we've had a warm spring but still a little cool for direct sowing. I'm wondering if there is any advantage to starting bean, melon, squash and cucumber indoors in peat pots. If you do, do you start three or four in a small pot (ie kind of the hill method) and cull or just plant the whole thing once it's hardened off?

Just wondering if I'll gain much of an advantage especially with the melons and squash by starting them a few weeks early. Thanks!

I transplant cucumbers, squash, and zucchini. The trick is to keep them small and transplant out 2 to 3 weeks after they come out. Longer than this and you will have trouble, IMO.

Jay

I DO NOT like peat pots (for anything) for a number of reasons which have been articulated by others in the forum.

http://agrowingcuriousity.blogspot.com/

I use 16 ounce plastic solo cups, that I split in half lengthwise. I hold them back together again with a little tape. Then when its time to transplant I slit the tape on one side and the cup folds open. Almost zero root disturbance.

It might be worth the effort if you have a spectacularly short growing season and your timing for getting them in the ground is good.

Great idea Pitcom...about slitting the plastic cups. I will use that for other seedling more sensitive to root disturbance. However beans don't seem to be bothered, and like I wrote about...I carefully remove them from the cell tray and basically plant them "bare root" At this point the seedlings are well established and the root system is substantial. They don't seem to go into transplant shock when I put them out, but remember the weather is usually cool.
In Oregon we don't tan...we RUST!

I start pumpkins and other squash the same way. We don't grow melons here because we can't without season extenders.

The get the point of almost sprouting, you can see the root form inside the seed skin, almost popping through.

This way they start off fast in the ground without a chance to rot.

I also do this with squash and cuke seeds.

trishcuit - it seems to be widely assumed in the US that beans don't transplant well. But if you live in a place where it takes months for temps to reach high enough to germinate beans it is standard practice. I sow some runner beans inside to start with then later in the season direct sow them. I started 6 runners last week. When they appear I will sow 6 more and when they appear 6 more. AT the same time as I plant these out I will sow 6 in situ and when those appear 6 more in situ and then one more lot when they appear. That way I get a double row of beans 36 bean plants of different ages. The earliest sown will start to produce in June and then the other plants will continue in succession until frost kills the vines. I do not possess any lights but I do have a small electric propagator. I start the beans in a glazed porch where I also do my tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, brassicas and lettuces. I start green beans outside in June because I need so many more plants to get a reasonable crop.

Rancho Gordo is a great company. I love their beans and have tried most of the ones they offer. The Goat's Eye and Good Mother Stallard are among my favorite.