Planting out

[steveg1966]

Is too early to plant out my young cabbage,brocollie and brussell sprout plants they are all around 6/8 inch tall and are in my poly tunnel

[steveg1966]

[brown thumb]

Not sure if its too early for brassicas  they might be OK if hardened off , but left out out my sweetpea seedlings yesterday as it was such a nice day  (I EVEN CAUGHT A LITTLE SUN ) as they were hardened off and last night here in cornwall we had a frost most unheard off as the last frost date here was a month ago. haven't managed to look at them yet so if they've survived their being planted out around the plot to day .

[chriscross1966]

It'd be fine if they were hardened off and that big (though it's a bit early, they're hardy).... start off by bringing them out, then putting them back in if the weather is going to be very cold... they'll want to be sheltered at first too.... I got lucky and picked the week when having been cold it was suddenly 9 degrees at night outside, so I just got mine out and left them out....now they all hardened off I can pick when I want to plant them....

[Tee Gee]

I agree with Cx providing they are hardened off!

But I find more importantly that they want protecting from pigeons ,rabbits etc.

There is very little succulent growth about for them at the moment so your plants will be a big temptation!

You could double up the protection by covering with fleece and this will give both frost/ bird/animal protection!

I won't be planting out for at least another month yet, mainly because my plants are not ready yet ( planned that way)

[Ian Pearson]

The date for last frost may have passed, but you'd better tell that to the weather gods; there was two degrees of frost last night.

[RenishawPhil]

Be warned we are in for a cold 4/5 days nxt week, risk of frost etc

[gavinjconway]

A few years ago my gemsquash that I planted out on May 5th were wiped out on May 15 by frost... just thought I'd add my piece.. so after a bad cold late winter .... beware of late frosts!!

[RenishawPhil]

I have planted some pea plants out but put hoops and netting over. So can create a cloche then fleece on top if we get cold nights

[galina]

Yes cucurbits, ie squashes and cucumbers and courgettes are at risk if it is 3 degrees or colder. 

Peas on the other hand can handle several degrees of frost just fine.  Roundseeded peas can handle down to -8C and wrinkle seeded ones down to -3C at least, provided they are not growing in swampy, damp soil.  Fleecing or cloching is good for them because of wind damage and snow loading that break the brittle young plants. 

Broad beans are fairly variable in their cold tolerance, but they can also handle a few degrees of frost. 

French beans and runner beans cannot, their leaves perish, runners will sometimes re-sprout, but French beans will have had it. 

Tomatoes don't like any degree of frost and sweetcorn can survive a very slight frost.

There is also a difference between one quick dip into frost one night and otherwise reasonable growing conditions and being held back and delayed by weeks of temperatures that let the plants survive, but stops growth and development.  These 'checked' plants need a long time to recover. 

This can be a real problem for tomatoes and squashes, but up to a point the gardener can choose the planting out date to coincide with a week of warmish weather to help them over this critical time.

[kt.]

Forecast to be -3 degrees celsius this weekend so I would hold out.  My greenhouse heater will be on and my cucumbers, peppers and tomato plants will be in the house..... driving the missus up the wall

[galina]

The date for last frost may have passed, but you'd better tell that to the weather gods; there was two degrees of frost last night.

Not here Ian - our last frost date is the end of May in Northamptonshire.  Experience says that should read the second week of June!  I have lost plants in June and so have many others who garden away from the coasts.

[RenishawPhil]

Where in the country is it supposed to be minus 3 ?

[davyw1]

I feel like i am sitting half way up Killamanjaro with a bus pass

[Nomspatch]

My temperature gauge.in my polytunnel hit minus 3 the other night...not good!
However the temp guage is at eye level and I believe that the ground heat at ground level stopped any frosting...I had put a Courgette and a Butternut Squash in the day before and they were both fine.likewise my trial french Beans and the potato foliage were unscathed...
Outside in the polycloches the two Courgettes were fine on their compost 'hot' bed...but one seriously wilted on Saturday due to the sun and 'high' temperature inside the cloche...will have to get some fleece...

[willsy]

Davyw1. I'm so envious...

[ancellsfarmer]

Where in the country is it supposed to be minus 3 ?

Have a look at this
http://www.xcweather.co.uk/GB/forecast
01.00am-04.00am Sunday 28th
Look out CREWE

[Nomspatch]

Nice map Ancellsfarmer...thanks bookmarked!

[strawberry1]

I tend to go with what is growing in the wild, or the farmers fields around, which are usually a lush green by now, not this year. Not many weeds growing, hardly any blossom, crab apple flowers still in tight bud etc  None of my baby plants are going out yet, nature knows best

[Nomspatch]

Nature doesn't have a plastic cloche and fleece over it though...Strawberry1...

[Digeroo]

Nature doesn't have a plastic cloche and fleece over it though

But courgettes do not grow here naturally and most of what we grown has been bred to be bigger and better but not necessarily more hardy.   If we leave things entirely to nature we would have very mean pickings. Anyone for nettle soup?

Forecast here for Saturday/Sunday night 1C which tends to mean out in the open fields we get a touch of ground frost.  I reckon to have to deduct 3-4 degrees to be safe.

Weeds going manic here, the fat hen is on a take over bid except it is very dry here and the surface soil is going to dust.  Meanwhile the nettles are growing taller by the minute. 

I try to keep courgettes above 7C.