Frost!

[Rabidbun]

It felt cold last night, but only noticed at 11pm, so couldn't go out. Haven't dared look yet...

[Alison]

I wouldn't worry about the strawberries, they're very hardy and I had a load just in 3" plastic pots survive being totally frozen last winter in a very exposed spot. It may effect the flowers and fruit a bit but I wouldn't worry, they'll just produce more if the worst happens.

[womble]

I wouldn't worry about the strawberries, they're very hardy and I had a load just in 3" plastic pots survive being totally frozen last winter in a very exposed spot. It may effect the flowers and fruit a bit but I wouldn't worry, they'll just produce more if the worst happens.

That's what I was worried about, the flowers, they are in full flower right now.

[Flummery]

It only got to 3 last night here - 4.7 in the greenhouse, but tonight is forecast to be colder. I'm covering my spuds at the allotment this evening.

If your strawbs are frosted you can tell becasue the flowers will have a little black spot in the middle. Those that don't will be fine.

[Shadylane]

That's what I was worried about, the flowers, they are in full flower right now.

Same here, ours have loads of flowers. I know they'll probably produce more but seems a shame to let em get frosted. Had to pull loads of blackened heads off least year.

[womble]

At least a couple of the toms in the GH are looking decidedly dodgy now

They are the Italian oxheart ones. No spares of those ones typical

[Germinater]

Mine all seem fine we got down to about six last night .all plants look fine nut left them in bloW sways last few days cos of wind and weather .. Should be nice and warm again by weekend

[SarzWix]

I've had a double layer of fleece over all the spud tubs, and the couple of tom plants in the greenhouse for the last few nights. Most other stuff is still in the greenhouse at home because of issues with water at the lottie (I have none, long story), but it also makes frost protection much easier...

Fruit trees - apart from strawberries, most of the fruit has set already, does frost damage fruitlets on apple and cherry trees? Or immature berries on currant bushes?

[stavroslinni]

hmmm with a forescast of 2c tonight should i be going back out and covering strawbs,currants and tatties with fleece to protect them ?? Whats the temperature it needs to get down to to start really worrying about protection for plants ?

[JamesM]

Very interesting TS about water spraying pre-frost, i wish i'd known it last year as it'd protected a few bits that went out last year. supposed to be cold here tonight but everything tender is still in the blowaway s should be fine

[womble]

hmmm with a forescast of 2c tonight should i be going back out and covering strawbs,currants and tatties with fleece to protect them ?? Whats the temperature it needs to get down to to start really worrying about protection for plants ?

It really depends where you live, I was forecasted min 5c last night, but it got to -3. Now I'm certainly an extreme case, because I live in the sticks and in a cold place, but where you live will probably be different from the forecast too... if they got it right.

I would start worrying at 3c.

[Kristen]

the Met office, BBC and AccuWeather are more reassuring at around 3.

The ground is likely to be 4C colder than the air, so a forecast of 4C for air temperature may well produce a ground frost

[Shadylane]

Well it's back to minus 4 now so looks like we're beggered SarzWix: not sure if it normally affects fruit that is set but it did last year. We lost all our plums and a lot of goosegogs fell off. Dunno how cold it was, wasn't checking obsessively like this year but I heard it was around -4 in some parts (mid -late May I think).

[Bren In Pots]

I've fleeced anything vulnerable put buckets over my potato foliage and brought delicate stuff in the kitchen hopefully that will be enough.

[Bramble_killer]

That's what I thought womble.. to help to defrost the leaves, etc - so the sun doesn't rapidly melt the ice, which can cause the cells to rupture?

If they defrost slowly, there's less chance of it.

(or something similar ).

Yup, freeze slowly, thaw fast to avoid least cell damage.