Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: slowef on October 18, 2007, 08:09

Title: Hard frost
Post by: slowef on October 18, 2007, 08:09
Damn and blast, didn't finish getting my geraniums in and now we have first frost of the year, a real hard one last night.  I am going out to see if I can save any more.  So glad I took a load in last week as least I will have some to carry over for next year.  

Bonus points for fixing glass in greenhouse yesterday at least those were protected a bit, better get the fleeces out for them tonight. :(
Title: Hard frost
Post by: Sadgit on October 18, 2007, 08:29
I hear you there... goodbye tiny butternut squash.. goodbye last of the sweetcorn.. damn this year to hell...
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 18, 2007, 09:09
lowest we got down here is 5C at 0200. How cold did you lot get?
Title: Hard frost
Post by: Sadgit on October 18, 2007, 09:15
think it hit -2 last night in Middlesbrough - the worst place to live in the Universe (if you watch the dodo oh channel 4)
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 18, 2007, 09:20
LOL  :lol:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: fletch on October 18, 2007, 10:27
I don't know Sadgit, on Radio 2 yesterday the North East (and Middlesborough was mentioned specifically) was raved about by a Lonely Planet rep as being one of the top 30 places IN THE WORLD to visit!  :D

Oh, just been up on plot and daren't look too closely, everything looks frozen solid, even got ice on inside of greenhouse glass  :(

I have the bubblewrap, just don't know how to attach it - any tips???
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 18, 2007, 10:41
no frost here and i have me bedroom window open waiting fer it  :cry:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: Little Miss Muffet on October 18, 2007, 11:44
i went out about 11 pm last night .and as i wasnt prepared for a frost i spent a good ten moniutes trying to wrap my pumpking up with a towel  in pitch balck :lol:
but it survived
Title: Hard frost
Post by: GrannieAnnie on October 18, 2007, 13:46
Quote from: "fletch"
I don't know Sadgit, on Radio 2 yesterday the North East (and Middlesborough was mentioned specifically) was raved about by a Lonely Planet rep as being one of the top 30 places IN THE WORLD to visit!  :D

Oh, just been up on plot and daren't look too closely, everything looks frozen solid, even got ice on inside of greenhouse glass  :(

I have the bubblewrap, just don't know how to attach it - any tips???


These are the things you want, just push them through the bubblewrap, then into the frame of the greenhouse and twist them.  Brilliant little things!!!

http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/pages/product/product.asp?prod=GHE-009&ctgry=Greenhouse%20Equipment_Insulation&cookie%5Ftest=1
Title: Hard frost
Post by: fletch on October 18, 2007, 14:32
Ahh, thanks for that Grannie. There is a plant pot full of them in the greenhouse from when I inherited it - I didn't know what they were for!!

That's a job for tomorrow then!..............
Title: Hard frost
Post by: blackhobbescat on October 18, 2007, 14:46
Ok, showing how new I am to all this.  What is frost hardy out of this lot?

carrots
cabbage
brussel sprouts
strawberry plants


Is there anything I should be worried about?  (I guess cabbage and sprouts would be ok, but that's just a guess!)
Title: Hard frost
Post by: gobs on October 18, 2007, 20:39
All are OK, BHC, not the berries themselves, of course. :wink:

Quite a frost here as well, not the first one mind. :)
Title: Hard frost
Post by: blackhobbescat on October 18, 2007, 20:43
Thanks for that.  I can't get over how steep a learning curve this whole thing is.  Good job you lot are here to give pointers and encouragement!
Title: Hard frost
Post by: splodger on October 18, 2007, 20:43
we didn't get much of a frost - although it was a bit nippy - tonight seems colder - i wonder if my  :roll: dahlias will last another day
Title: Hard frost
Post by: slowef on October 18, 2007, 20:54
Radio said forecast was for 3 last night but thats prob city centre, we are out in the villages and high on a hill!! It must have been colder than that it was a nasty hard frost :?

My utility room(unheated) is already freezing cold and thats with heat from the kitchen keeping it up, its very clear here and i think its going to do it again tonight.

