help, i think everythings dead :(

[lynda66]

i've just looked out the window .... everythings all frozen ....... all my veggies have wilted ....... poor little things look so sad ....... will they recover? i knew i should have covered them sooner, i managed to get the polytunnel and a cloche up in the back yesterday, but the front garden stuff didn't have any cover ...... onions, swedes, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, and turnips leaves are all laying on the ground

[piskieinboots]

I still have salad leaves in the ground

[lynda66]

me too, in the back next to the pond, i haven't even looked at them,

[Rocketron]

i've just looked out the window .... everythings all frozen ....... all my veggies have wilted ....... poor little things look so sad ....... will they recover? i knew i should have covered them sooner, i managed to get the polytunnel and a cloche up in the back yesterday, but the front garden stuff didn't have any cover ...... onions, swedes, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, and turnips leaves are all laying on the ground

These should be fine as they're indigenous to this country.

[di]

Yer parsnips will actually have benefitted from the frost!!Makes'm sweeter!

[lynda66]

thanks, i think they are all native, will they perk up then? or spend the rest of the winter flat out ..... is it worth covering them today, or will that just turn cloches into big fridges?

it's weird my yucca plant is fine lol ..... he's very native now

[lynda66]

Yer parsnips will actually have benefitted from the frost!!Makes'm sweeter!

oooooooo me likes sweet parsnips they aren't very big though, nowhere near as big as the ones in the back garden.

[Demeter]

Yep, winter's here! Serious ice overnight here.

My Xmas potatoes were in the greenhouse - but the plastic over the roof split, and it all caved in overnight - hard frost - done them in Luckily, my peppers seem unscathed, as is the lemon balm - there was nothing else in there that wasn't due to be cleared out soon anyway - phew. Got some green gaffer tape from B&Q and fixed the GH up. Fingers crossed that the rest of the cover doesn't fall apart the next time there is a frost or a breath of wind or something. Grrrr. Might have to revise my ideas about relying on it overwinter / early spring at this rate...

Meanwhile, amazingly, everything outside seems to have survived, even the sunflowers. I was expecting the winter pansies that I have only just planted out as little babies to have struggled but they look great. Beetroot, turnips, carrots, chard, spinach all happy too, as are the onions, swede, sprouts and broccoli.

[lynda66]

my banana tree looks dead gutted, i grew it from a little tiny shoot, i was debating whether to bring it in, but we don't normally get frost yet, so i'd put it off.

i guess it's a bit late, but i picked up some fleece from wilkies today, hopefully it won't be so cold tonight, and i can get some over the plants tomorrow ...... too dark to do anything now

i'm a bit fed up that all my squash, courgettes and pumpkins look very dead now too, had a look in the tunnel, is annoying, the squash had only just started fruiting ....... though i've had loads of courgettes.

[Alice]

Lynda, your swedes, turnips and parsnips will be just fine and all the better for a frosting. They will stand in the ground all winter if needs be.
Sorry but your squash, courgettes and pumpkins have had it - and I don't think fleece would have helped them. It's just past their time of year.

[lynda66]

will they need the fleece over them?? they still looked very floppy this afternoon even after a bit of sun

i'm still quite pleased i got so many courgettes, and got to try a couple of squash ...... i'll be sure to plant them earlier next year

[Alice]

If you're asking about the swedes etc lynda then NO they won't need any fleece. It doesn't matter if the top growths floppy, the roots will be fine and sweet and tasty.

[lynda66]

ok, thanks Alice i feel much happier now

[Jimmy]

It's Winter now and the first sentence of this post says how to handle that.
"i've just looked out the window"
Sit in your arm chair and perform proper winter gardening tasks thus:-
1) Look out the window and think , must get in the garden "tomorrow".
2) Watch gardening programs on TV.
3) Read garden forums on the web (doing that now!)
4) Read books and catalogues and plan for next year.
5) Decide on a new project or plant style for next year.
6) Keep your digging arm supple by lifting a few heavy glasses of beer. ( Or your own tipple, wine bottles are quite heavy!)

Any one got any other "indoor winter gardening tasks"
Jim

[SarzWix]

It's Winter now and the first sentence of this post says how to handle that.
"i've just looked out the window"
Sit in your arm chair and perform proper winter gardening tasks thus:-
1) Look out the window and think , must get in the garden "tomorrow".
2) Watch gardening programs on TV.
3) Read garden forums on the web (doing that now!)
4) Read books and catalogues and plan for next year.
5) Decide on a new project or plant style for next year.
6) Keep your digging arm supple by lifting a few heavy glasses of beer. ( Or your own tipple, wine bottles are quite heavy!)

Any one got any other "indoor winter gardening tasks"
Jim

I like your style Jim. I find lifting the big tin of Quality Street helps my arm muscles, while sorting through my seed boxes