Topic: Frost - are we in the clear?

[Stork]

My greenhouse is full to bursting. I have just about everything you can imagine ready to go out. 

So - what can I plant now and what should I keep under cover for a couple of weeks?

My plot is in north London.

This is my first year with an allotment and it's becoming clear that I may have got everything going too soon in my enthusiasm.

Stork.

[Hyacinth]

praps Metcheck can give you some idea?

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/HOME/

Regards, Lishka

[Merry Tiller]

This is my first year with an allotment and it's becoming clear that I may have got everything going too soon in my enthusiasm.

Don't worry, everybody does it the first year. Just remember next spring, seeds don't have to be sown on the very earliest date shown on the packet.

Being in London you should be OK to plant most things out now but it's always a gamble. Brassicas will be fine if that helps

[supersprout]

I am longing to get my toms and squash out, but advice on the chat last night was to wait until night temp doesn't go below 8 degrees. So I will wait a couple of weeks >:( ::)

[Merry Tiller]

Ambient temperature is much higher in London

[supersprout]

In Peterborough I get the cold wind whooshing over the fens MT  :P But I might sneak in a couple of beds of toms and cover them with mesh AND fleece, and just see what happens (have plenty spare). All part of the fun eh ;)

[KMARKSnr]

Hi all,
       My brassic as have been in their permanent beds for 2 weeks now,and are "rattling"away,all are good size,and good and strong.I am near Wig an,Lancashire.

                  Regards,
                        Mark.

[SMP1704]

Hi Stork

Depends where you are in North London.  I think the further out you are, the more risk there is, but if you are running out of space, plant out the more hardy item like the brassicas and keep some fleece handy but I would be inclined to keep the tender plants like Toms, Cucs, squash, beans etc until the end of the month.

I'm in West London and although this is my first year growing veg, I always wait until the end of May to put out my hanging baskets, so am applying the same principle to the tender veg. ;D

I have had peas and spring cabbage out since Mid March and fingers crossed all OK so far.

[Merry Tiller]

I have had peas and spring cabbage out since Mid March and fingers crossed all OK so far.

Yes but peas & spring cabbage are hardy plants anyway so they would be OK anyway. It's unusual to plant spring cabbage out at that time of year though, when do you expect to harvest them?

When I lived in London I planted most tender things out around this time in May, never had a problem in 12 years, but as I said, it's always a risk but Personally I'd go for it. I'm 30 miles up the M1 and my tender stuff will start going out in about a week or so depending on the forecasts

[Ceratonia]

Depends so much on your microclimate, too.  I'm on the south facing side of a hill (a very small one, this being Cambridgeshire). The water meadows at the bottom of the valley (less than 5 minutes walk) have frosts maybe thirty or forty nights more each year than my garden does.

Haven't had a May frost in 8 years in my garden, so tend to assume around now is OK to plant tender stuff out. Last year, though, we had a frost in June, which wiped out quite a few things and blackened dahlias, bananas etc. So you can never be 100% safe.

[Tee Gee]

I developed this chart with the aid of a few people over the 'net', see if that can help;

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Misc.Data/Frost%20Zones.htm

[saddad]

I wouldn't rely on it here yet in the sunny midlands, at the moment! Only cucurbits and Toms would really suffer now but almost everything else can go out!
 :)

[supersprout]

I developed this chart with the aid of a few people over the 'net', see if that can help;
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Misc.Data/Frost%20Zones.htm

Fascinating Tee Gee. One of my lottie neighbours (a very ancient Italian gent) is uncannily spot on with his planting and sowing dates and gets magnificent crops, especially tomatoes. This morning all his runners and tomatoes were planted out on his plot with no protection :o. So I checked your chart, and lo we are in Week 19 and your chart shows 19 for my area. I said last year I would copycat my neighbour's planting and sowing times, so I'll put out some tommies this week and see what happens ;D But mine will go out under mesh cosies, just in case.

[Tee Gee]

I developed this chart with the aid of a few people over the 'net', see if that can help;
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Misc.Data/Frost%20Zones.htm

 So I checked your chart, and lo we are in Week 19 and your chart shows 19 for my area.

Thanks for that feedback.

Statements like that makes me feel that it was worth while going to the trouble.

There is nothing very scientific about it it is just a chart made by a gardener for gardeners.

[legless]

thanks for reposting that chart, i was just remembering about that yesterday and hoping i could find it, since i've moved i have no idea about frosts here! thanks for doing all that work!

[SMP1704]

It's unusual to plant spring cabbage out at that time of year though, when do you expect to harvest them?

MT - I was running out of space, the weather was good and so planting them in situ seemed sensible.  Re harvesting I thought their name was a clue ;D  No idea really, I'm taking the 'bung em in and see what happens' approach.  When they have a heart, they will be ready - assuming the slugs don't get there first.

[Merry Tiller]

It's just that I won't be sowing any of my spring cabbage until July at the earliest

[SMP1704]

Just been to check the seed packet.........Greyhound spring cabbage, sow Mar-May (OK mid Feb was a bit eager...) harvest June-September.  Hmmm, so that should be summer cabbage then.......

[Merry Tiller]

Right that explains it, Greyhound is indeed a summer cabbage :)

[redimp]

I have overwintered Greyhound this year and they are just coming to maturity now.  Greyhound is a 3-season cabbage in my opinion.