Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Chatting on the Plot => Topic started by: mumofstig on February 09, 2018, 13:06
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Just a reminder that Spring may be colder than we were hoping it would be :(
All the weather forums are buzzing because charts are predicting a Sudden Stratospheric Warming event, where the polar vortex splits, causing very cold weather to blow in from the East - probably the last weeks of Feb/beginning of March :ohmy:
https://twitter.com/bbcweather/status/961289736903118848 (https://twitter.com/bbcweather/status/961289736903118848)
explained here by the MetO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YaLbJIycVE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YaLbJIycVE)
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I don't see the need for early sowing because it's not just the weather that's problematic but also the growth will be minimal with the short days. Later sowings will catch up and produce stronger plants.
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That's great if late cold weather won't affect you - I was trying to warn the peeps who, like me, do like to make early sowing.
We all know who they are :lol:
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That's great if late cold weather won't affect you
Guess that's us in tropical Blackpool, last time we saw snow was on the news the other week :lol: :lol:
Oh to be cold :unsure:
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That's great if late cold weather won't affect you - I was trying to warn the peeps who, like me, do like to make early sowing.
We all know who they are :lol:
Yes, I couldn't wait, so I'm one of the club. To make matters worse, today we have had several power cuts, so the heated propagators in the greenhouse won't have been on properly.
Ahh well!!
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That's great if late cold weather won't affect you - I was trying to warn the peeps who, like me, do like to make early sowing.
We all know who they are :lol:
Moi - one of the club - never :unsure: :nowink: :lol:
I think a bit of windowsill shuffling is in order over the next few weeks. All mine are doing fine so far and will graduate out into the mini plastic greenhouse inside the main greenhouse as and when, although by the sound of it, the peppers and aubergines will be fixtures indoors for a while.
I still think its worth doing some stuff early. Peppers and aubergines don't actually catch up, they just fruit later and often run out of summer before you get anything. Early cabbage always does better for me started early inside as well, rather than trying to overwinter it outside.
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My very early stuff is minimal. The delicate stuff would in the house until well into March anyway and the few brassicas and onions are happy sitting in the greenhouse at a minimum of 5C.
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I'm one of those who find it very difficult to delay sowing seeds indoors. For years it happened in January. For the past couple of years I've been proud of my patience in delaying till February. This year it was a bright warm day in our south-facing conservatory that tempted me. I use 24-section seed trays that just fit into my 2 heated propagators, plus other ones that get arranged on the conservatory shelves. So, a total of 120 seeds - various varieties of tomato, peppers, aubergines, and cucumbers.
The thing is, I KNOW that seeds sown later catch up, don't get leggy so easily, and will be much less hassle. But I do it all the same. My latest theory is that this silliness is related to SAD, and is one way of trying to force the spring and the summer brightness to hurry along....
But the weather forecasts for the rest of February make it look as if my folly will be punished!
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My latest theory is that this silliness is related to SAD, and is one way of trying to force the spring and the summer brightness to hurry along....
If it makes you happy and the worse that will happen is a few plants get a bit too leggy, then what's the harm. Aubergines and peppers are easy enough to manage inside. Cukes and toms are a bit of a challenge for me early on as I have an old house with small windows. If I had a conservatory, that would be a different matter ;)
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Cukes and toms are a bit of a challenge for me early on)
Toms, yes. Cukes, never! You can bury tomatoes further down the stem as you pot them on, if you do that with cucumbers, you give them another reason to commit suicide!
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I have the luxury of a frost free greenhouse, and a nice cold polytunnel too. It does help my itchy fingers with early peas and mangetout, module sown beetroot and of course the chillies and aubergines. I have decided against early tomatoes, but anything remotely cucumber-like will be waiting until April.
I did direct sow some radishes in the polytunnel to see how they go. Two chances, and I have plenty more seed. Early brassicas are firmly outside (just a few of each) and the broad beans will be joining them soon, with some more module sown spring onions
BUT with cold weather set to continue, I shall be using cloches inside the PT to warm the soil a little earlier for carrots and lettuce.
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The SSW did happen as per forecast and the predicted cold weather will probably arrive from the 22nd and last for at least a couple of weeks. Some of the charts show some seriously cold temperatures :ohmy: well into March - so I really hope it doesn't come to that.
I'm certainly putting sowings on hold for a while, and might have to think about bringing the early stuff that is already in the greenhouse, back into the house again.