What a smashing day though :lol: and we  had the most amazing red sky tonight
Title: Hard frost
Post by: sweet nasturtium on October 18, 2007, 21:12
I can't believe there's a frost already!  I'm so confused.  I've spent the last few years wishing for a proper cold winter and it never seems to happen.  I'd better get up the plot and get that banana plant indoors...
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 18, 2007, 21:15
im forcasting a bitch of a hard winter .... ski's n snowboots with luck :wink:  :D
Title: Hard frost
Post by: sweet nasturtium on October 18, 2007, 21:18
Blinkin hope so.  There's too many weird things happening to the weather.  A good hard winter will hopefully make it all seem normal again.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: slowef on October 18, 2007, 21:19
Quote from: "splodger"
we didn't get much of a frost - although it was a bit nippy - tonight seems colder - i wonder if my  :roll: dahlias will last another day


Where is Hants I was Surrey before my daughter Hants.  

Dahlias here are ok but in semi-shelter of the house.  Geraniums by swimming pool got blackened off but the ones in baskets are fine :?
Title: Hard frost
Post by: gobs on October 18, 2007, 21:21
Yeh, the kids are wishing every year, I hope it now happens as you say. :wink:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: SnooziSuzi on October 18, 2007, 21:28
Quote from: "slowef"
Dahlias here are ok but in semi-shelter of the house.  Geraniums by swimming pool got blackened off but the ones in baskets are fine :?

Swimming Pool!??   There's another report out today that they are making a film near to here because it looks so run down!   :roll: Swimming pool indeed!   :lol:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 18, 2007, 21:33
yeh the houses of parliament want one now ......  :x waste fff more money :x
Title: Hard frost
Post by: sweet nasturtium on October 18, 2007, 21:36
I'm sure they could take a dip in the Thames if need be.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 19, 2007, 07:58
2C @ 0500 in sunny southend. I'd like a hard frost to kill all the whitefly!
Title: Hard frost
Post by: Sadgit on October 19, 2007, 08:11
Quote from: "SnooziSuzi"
Quote from: "slowef"
Dahlias here are ok but in semi-shelter of the house.  Geraniums by swimming pool got blackened off but the ones in baskets are fine :?

Swimming Pool!??   There's another report out today that they are making a film near to here because it looks so run down!   :roll: Swimming pool indeed!   :lol:


Thats Southerners for you Suzi... Bah... We don't need any lardidar swimming pools we have our tin baths... and we are happy with them...
Title: Hard frost
Post by: WG. on October 19, 2007, 09:06
Quote from: "slowef"
Geraniums by swimming pool got blackened off
Is this it slowef?  :lol:  :lol: Swimming Pool (http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=5536)
Title: Hard frost
Post by: gobs on October 19, 2007, 10:15
:tongue2:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: Annie on October 19, 2007, 11:19
Reading this I had a horrible thought,my OH was pleased with himself for watering the greenhouse yesterday and the thought was,he would have closed the doors,surley?
  He hadn`t,doors opened wide,frost not yet all gone on the patch..nothing looks dead but a few things distinctly droopy especially by the door I hope they revive as the sun hits them.I will nip out later and harvest all the ripe stuff and the last of the outdoor courgettes as we`ve forcast another frost tomorrow.
The daylilies in the paddling [pool look ok though :)
Title: Hard frost
Post by: jacnal on October 19, 2007, 13:31
Quote from: "mushroom"
2C @ 0500 in sunny southend. I'd like a hard frost to kill all the whitefly!


And get the slugs disappearing too. Do they die off when it's cold? Actually, I could sort of answer that one - found a slug on my salad greens last night which had been in the fridge, and it had survived 3 days  :shock: . It's now in the compost caddy... And a little snail too, which seemed quite okay and was looking for a way out to God knows where on my worktop  :shock: .
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 19, 2007, 13:56
Quote from: "jacnal"
ound a slug on my salad greens last night which had been in the fridge, and it had survived 3 days  :shock: . It's now in the compost caddy... And a little snail too, which seemed quite okay and was looking for a way out to God knows where on my worktop  :shock: .


I think they just move slower as it gets colder - it really has to freeze to get rid of em. Saying that though - it would need a rather sharp frost (like -5C or better) to properly get the slug population down I reckon - enough to freeze the topsoil and the (rotting and therefore warm) vegetable matter in the surface soil.

