The plants have to get used to full sun and wind as well as temps. Don't put them out just yet. For the next 3-5 days, place the plants outside for a few hours a day. First in dappled shade, then gradually into sun. First protected from wind, then gradually in the open. This will ensure they don't "freak out" from the stress and ruin all your work.

I'm overprotective, and give my plants 5-6 days, and usually a night, so I can monitor them and make sure all is well.

Hope that helps!

What matters most is your soil temperature. Squash and cucumbers need it to be at least sixty degrees. You can use an oven thermometer that has a probe on it. Typically, your night time lows should consistently be around fifty five degrees before summer vegetables will be happy in the ground.

I would probably put the plants outside in dappled shade for two days and then pull them into full sun before I put them into the ground.

I'd take some extra care and time with those particular transplants. Normally squash and cukes don't tolerate transplanting all that well anyway, especially if they are that old. So babying them and taking it slowly will give you better odds that they will survive transplanting.

For future reference both those vegetables do best when direct seeded or, if transplanted, before the second true leaf develops.

Dave

Dave,

Should I put a seed or two in with the transplant?

Should I put a seed or two in with the transplant?

It sure wouldn't hurt to plant a couple of seeds along with it and increase your odds.

Dave

Someone told me a good way to harden off seedlings. Once the temps are consistently above 40 degrees at night, and at least two weeks before you want to plant them outside, take the plants and put them where they will get morning sun and cover them with a standard plastic laundry basket inverted over them. The openings in the basked provide 1) dappled shade to get them used to sunlight, 2) enough breeze to toughen them up and 3) the temperature fluctuations. A laundry basket is just about the perfect size for one flat of seedlings. Do this for at least a week, and the second week take the basket off but continue to watch them.

My front porch faces east and gets sun until just about 11:00am and this has worked really well for me the past few years.

Steve

It always helps to put the plants outdoors in mostly light shade to get used to the outdoor temps and weather and start hardening off for the sun.

When they go into the garden, I always stand up wood shingles on the south and west sides to give the transplants shade after late morning or use gallon milk jugs with the bottoms cut out and the tops cut into an open circle 5 inches or so across. Although mostly clear, the milk jugs give the tender transplants some protection from the UV rays until they have hardened off in the ground. I usually leave the shelters in place for about a week. This gets the plants in their permanent home without having to baby them in a shady location for a while.

I only take 3-4 days to harden plants off. I put them out on the east side of the house, right up next to it, where they get around 1 1/2 hours direct sun in the morning, because of the hill and trees in the east. Then in the evening just before sunset I put them on the north side of the house, where they get evening sun. I move them further away from the house each morning and evening increasing the sun exposure. Once they are used to the elements I plant them in the garden in the evening so they get all night after transplant before being exposed to full sun, no shelter needed. They hardly ever wilt or get stunted.