On Wed, 5 May 2004 22:46:44 +0100, Janet Baraclough..
wrote:

On Tue, 4 May 2004 21:08:29 +0100, Janet Baraclough..
wrote:

Which bit of Ayrshire? Coastal fringe is milder than inland.

Irvine valley - just east of Kilmarnock, so 'reasonably' mild I'm
assured by other urglers! (I wonder what 'unreasonably' mild feels
like)

You'll soon find out, Scottish July is full of unreasonable weather.

Chillies peppers and melons are strictly for the GH.
Garlic is hardy and will be fine outide. Courgettes need to be hardened
off, and planted outside after the last frost date. If you are well
inland, I wouldn't plant them out till June 5th.

With the first frost of winter arriving on June 8th, that doen't leave
a very long growing season

Exactly, that's why I think you'll find the GH better for toms.Ist
September is the earliest first frost in my records btw
- June 5th it is then....is that
folklore, a metoffice 'best guess' or phenological observation?

It's based on 20-yr records of first and last frosts in my
Stirlingshire garden, (higher and colder than where you are) but is also
the common date mentioned by other Northern urglers.
(snip)