What's wrong with my summer squash?

[WannabeMathematician]

Ok so the attached picture shows one of three summer squash/ courgette plants that look like this in the same raised bed. I'm not hoping to salvage them but I would like to know what I did wrong so I don't do it again.

Thanks all!

I’d be interested too as one of mine looks quite like that too! Sorry not more he’ll

Help I mean

@LooseleafTea glad I'm not the only one!

@BobTheDuvet Just at night or during the day as well? It's been consistently 20 degrees here during the day so we thought we were safe!

That’s cold damage. It’s been frosty the last couple of days.

Well damn. Thanks for the info all. This is what happens when you get over excited when gardening.

The best way to learn about gardening is to make lots of mistakes. You learn far more than by following the books and never having anything go wrong.

That’s so helpful. Does ‘ frost damage’ only happen when it’s an actual frost so below 0 degrees or can say 4 degrees still cause a problem?
Sorry such a basic question but I was just avoiding frosts Carefully but thought colder nights might be ok. I’ll go round putting covers on them tomorrow as Sunday is looking colder here!

Does ‘ frost damage’ only happen when it’s an actual frost so below 0 degrees or can say 4 degrees still cause a problem? Firstly, it's cold damage rather than frost damage, so can happen at different temperatures depending on the plant. Secondly, for reasons I don't understand but are to do with difference of temperatures between air and ground temperature and differences between moist and dry air, you can get a frost when the temperature in the weather forecast is a couple of degrees above 0.

Thanks for these answers, that’s so helpful and I’ll check the individual things as might try protecting some things at night. Thank you !

looks like 2 problems:
1 the plant was too young before planting out - I ususally wait until it has 2 real leaves
2 the cold. if it's exposed than the windchill needs to be taken into account. if temperature goes below 5 degree you need to protect with straw/fleece over night.

Forecast round here is down to 3C overnight tomorrow eve. The little plants are all coming back indoors for the nights. It won't be frosty but it's too cold for plants that aren't fully hardened off yet.

We lost some courgettes exactly like yours OP, others we saved by pinching off the lower round leaves to give them a bit of a kill-or-cure boost.