[Apostrophes]

I was blissfully unaware of the weather forecast so when I got to my allotment this morning I had a terrible shock. Not just my plot but all the others too have lost most of their potatoes. Those who planted out runners and peas lost them too. It was very sad walking around and seeing all the damage. I had squashes under cloches but they were lost too.

Will the potatoes come back, though? Is there anything I can do?

[lisa80]

Mine are the same im going to mound up my mains a bit more as they were only just poking through and on advice from an old fella from the lottie am just going to leave my earlys and hope for the best would be good to see what others think tho

[aelf]

if the spuds were just showing leaves above the surface, then they will come back. some of mine were damaged last week and they are already pushing out new leaves which I have covered over with grass clippings to protect them from the cold nights.

[DD.]

Spuds will come back, but obviously they have had a set back and will be later.

This would have happened to the spuds even if planted at the normal time, but I cannot understand why people insist on putting things like runner beans and sweetcorn out so early. One whiff of frost and they've had it.

We've been trying to stress since the beginning of the year not to be in a busting rush, having seen what's happened in previous years. This year has been far worse.

I'm suprised the peas got it though as these are hardier than beans and can be over-wintered.

[Apostrophes]

DD,

I was surprised to hear so many people had put peas and beans out. It might be that they were caught out by the lateness of the spring and having the problem of seedlings starting to out grow their pots. I had that with my squashes and planted them out early but with protection. Now they're dead.

[DD.]

My less hardy stuff is planned not to go out until June and we've seen more examples this year of people getting caught out by being way too early.

As I said, even with usual timing with the spuds, there would still have been damage and I'm still suprised the peas bought it!

[fekq]

late last year (Sep/Oct I think), I stuck three of our sprouting potatoes from under the stairs into a pot with the hope of growing some new pots for Christmas dinner. anyhoo - they sprouted greenery quite nicely til the frost got them in december. being a slacker, I left the pot as it was -- so it sat outside throughout the winter being frosted, soaked and snowed on.

I now have shoots about 10 inches tall coming up in the pot, very healthy looking - and not bothered by the frost the other night at all.

so I think potatoes are hardier than we might think! (but i still dashed home the other night and earthed up my new crop up at the lottie when i heard the forecast) 

[spottymint]

Hi

Have had a few frosts in Hants, but I do have a few tom plants outside who have not suffered.

I must mention, they are excess plants, hardened off, under a lean too & behind a conifer.

My Dahlias are having more grief from slugs than the frost & the begonias are ok too. I must be just lucky, I guess.

[PAH48]

We had the bad  frosts  this year/season....minding that  everthing is way behind at the moment..As DD said the tatties will pull their way back....
Went down the plot today some very soggy leaves on some of the tats...others had gone brown and crisp....I have never protected my tatties....well can you imagine a farmer running out covering 'X' acres......
My G/H is also unheated....the only thing I've done besides using the little bit of bubble wrap I have.....is call down late evening and light candle or Tea lights on a saucer ..place a crock potting pot over the top and leave...
Cheapo heating...pot gets hot..at least takes some of the chill outta the air  ect ect...have a good season....

[dig4victory]

So, back to the spud frost damage.

Plants looking droopy and few leaves on each plant, which are pretty bushy and advanced, are blackish, burnt.

Should we leave the damage alone, or pick off burnt leaves...any advice from anyone much appreciated.

Thanks 

[Baz]

I have the same frost damage on my spuds, they are about 6/9 inches out the ground......I have thought about cutting them all down to ground level and hoping for new shoots, but i'm not sure if thats the right thing to do........

[Salmo]

Just leave them alone. They will sort themselves out.

The frost has caught my gooseberries. Vey unusual to have several frosts in a row in mid May.

[maxie]

My peas have had two frosts this week and it hasnt bothered them one bit,potatoes will be ok they usually catch a frost up in cumbria at least once a year but always recover.
The only things id be bothered about is french/runner beans,sweetcorn and courgettes but i never put these out till early june anyways.
Surely things in an unheated greenhouse are ok with these light frosts,nothing in mine has took any harm yet,my cucumber is still alive anyway and thats unusual at the best of times 

[HilaryG]

Went to check on the runner beans which I'd fleeced up nice and cosy like. Sad to say they've gone a funny colour.....   I think I've just got time to start again

[pairofacres]

Surely things in an unheated greenhouse are ok with these light frosts

Looks fairly likely I've lost tomatoes, french beans, runners and a melon all inside my polytunnel overnight. We've had frosts previously without a problem, but last night really hit hard down here. I think the problem was probably that we had a moderate northerly wind which made things a lot worse, as one end of the tunnel fared far worse than the other.