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And other general stuff if I can be bothered, which I probably won't, as I'm a lazy bar steward.
For years I've worried at this time of year, alot of people on here have tomatoes in their unheated greenhouse in April, or March even. I put mine in Mid May and even then, have been desperately fleecing when it's dropped below freezing.
Most of the books have it mid May and outside toms in June.
So why does my greenhouse still say it was -3 last night? Which we all know will kill toms, right?
Well yes and no.
As an experiment this year, whilst repotting my toms sown indoors, I stuck 3 outside in a bed, nothing to lose, I didn't want them anyway. That was on the 10th of April.
One was a Ferline, which would be the only tom I would grow outside now because of blight, so I gave that the most protection, a plastic bottle cloche, at night the bottle top goes on to keep in the heat, anything under 3c and I was putting a cardboard box over that as well, putting a brick on top to make sure it didn't blow over and hurt my precious Ferline plant.
The other 2 plants had a bottle cloche (to mimic a greenhouse) and nothing.
The first frost, -2 in the greenhouse, the last two plants died. The Ferline survived.
Last night was the worst so far, -3 in the greenhouse, so must have been about -4 outside. Ferline survived.
Maybe I should have put my max min thermometer in the bottle cloche with it, but I only have one. I still would like to have known though.
So what do I think so far?
Well, the Ferline isn't growing as well as it's brothers on the windowsills, despite being in the cloche in all but the perfect weather, so atm I can't see a good reason to put any out so early.
But time will tell, the root system could well be developing rapidly and this may pay off later in the season..... if it survives that long.
I'll have to wait and see, which is why I started this, to keep a record.
I live in a valley, although in the middle of England, so it seems colder here than many close areas, I know last year my friend Emilymup had stuff living in her greenhouse while my plants were dying from the frosts and we live quite close, although she does live in a town which must help and I live in a tiny village in the middle of the countryside.
I find it interesting and I hope this will help me remember next year when it comes to this time and may even help someone else.