Hopefully they haven't got some component acting as an antifreeze in them, like zooplankton and cold-water sea slugs :shock:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 19, 2007, 14:03
no they just go and hibernate under the ground ,in hedges etc  :roll:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: new_2_veg on October 19, 2007, 14:05
-2 here last night :(

havent been to see what ive lost yet!
Title: Hard frost
Post by: WG. on October 19, 2007, 14:54
Quote from: "mushroom"
Saying that though - it would need a rather sharp frost (like -5C or better) to properly get the slug population down I reckon - enough to freeze the topsoil and the (rotting and therefore warm) vegetable matter in the surface soil.
It can be -10C for a whole week and the soil only freezes to maybe an inch down.  If there is a snow covering too, the soil won't freeze at all.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: gobs on October 19, 2007, 16:29
And in any case they do hibernate whether it's too cold or hot and they live for some 30  odd years. :shock:

Just hope it's not all species of them, that do that. :(
Title: Hard frost
Post by: splodger on October 19, 2007, 16:42
i couldn't have been that cold here - all the dahlias are still standing their ground - as are the cosmos and the silly hollyhocks that are still flowering  :shock:

only a matter of time i fear - and my flowery garden will disappear  :cry:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: jacnal on October 19, 2007, 18:21
Quote from: "gobs"
And in any case they do hibernate whether it's too cold or hot and they live for some 30  odd years. :shock:

Just hope it's not all species of them, that do that. :(


What, slugs live for up to 30 years?  :shock:  :?:  I'll have nightmares.... Just mentioned this to Mr Jac and he says he now can't kill them the same way again as they are a 'higher' animal. Something to do with respect for them being able to survive that long. God knows what he means, but me, I'll kill them still..... And mercilessly so. If they live to be that old (and wise) then they ought to know better than to decimate and destroy human's plants!
Title: Hard frost
Post by: flowergirl on October 19, 2007, 18:56
according to the radio -2 here down south. not been to the plot today going tommorow. i want a good winter with snow cos i brought a sledge 2 years ago and not used it yet :D
Title: Hard frost
Post by: blackhobbescat on October 19, 2007, 18:59
Yeah, I saw an experiment with a particular type of frog which was put into the freezer and then thawed out, and it survived.  Apparently it pumps sugar into its blood stream as it starts to freeze, and this prevents any damage occuring.  Fascinating, but really hope slugs don;t do the same!
Title: Hard frost
Post by: shaun on October 19, 2007, 21:32
cold init
Title: Hard frost
Post by: leeky on October 19, 2007, 22:02
I reckon on a cold winter too  :tongue2:

Someone pointed out some berries to me and said it was a sign of a hard winter. (no idea what the berries were)

must be true then........
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 19, 2007, 22:03
Quote from: "leeky"
I reckon on a cold winter too  :tongue2:

Someone pointed out some berries to me and said it was a sign of a hard winter. (no idea what the berries were)

must be true then........


absolute masses of ivy berries this year  :lol:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: leeky on October 19, 2007, 22:15
Now then, that may be it. Ivy creeping over a shed there was. Must pay more attention.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: Annie on October 19, 2007, 22:39
We had loads of ivy berries last year and it was a,mostly,warm winter.I  hope the slugs in our garden don`t live 30 years as I do my best to shorten the lives of all the little ones. :lol:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: GrannieAnnie on October 19, 2007, 22:41
Well the one I trod on last night won't see 30!!!
Title: Hard frost
Post by: sweet nasturtium on October 19, 2007, 23:04
Well I thought we'd escaped the frosts but I went to the plot today and found my butternut squash plants had all browned (the leaves that is).  I'm guessing that was Mr J Frost?
Title: Hard frost
Post by: Little Miss Muffet on October 19, 2007, 23:07
this is great for the  weather

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/broadband/nb_wm_console.shtml?nbram=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1

and well worth sticking on your bookmark
Title: Hard frost
Post by: SnooziSuzi on October 20, 2007, 08:02
Realising that we were about to hit the colder nights I went and bought one of those max-min thermometer jobbies but either I'm reading it wrong or we haven't gone under 0 degrees here yet??  Bit strange, seeing as I'm in Durham...?
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 20, 2007, 08:07
been down to 1 above according to the weatherman :wink: :roll:  oh yeh we had frost  :lol:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 20, 2007, 08:50
5°C @ 0700 down here, come on now we need a real cold snap!
Title: Hard frost
Post by: slowef on October 20, 2007, 17:21
Quote from: "WG."
Quote from: "slowef"
Geraniums by swimming pool got blackened off
Is this it slowef?  :lol:  :lol: ]


