I'm going to guess the plants are already somewhat stunted from the sounds of it. If it's raining that much, go ahead an plant them out. Find a bunch of plastic milk jugs or white buckets. Cut the tops off the jugs and turn them over on top of each plant to cover. poke holes in the sides for ventilation. Or you could use wood or cardboard boxes (the cardboard better be thick to withstand rain though), turn them over and prop a corner up with a rock so they get some light. Milk jugs are best.

If it's light rain, the plants will be fine. Just don't let the sun hit them for too long. If you're around, you can allow them some morning sun and then cover and increase the time to sun exposure each day possible.

Where are you located? In the future, consider direct sowing seeds so this won't be an issue.

Plant them out. If the weather is gloomy, they probably will do alright. If you have a spell of bright weather, you can cover them temporarily. Floating row cover might be a good solution. It will take only a few days, less than a week I would guess, before they have hardened off, gotten established and started some new leaves.

Jim

Ok perhaps I havent been very clear. The plants I have inside that need hardening off have not yet been stunted and are growing well inside so much so that the melons are fruiting.
Secondly, I didnt grow the melons from seed they were brought as plants from a garden nursery however when I brought them they were still in greenhouse so I assumed that they hadnt yet been hardened off as a lot of there stuff isnt.
IO have cloches which I could put them under. But would I leave them under there all the time or would I still have to bring them inside?
I am located in south west england
Thanks, Mike

I think you were clear enough.

The plants need to be planted outdoors eventually. Since they are getting large enough to produce fruit, they should be set out right away.

All they need during their transition to outdoors (i.e. hardening off) is protection from burning or drying by sun and wind. Cloches, if they reduce the heat and intensity of the sun would be fine. If the weather is dull, they may not need even that much protection. Just keep an eye on them for a few days and keep the soil moist.

Jim

i am going to sound really stupid... but, what is hardening off? i haven't heard that term used before. if it means just planting them outside wouldn't a rainy period be optimal for that? i always do outdoor planting and transplanting when the weather is gloomy, works perfect for me, i don't have to worry about the sun shocking them... sarah

sarahlynn

Read the link below. It describes the hardening off process for plants during transplantation and why it's necessary.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bracing Up: Hardening Off Transplants

Hi Sarah - It is good to transplant on cloudy, overcast days but you have been quite fortunate if you haven't had any problems.

Most all seedlings require a period of transition from indoors to outside - hardening off - it gradually acclimates the seedling to outdoors. Going "cold turkey" from the house or greenhouse and its protected, climate controlled environment to the garden is quite stressful for the plants and often results in death.

The article linked below covers the basics of the process and a search here using the phrase will find you many posts about it - including many discussions of the problems that can ocurr when it isn't done. ;)

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Hardening Off transplants

Hardening off means to acclimatize plants which were started indoors under lights to outdoor conditions. Plants grown indoors are tender and sudden exposure to sun and wind can quickly wither the leaves. By letting them adjust gradually, they adapt to outdoor conditions. This is usually done by placing them in an area of dappled shade or a place which receives sun only part of the day.

Sarah, if you are talking about nursery grown plants, they are already hardened off. I do the same as you with any plants which have been hardened off. I plant them out on an overcast day or in the evening and water them well.

Jim

The plants I have inside that need hardening off have not yet been stunted and are growing well inside so much so that the melons are fruiting.

Even stunted plants (though large in their container) can start fruiting. How large are the pots? Pint size? Quart size?

I too, think you were plenty clear. Cloches will work just fine. Open them up for morning light and ventilation, increase the time as the days allow. As Jim mentions, you're enemy now is wind and too much sun, which is what the hardening off will solve.

You might want to read the post I wrote on How to Transplant for Success.

Personally, I think that you are going to have to roll the dice and go ahead and stick them in the garden. Is your weather so cold, or hot to the extremes that you think that they will die? If so, can you set them on the porch, veranda or what ever you folks call the covered outside portion of your residence there. Even in the edge of an open garage, or under a carport, just something to get them outside.

I think that the longer you keep them inside the more of a problem you are going to have with them and the less likely that they are to really amount to much once they are put in the ground outside. If they are not already, you do not want them to become seriously root bound.
Good luck with what ever you do.
Bill P.

I use my uncle's technique for setting transplants in the summer: set the transplant, pot and all into a pan of water. Dig the hole, set the plant and firm the dirt up to the sides of the root ball. Water, and then replace dirt where it soaked in with a loose top later. Mulch, and place a leafy branch in the ground beside the plant to act as a support and a shade.

The only down side I've had to this is learning how fast forsythia roots...at times I've had to pull up the "shade" and pot it up to give to a friend. I use forsythia, pine, elm, etc etc etc as my "shade" branches. I don't use the little paper caps because its easy to "cook" the plant underneath. Ditto on milk jug caps, the plant cooks. My uncle is still farming (he's in his 90's) and sells his tomatoes at the farmer's market. He loves to set late tomatoes by taking a sucker from a plant, putting it in the ground, watering it, and giving it a "shade." No further pampering than that and he is FAMOUS for his tomatoes.

:-)

Hey, granite. That is an unusually interesting post. It makes me want to try propagating several things by that simple method. Thanks.

Jim

Many transplants with good root balls and decent weather don't need any special help, but for those that do I place a 6 inch plastic pot [with drainage holes for moderate shade and no holes for severe help] upside down over the plants for a couple days or so depending on the weather.

I didn't think it were possible to produce melons in England - without cover of some kind. Same as other heat-loving crops like tomatoes, peppers, squash, etc. Am I right?