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Frost protection

Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
in Fruit & veg
I’ve been keeping a close eye on the forecast and when I checked before the weekend, the night time minimums were mostly 9 or 10oC for the next 2 weeks. So I’ve planted out all my squash, courgettes, tomatoes, cucumbers, cucamelons and french beans over the last couple of days. 

Now they are forecasting a cold snap down to 3oC next weekend. Very worried I’m going to lose them all. 

I’ve used a straw mulch (stulch), but I don’t have any fleece and the way I’ve got my raised beds it’s very difficult to cover everything. Will a tarp loosely over the top on the cold nights help? Any other suggestions how to keep them warm would be much appreciated.
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Posts

  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    anything will help, keep old net curtains, buy some fleece, you can get it on line, black bags, yes, a tarp if it isnt going to squash the plants, asuming, you are in Wimbledon, you may be lucky, I live in SE UK, opposite the South Downs, very sheltered, and I am just hardening stuff off.
  • Market BoyMarket Boy Posts: 101
    Hi. I would agree with Nanny Beach.  Just find something to drape over them like fleece or even some Newspaper. Just to give them that little bit of protection.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Anything you have that will cover them without squashing them - upturned cardboard boxes (or sheets of cardboard folded to make "tents", sheets of newspaper if you can weigh down the edges, even netting, or plastic bottles with the bottoms cut out over individual small plants if you have time to faff.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    Think I'm going to use black bin liners with bamboo canes to form a tent.  Hope this will work.  I'm sure I had some fleece so I'll have to search the shed tomorrow.  Like you @WonkyWomble I'd checked the weather forecast and no frost was showing.  I also checked my gardening diary and planted out at the same time as this for the past couple of years.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    Thanks for the suggestions everyone. It’s just Sunday and Monday nights they say will be 3-4oC. Hopefully they’re wrong. I’m working nights this week. Sounds like I’ll be making plant tents out of cardboard and bin bags rather than sleeping. Bloody weather!
  • AstroAstro Posts: 433
    Yes same in the North east. It goes from low night temperatures of 9° on the Thursday and Friday to 0° on Sunday. I'd imagine the prior warmth will trap some heat in, added that you have your planting in a sheltered spot will be of benefit once you add some cover.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Having said, you planted everything out a month too early.
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    Not necessarily the last date for frost in the Midlands is reckoned to  be mid May I have started hardening stuff off and will be planting out at the end of next week. 
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    Surely it’s the night time temps that matter, not the date. It’s always a couple of degrees warmer in London. 
    I’ve planted at the same time last 3 years and had great results.
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