No WG this is!!
(http://shutter14.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/15/003/6A/C7/CB/CA/ilJZQuvs5uJEBswqv8ebW7gL+CdfHa3S0300.jpg)
Title: Hard frost
Post by: WG. on October 20, 2007, 17:23
Quote from: "slowef"
No WG this is!!
Beaut!!!  You'd get quite a few ducks in that one  :wink:  :wink:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: slowef on October 20, 2007, 17:26
:( Yes we did thats why they got their own and a nice fence to go round it :lol:  :lol:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: jacnal on October 20, 2007, 19:14
Quote from: "slowef"
Quote from: "WG."
Quote from: "slowef"
Geraniums by swimming pool got blackened off
Is this it slowef?  :lol:  :lol: ]


No WG this is!!
(http://shutter14.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/15/003/6A/C7/CB/CA/ilJZQuvs5uJEBswqv8ebW7gL+CdfHa3S0300.jpg)


Wow! I live and dream till one day my dreams come true...

Mega jealous I am Slowef! :wink:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: slowef on October 20, 2007, 19:18
There was a lot of hard work went into working up to this, it didn't come on a plate though.  We had to compromise and sacrifice to get it for a lot of years.  Maybe its too much work now wish we could have got it 20 years ago before the artheritis set in  :lol:  :lol:

I hope you are lucky enough to find a place like this for a bargain price too :lol: good luck and enjoy life wherever you are, your only here once :)
xx
(((hugs)))
Title: Hard frost
Post by: SnooziSuzi on October 21, 2007, 09:47
Speaking of frosts then,  some of my Maris Peer taties have blackened leaves - looks like spinach after it's been cooked too long - is this frost damage?
Title: Hard frost
Post by: WG. on October 21, 2007, 10:29
Quote from: "SnooziSuzi"
Speaking of frosts then,  some of my Maris Peer taties have blackened leaves - looks like spinach after it's been cooked too long - is this frost damage?
Sounds like it.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 21, 2007, 10:54
0°C @ 0700  :!: first october frost here for ~ 10 years

I was right to shift my chili plants indoors last week  :o
Title: Hard frost
Post by: gobs on October 21, 2007, 11:02
How were they doing, I meant to ask, Mushy.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 21, 2007, 11:26
Quote from: "gobs"
How were they doing, I meant to ask, Mushy.


they're doing OK it seems, thanks for asking  8)
I'll post some photos later.. they are growing slowly. I keep my flat quite cool - I don't want them thinking it is flowering time yet!
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 22, 2007, 11:03
0°C @ 0500

I took photos of the chilis earlier today:

chili #1 (http://allotment.reiteration.net/20071021/chili_indoors_1.jpg)
chili #2 (http://allotment.reiteration.net/20071021/chili_indoors_2.jpg)
chili #3 (http://allotment.reiteration.net/20071021/chili_indoors_3.jpg)

now the sky seems set to have anticyclonic gloom  :cry:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 22, 2007, 11:07
are these in a heated greenhouse mushy?
Title: Hard frost
Post by: gobs on October 22, 2007, 11:07
They look all right. :)
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 22, 2007, 11:23
Quote from: "muntjac"
are these in a heated greenhouse mushy?


nope, they're in my front room now, (in the picture)  :D

They've been there for about a week. it is 18°C in here, hopefully that is cool enough to keep growth slow.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: Sadgit on October 22, 2007, 12:25
hmm got me thinking about sowing some chilli seeds now myself.. too early?
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 22, 2007, 14:05
Quote from: "Sadgit"
hmm got me thinking about sowing some chilli seeds now myself.. too early?


if you can get enough light to prevent them from getting etiolated and scraggly, i don't see why not. they usually need > 25°C to germinate though.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: WG. on October 22, 2007, 16:09
Quote from: "mushroom"
etiolated
That's going in the Glossary right now.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 22, 2007, 18:51
Quote from: "WG."
Quote from: "mushroom"
etiolated
That's going in the Glossary right now.


 :lol:  8)
Title: Hard frost
Post by: jacnal on October 22, 2007, 19:53
What does etiolated mean? Shall I just dictionary.com it, or will someone save the 10 minutes for me? :wink:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: WG. on October 22, 2007, 19:54
Check the Glossary  :roll:  :roll:  :wink:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 22, 2007, 19:54
dunno but sounds like ya want some cream on it  :roll:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 22, 2007, 19:59
Quote from: "WG."
Check the Glossary  :roll:  :roll:  :wink:

Can or would (please) you or John make it so that there's a link at the top of any page to the glossary? :idea:  :?:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: WG. on October 22, 2007, 20:07
Quote from: "mushroom"
Can or would (please) you or John make it so that there's a link at the top of any page to the glossary? :idea:  :?:
I've made it a Sticky again (in Welcome forum).  It was removed (by me) when we created the single large Announcement in that forum.

