Allotments 4 All

When, generally, will the last frost be? Wanna plant out my sweetcorn, chillis and toms you see. Need a bit of guidance on this!!

where abouts are you? I heard on the radio yesterday that we could get some ground frost in the next few days in exposed parts of Berkshire, but I think give it a couple of weeks and you should be pretty safe in the South

Down in sunny Surrey. Probably plant stuff out on the next May bank holiday. How does that sound?

Oooo how I look forward to that long weekend!  That is my official plant it all out weekend.  Course, we will then probably get a frost on the Tuesday!  I shall be using pop bottle cloches for most of the tender things, just until the get hold, then fingers crossed for a bumper harvest!

*small voice* when is the bank holiday?

Last Monday of the month.....May 31st.  Hoorah for the long weekend. ;D

Look in the excellent sites so often mentioned here.

And Garden Action has a good guide. = Tim

Where in Surrey are you Tortoise ?? Im in Surbiton (yeah yeah The Good Life etc etc )

You could try clicking on the 'Zones'section of my website for some indication.

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk

You should be OK for 31st May in the lovely SE - but there was once a killer frost on 1st June.  The daytime temperatures can also be quite nippy for newly planted out tender veg.  If you can, I'd rig up a 'windbreak' type of affair around them with bamboo canes and fleece or thin plastic dust sheet (I use pegs to keep the fleece/plastic on the canes). Keep in place for two weeks or so -  looks very Heath-Robinson (but OK on a lottie  :D) and keep an eye on the forecast ......
AC

Dont want to be spiolsport but it is not just frosts you have to worry about. Its cold (but frost free) nights you should also be wary of. Cold temperatures can harm young tender plants as much as frost can.

Down our way (Dorset) we havent been having frosts but have had penty of cold nights all the same.  I have things like tomato plants ready to go out, but am still having to keep them under cover untill the nights warm up a bit as i cannot take any chances.  This means though I am fast running out of protected growing space  ::).

I would always err on the side of caution until the end of May even if the last frost for your area is a few weeks earlier.

We all need to move to Spain I think.

Can we, can we??!! ;D

Altogether now......

   'We're all off to sunny Spain, viva Espania, doo dee dar dar doo dee dumdeedum.....oh viva Espania...'    ;D ;D ;D

EJ, Does that mean adamhill is paying, cos he was the one that suggested it!! ;D ;D ;D

Most definately Doris, I will supply the sloe gin, you can supply the home made vino, Budgie breeder supplies the food  :P and off we go!   ;D

Sounds good to me love ;D Must remember to pack me castenets and marraccas! ;D

I'd absolutely agree Richard F - hence the suggestion for a protective barrier - I've had robust and well hardened off tomatoes grown in the garden go blue overnight on the lottie in early June!
AC

For those who want to move to spain: YOU ARE ALL RAVING MAD!! ;)

If you go there you miss all the wonders of the british climate (the wind, the rain, the snow etc ;D), plus our wonderfull GREEN countryside.  And you SERIOUSLY want to give up your lottie as well?

See thats the thing Richard....I couldn't give up my plot :'( So stuck in dear old Limey land for a few years yet!!! ;D