel so behind now! Could have planted two weeks ago and been fine!

 

[David from Dothan]

Lucked out.......the first zucchini did not abort.......yet......