Will plants catch up?

[confused of chalus]

Sorry to be so British about this - but the weather is really getting me down and my little squash, melon and cucumber plants are waiting to go out into the wide world. I tried putting out the courgettes last week as they were getting so big, but one had all the leaves knocked back in the cold/wind overnight last week, so I am wary. I haven't put many seeds in either, as the soil is cold.

This is our sixth summer and I've never known it so cold so late. Do you think things will catch up? Looking around some neighbours have planted out - other veg plots are still empty. I have exactly opposite conseils from neighbours either side of me so I wondered what you thought.

What do you think?

Kathy

[mint]

We've had some tomato plants out but they haven't done anything spectacular.

In fact, this year's been a disaster for the garden.  Many treasured plants died outright when we had that very cold snap in February and a large proportion of the spring bulbs just never came up (as much as two-thirds of the hundreds we planted).

The geraniums were bought when they were a respectable size and they are only just now shyly showing a few lacklustre flowers.

The roses are budding, but not to a great extent and I just can't believe the difference from this time last year when the garden was a riot of colours for early May when it was OH's birthday.

By all means, I think you can put your plants out but the forecast in our area (not that very far from you) is still very cool for the next week.  I have seen some experienced gardeners putting out their plants so I don't think they'd die but I don't think that they are going to take off quickly either.