IT’S just about time to plant out tender veg safely – or is it?

The rise and fall of temperatures this spring has left some gardeners in a quandary about when to plant out their tender edibles, including courgettes, tomatoes and chillies.

Gardening expert, bestselling author and presenter, Alys Fowler, says that a handful of tender crops need to bake in warm conditions, and sulk if they are subjected to cold and wet.

“Chillies, tomatoes and aubergines should have already been sown, although you could get away with sowing courgettes and possibly sweetcorn in mid-May,” says Fowler, whose new book Eat What You Grow offers a wealth of advice on growing fruit and veg.

As a general rule, tender plants that have been sown indoors can be taken outside between mid-May and early June, depending on where you live, but only when all danger of frost has passed.

Tender plants will need to be hardened off – acclimatised gradually and with protection, whether it be a cold frame, greenhouse, sheltered porch or under a cloche, she advises.

* Tomatoes

“To have good tomato growth you need night-time temperatures to remain above 10 degrees, and preferably 14-15C. The cold spring doesn’t mean they can’t go outside, but they really do need to be protected.

“They need to be in a patio greenhouse, or something like that. You can use a cold frame but really the best tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse in this country,” she says.

“Growing them outside means you are growing them really late and you won’t get tomatoes until September. They need heat and sun to ripen. Don’t expect to be eating them in June.

“Some varieties are better for growing outside, such as Gardener’s Delight, Kenilworth and Matt’s Wild Cherry.”

* Chillies

“Chillies are like tomatoes, they really need heat. They come from South America and want to bask in the heat. A good place to grow them is on your windowsill, but if you are growing them outside, it needs to be a really sheltered, sunny spot like a sunny courtyard or patio,” says Alys.

“They make a lovely houseplant, although some grow to 5ft, while others are really small such as Prairie Fire, which would work on a windowsill. The chillies start off yellow and ripen to bright red.”

* Courgettes

“Put them out too early and you may get lots of male flowers when it’s cold, which will mean flowers and no courgettes, which is frustrating. The only thing to do is wait for it to warm up,” she says.

“Courgettes are big plants and people tend to put them slightly too close together. They really are better 2.5-3ft apart.”

Eat What You Grow by Alys Fowler is published by Kyle Books, priced £22.