gardening help

I looked at uk gardening group but unlikely to get answer anytime soon. When they speak of putting plants outdoors when frost free do they mean actual temp or the real feel temp. I am assuming actual -1 would have frost on leaves but real feel at say -5 would not.

I have some that could be doing with going outdoors now (due to size) but dont want to lose them to frost.

Reply to
ss
Loading thread data ...

It's not an exact science, but here in SE I usually put stuff out beginning of May

Reply to
stuart noble

Well, there's ground frost and there's air frost. The ground is unlikely to freeze this time of year, but the air may. Seeds in the soil will be ok, but when they start to grow, and there's green stuff above ground, that could get damaged. You can get fleecy stuff to put over the plants at night to protect them from frost. That is pretty effective.

Reply to
Roger Mills

Not sure what you mean by 'real feel', but I assume it's the chill factor, i.e. what it feels like to a person out in it. Chill factor is mainly due to wind blowing and making it seem colder than it really is.

Plants are not affected by chill factor. You need to take note of the actual temperatures to decide whether to put your plants out. It would be a good idea to put your plants out during the day in a sheltered spot out of direct sun, but bring them in overnight. Carry on with that regime for ten days or a fortnight, then leave them out all night on frost-free nights but bring them in if frost is forecast. This is known as 'hardening off' and gets the plants used to stronger light outdoors (especially UV) and lower and fluctuating temperatures. Note that you can get frost on the ground when the air temperature is as high as 4°C, especially if there's no wind. See the RHS site for more details about hardening off:

formatting link

Reply to
Chris Hogg

Yes it was the chill factor, I have been hardening them off but they are still in pots and getting a fair size so would like to transfer to final resting place before begin of May if possible as I go away for 2 weeks then. I can check for advance weather which looks ok apart from the odd `chill factor` temp. (Central scotland)

Reply to
ss

The map here

formatting link
gives approximate dates for the last frost in various parts of the UK. Frosts into May are not unknown, and as the map shows, especially in parts of Scotland, frost in June is possible. If you're going to be away in May, consider covering them with horticultural fleece.
formatting link
and
formatting link

Reply to
Chris Hogg

I remember well going down to my allotment one June day and seeing all the brown Potato helms, strangely my plot was unaffected, though most other's were. This was due to a late frost. So as said before there is not set date. The more time and work I have spent bringing plant on the later I leave them before planting out.

Reply to
Broadback

Isn't it also the case that for many areas the latest ever frost overlaps the earliest ever?

Thinking about it, how do you tell the difference?

Chris

Reply to
Chris J Dixon

Possible, I guess, but not common. July and August are pretty much frost-free everywhere in the UK

formatting link

If it's before the end of June, it's late, if it's after etc. etc.

Reply to
Chris Hogg

Geography?

Last frost here; 20 miles North of central London, can be 1st. week in June.

However, this is a river valley. Cold air rolls down the hill and collects over my lawn. Careful eye on the local forecast and garden fleece to cover early potatoes is the answer. No help to the OP with a planned holiday.

Cultivate:-) a relationship with a neighbour. Frost fleece watch in exchange for dry weather watering?

I believe it is ice/frost melting which does most damage, hence plants exposed to the rising Sun are most at risk. Mist irrigation, triggered by a frost stat. might work.

Reply to
Tim Lamb

They have a better chance of survival if I dont use my neighbour :-) Nice guy and be willing to do it but he is a recipe for disaster.

Reply to
ss

If you asked the question there you might.

All very good advice. ALso worth being aware that the likes of Gardeners World and some websites tend to give London-o-centric weather based advice and it is cooler for longer the further north you go.

Probably asking for trouble that far north.

It snowed in Northern England only yesterday. Basically many plants you can get away with it but you have to be prepared to move them under cover or throw fleece over if an overnight frost is predicted.

There was a hard ground frost here last night. I still have a few of last years pelargoniums that have overwintered outdoors. The previous year was so mild I had some still in flower outside at Xmas.

A modest amount of cover will prevent frost damage. My nashi pear tree and some plums flower a bit too early for their own good and have to be protected by fleece to ensure a decent fruit set in North Yorkshire.

Reply to
Martin Brown

Which is why I wouldn't trust the map posted up-thread.

Real frost - on the leaves would tell you - is the real plant killer. Ice crystals in the cells, and they are sharp, pointy things that make holes :(

We're generally colder here than the valleys 400ft below, but frosts don't seem to be any different.

Andy

Reply to
Vir Campestris

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.