You might want to add the link to your browser Favourites instead?  The link text needed is http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=5249

John is pretty busy with other things but I'm sure he'll read this is due course.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 22, 2007, 20:20
Quote from: "WG."

You might want to add the link to your browser Favourites instead?  The link text needed is http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=5249


Many thanks. That is useful, but not as (in my opinion) useful as a link at the top would be.

Quote from: "WG."
John is pretty busy with other things but I'm sure he'll read this is due course.

I can code PHP, if he or you wants or needs help, just yell.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: jacnal on October 22, 2007, 20:23
Quote from: "WG."
Check the Glossary  :roll:  :roll:  :wink:


Done :wink:

I love learning new english words... :D
Title: Hard frost
Post by: shaun on October 22, 2007, 20:24
Quote from: "WG."
Quote from: "mushroom"
etiolated
That's going in the Glossary right now.


that would cause the odd raised eyebrow in a game of scrabble :roll:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 22, 2007, 20:47
Quote from: "shaun"

that would cause the odd raised eyebrow in a game of scrabble :roll:

whyzat  :?: thought it'd be in common usage, wouldn't be the first time i'm wrong  :oops:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: gobs on October 23, 2007, 10:57
Very, very cold again. Frosts and frosts.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 23, 2007, 11:12
0°C @ 0700 here. Additionally, the dewpoint was -2°C. Did you have any radiation fog, Gobs?
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 23, 2007, 11:14
Quote from: "mushroom"
0°C @ 0700 here. Additionally, the dewpoint was -2°C. Did you have any radiation fog, Gobs?


 radiation fog ................. we'ree all doooomed i tell ya  :roll:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: gobs on October 23, 2007, 11:17
:lol:  :lol:

No, we didn't. Not that I know of.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 23, 2007, 11:33
Quote from: "muntjac"
Quote from: "mushroom"
0°C @ 0700 here. Additionally, the dewpoint was -2°C. Did you have any radiation fog, Gobs?


 radiation fog ................. we'ree all doooomed i tell ya  :roll:


Just for you Munty, here's an example (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Img20040611_0140_ch_engelberger_aa.jpg)

 :wink:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 23, 2007, 11:45
we have that we call it radiating mist..............not radiation lol


 i work killing rabbits at sizewell in suffolk and im always wondering if im selling rabbits that folks will eat n then have the folks glowing in the dark lmao
 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: mushroom on October 23, 2007, 12:25
Quote from: "muntjac"
we have that we call it radiating mist..............not radiation lol


 i work killing rabbits at sizewell in suffolk and im always wondering if im selling rabbits that folks will eat n then have the folks glowing in the dark lmao
 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:


it is properly called radiation fog - due to radiative heat loss of the ground.
Here is a good definition. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/understanding/fog.shtml)
(I can completely appreciate you or anyone else not wanting to call it that around Sizewell  :shock:  :shock:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  )
Title: Hard frost
Post by: muntjac on October 23, 2007, 12:38
lmao ... ty mushy x :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Title: Hard frost
Post by: SnooziSuzi on October 25, 2007, 22:12
All of my taties have fallen over with the frost now  :cry:

How long do you think I can leave them in the ground?  They are Maris Peer and were supposed to be for Christmas (sold as Christmas cropping by suttons).
Title: Hard frost
Post by: WG. on October 25, 2007, 22:13
Quote from: "SnooziSuzi"
All of my taties have fallen over with the frost now  :cry:

How long do you think I can leave them in the ground?  They are Maris Peer and were supposed to be for Christmas (sold as Christmas cropping by suttons).
When did you plant them?
Title: Hard frost
Post by: SnooziSuzi on October 25, 2007, 22:15
Quote from: "WG."
When did you plant them?


Can't remember precicely, but I think it was end of July.

They haven't had their flowers yet though, not sure if they would flower this late in the season...
Title: Hard frost
Post by: WG. on October 25, 2007, 22:18
Better indoors when planting very late :
http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?p=91680#91680

Maybe lift one to see if there is anything worthwhile underneath.  If they are okay they'll keep well underground provided ground doesn't waterlog or get slug infested.
Title: Hard frost
Post by: SnooziSuzi on October 25, 2007, 22:19
I'll do that!  Thanks WG!  :D