Allotment secretary is warning us of ground frost - London area.
Do we really need to protect our potatoes?

Lol

On Sun, 2 May 2010 22:56:29 +0100, Lol wrote:

Allotment secretary is warning us of ground frost - London area.
Do we really need to protect our potatoes?

Donno about a ground frost, I'm not going out to find out. Current
air temp is -0.2C but it was down to -1.1C at 2218.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Dave Liquorice wrote:
Allotment secretary is warning us of ground frost - London area.
Do we really need to protect our potatoes?
Donno about a ground frost, I'm not going out to find out. Current
air temp is -0.2C but it was down to -1.1C at 2218.

Humm, glad I didn't put the beans in today, then.
(I found a germinating bean in the ground from last year, thougth it was
giving me a message)

wrote:

Humm, glad I didn't put the beans in today, then.
(I found a germinating bean in the ground from last year, thougth it was
giving me a message)

It did a runner? )

On 2 May 2010 22:46:25 GMT, wrote:

Allotment secretary is warning us of ground frost - London area.
Do we really need to protect our potatoes?

Donno about a ground frost, I'm not going out to find out. Current
air temp is -0.2C but it was down to -1.1C at 2218.

Humm, glad I didn't put the beans in today, then.

Overnight air min of -2.9C... But bear in mind we are only half way
through the full bloom of daffs and it's just the the early trees are
breaking bud.

--
Cheers Dave.
Nr Garrigill, Cumbria. 421m ASL.

"Lol" wrote
Allotment secretary is warning us of ground frost - London area.
Do we really need to protect our potatoes?

If they are above ground then yes you do, and anything else you have planted
that is tender. I see some of our "new" allotment holders have runner bean
plants and tomato plants planted out already, but then they have got away
with it the last couple of years.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...


"Lol" wrote
Allotment secretary is warning us of ground frost - London area.
Do we really need to protect our potatoes?

If they are above ground then yes you do, and anything else you have
planted that is tender. I see some of our "new" allotment holders have
runner bean plants and tomato plants planted out already, but then they
have got away with it the last couple of years.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Thanks for all replies.
As new allotment holder (for this decade) it looks like we can get away with
it!

Potatoes are vigorously 3" above ground, didn't mind last night's nominal
0C, and aren't they big strong couch grass killers and fresh ground breakers
anyway?
Lol

On 3 May, 15:19, AriesVal wrote:
On Sun, 2 May 2010 22:56:29 +0100, Lol wrote:
Allotment secretary is warning us of ground frost - London area.
Do we really need to protect our potatoes?

Lol

If you're at all worried about frost damaging tender plants then you could
cover them overight with garden fleece. *It's not expensive at places like
Homebase.
--
I never learned from a man who agreed with me.
Robert A. Heinleinhttp://jalbum.net/users/ariesval/

Have you noticed how some of the forecasters now talk about a Grass
frost rather than a ground frost?
David Hill

On Mon, 3 May 2010 12:00:02 -0700 (PDT), Dave Hill wrote:

Have you noticed how some of the forecasters now talk about a Grass
frost rather than a ground frost?

Presumably they are just being more accurate about the figure they
are reporting. The stations measure "grass" temperature and
"concrete" temperature. The grass temp is that at the top of short
(2" long IIRC) mown grass. The concrete thermometer has it's bulb
just in contact the the surface of a concrete slab.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Bob Hobden wrote:
Allotment secretary is warning us of ground frost - London area.
Do we really need to protect our potatoes?
If they are above ground then yes you do, and anything else you have planted
that is tender. I see some of our "new" allotment holders have runner bean
plants and tomato plants planted out already, but then they have got away
with it the last couple of years.

Tbh, it's the older allotmenteers that have their beans in on ours.

Lol wrote:
Potatoes are vigorously 3" above ground, didn't mind last night's nominal
0C, and aren't they big strong couch grass killers and fresh ground breakers
anyway?

I earthed up our earlies yesterday. I was cursing mr "let's stomp down a
path between the rows" as I hacked away with the hoe to break up the earth!

Sacha wrote:
Old compost bags are useful for this, too. Used whole they can cover
plants in pots; slit up the sides, they can cover plants in the
ground. We sell our empty ones for a charitable donation of 50p and
I'd suggest anyone and everyone could ask local nurseries if they
would do the same. People also buy them to dispose of garden rubbish
and so forth. They're so strong and sturdy that it seems a shame not
to re-use them where possible.

Grrr, don't let Nick see that!
We have a pile of up-to-4-years-old compost/bark/etc bags tucked behind the
bike shed in a "we will use them one day" fashion, and I'd /almost/
convinced him to throw them out!

wrote...
Bob Hobden wrote:
Allotment secretary is warning us of ground frost - London area.
Do we really need to protect our potatoes?
If they are above ground then yes you do, and anything else you have
planted
that is tender. I see some of our "new" allotment holders have runner
bean
plants and tomato plants planted out already, but then they have got away
with it the last couple of years.

Tbh, it's the older allotmenteers that have their beans in on ours.

By older do you mean more experienced in growing stuff or just older?

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Bob Hobden wrote:
Tbh, it's the older allotmenteers that have their beans in on ours.
By older do you mean more experienced in growing stuff or just older?

Bit of both. :-)