First frosts 2021

[ameno]

No frosts here yet. My coldest night has been 7c, I think. And it seems things are warming up next week, which is good as I have lots more fruit on my peppers and tomatoes to ripen, and I'm hoping to squeeze a little more growth out of my sweet potato plants, too. Slightly warmer (and certainly dryer) weather should benefit my beans for drying and shelling, too, as they'll mature and dry on the plant better.

[Plot70]

I am pretty sure the tree will make up its own mind and either drop them or save them depending on how much sugar they have got in them to act as antifreeze.

[quanglewangle]

Still looking wet, not too cold and just generally miserable here. I'll just wait and see but now given up hope with the figs.

Like that here too. Still in double figures but you wouldn't think so if you go out.

[greenishfing]

Still looking wet, not too cold and just generally miserable here. I'll just wait and see but now given up hope with the figs.

[Snoop Puss]

Not yet, but the end of the week is looking like a small possibility. Could be around 2-3 ºC. Then temperatures rise again. I'll cover up the squash plants with fleece in a few days as the daytime temperatures are still good.

[peanut]

I'm zone 13 on that map (1st-10th Dec) last year my first frost was 3rd November. This week we've had two 4c nights.
Still not put the heating on, but I have got my furry blanket out!

[Nicos]

We had 5C a couple of nights ago and couldn’t see any actual signs of frost .

Yesterday I noticed the Swiss chard has collapsed and the nasturtiums are looking rather sad.
I always think of the nasturtiums as the first indicators of frost for me.

So not a true first night of frost - but cold enough to have a negative impact on some plants.
Anyone else had frost yet?

[Snoop Puss]

That's an impressive map. I have to say I don't understand hardiness zones. We're in zone 9a, whatever that means. The first and last frost dates it gives match our real dates surprisingly well.

Edited: it gives first frost date as 21 October, which is right these days. It used to be 17 October, every year. The map gives last frost date as 10 April, which is the date I use for planning the veg patch. Occasionally, it can be as late as early May, but that really is an outlier year.

[quanglewangle]

We gardeners throw around the term frost but met office [1] has at least three different definitions:

• ground frost (can occur without the air dropping below 0°C)
• grass frost (a sort of informal ground frost)
• air frost - air below 0°C (at 1.5m above ground, I think)

Not sure which one the maps mean.

[1]https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/types-of-weather/frost-and-ice/frost

[Bren In Pots]

It says I'm in Zone 12 Nov. 21 - Nov. 30 but thats fair bit way out in the last 3 years my first frost has been in September

27th Sept
8th Sept
24th Sept

[ameno]

According to those maps, I'm zone 11 for first frosts, but I'd say my first frost most years is late November or even early December, which makes me more zone 12 or 13. Maybe being in a town centre warms things up more?
My patio, for instance, is very sheltered, and frequently remains frost-free until Christmas.
For last frosts I'm supposedly in zone 7 (Mar 11-20), which actually sounds about right most years. Mid- to late March is usually my last frost. The last two years have both seen frosts in May, though, which is pretty unusual where I live.

[Nicos]

According to those maps I’m near the border of zones 9 and 10…last frosts 1-20 April
My last frosts are regularly during the last week May/ first week June.

As you say Q….it’s not the whole story ….but I can dream……

[quanglewangle]

There are quite big local variations within those zones. My daughter lives only six miles away in Penzance on the other, south, coast and she is usually 1°- 2°C warmer than us.
She's also 130m lower and protected from prevailing winds.

So zone is not the whole story.

[Nicos]

Most years we get a few nights of -15 to -18C which sees off so many plants - apparently back in the 1980’s there was one night of -28C which saw off many young trees and most shrubs.
Its hard to choose garden plants with temperature variation between +40C to -18C most years.
Early and late frosts create added excitement!

[greenishfing]

On the map we are in zone 13. I just hope that we really are.