I've still got wood and smokeless fuel in the shed, so I can always light the stove if my aged/inefficient central heating needs topping up ::)
The 2nd half of this covers it
Weather for the week ahead - BBC Weather (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/43053057?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_weather&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=news_central)
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I can't imagine much worse early spring weather than that we have had all week and expect to continue with for the next couple of weeks. Lying snow, gale-force SE winds, night frosts and maximum daytime temperature at about 3C. Looks like we might get a brief milder interlude at weekend and then back to Baltic conditions
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Weather forecast looking cold until the third week of March at least, not a lot we can do about it, but as the light comes back but certainly not the warmth, not for the first or last time I wish I had a conservatory/warm greenhouse! Ah well, you cut your cloth etc......
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Me too! Got the greenhouse but no heat for it, alas.
I think the house will be full of seed trays by mid-March :nowink:
I've been keeping an eye on the modelling, but as the chance of the unusually cold weather is still about a week away, it's too early to know exactly where it is going to go.
That said, at the weekend, I did chop some more kindling for the stove, and fill up some coal buckets in case I need to use it :lol:
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The forecast is for it to get progressively colder until the weekend, then below freezing daytime temps, possibly snow from Tuesday/Wednesday was today's update from the models :ohmy:
Even the MetO is beginning to warn about it in the longer range forecast..
UK Outlook for Sunday 25 Feb 2018 to Tuesday 6 Mar 2018:
Sunday will be dry but cold for many, with some sunny spells. Snow showers may develop across eastern and southern areas where fresh winds will make it feel bitterly cold. Through next week it is likely to become even colder with strong easterly winds, bringing an increasing threat of snow showers. These will be heaviest and most frequent in central and eastern areas, and some spells of more prolonged snow are possible at times, particularly in the east but also perhaps in parts of the south and southwest. The cold weather will continue through the rest of the period, with the northwest seeing the best of any brighter weather, and here it may be less cold at times, although brisk winds will continue to bring a marked wind chill.
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The boy and I were due to sow some radishes, turnips & peas in the polytunnel tomorrow, so I went down tonight and built a heavy duty cloche on the bed were going to use tonight by torchlight. The night temps are now around 2c higher than outside, so I'm hoping the extra layer will give any sowings a good chance of survival. Really put the brakes on any other sowings though until we're clearer about the longer pattern of the weather.
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All the forecasters agree that the cold spell will start in the next few days, and the weather models agree the cold pool is there. There is just a little variability over timing/duration of the cold spell.
https://www.netweather.tv/weather-forecasts/news/8753-cold-dry-over-next-few-days-siberian-express-with-snow-risk-arrives-next-week
Today I'm bringing indoors all the tender stuff from the cold greenhouses, anything in big pots that I can't move will be bubble-wrapped or fleeced. Outside pots can mostly be moved into the greenhouses - fingers crossed for everything else!
Good luck to people and plants. Wrap up and stay warm!
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It’s certaimly gone cold here
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Not been warm here, bar a couple of recent days, for a fortnight. Night frosts and highs of 4C have become the norm. The blessing is that it's calm, mainly sunny and DRY!!
They say headlines sell newspapers and I proved that this morning when I succumbed to the Express headline of KILLER SNOW on the way. I should have known better as the gist of the lead article was that London and the east coast are due a bit of snow this weekend. Still what's 55p on top of my usual bill for local paper and Times!
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You can mock but there is enough worry about the cold for a health warning to be issued!
The Met office is working with partners in road, rail and air transport to help minimize the impacts on the public. Cold weather warnings have already been issued through Public Health England to help the National Health Service cope with increased health-related issues.
Dr Thomas Waite, of Public Health England’s Extreme Events team, said: “With the days feeling a little longer and lighter it can be easy to forget that cold weather can still kill.
“Over 65s, those with conditions like heart and lung diseases and young children, are all at particular risk in cold weather as their bodies struggle to cope when temperatures fall. So before it gets cold check on friends, family and neighbours, who may be at risk and make sure they’re heating homes to at least 18C, see if they need any particular help or just someone to talk to and keep an eye on the Met Office’s forecasts and warnings. Remember keeping warm will help keep you well.”
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/2018/conditions-turning-colder-later-in-the-week
So the express may indeed have lurid headlines ::) but I bet the Times also had something to say about it, as well!
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You can mock but there is enough worry about the cold for a health warning to be issued!
I hope you realise that I was mocking the Express banner headline, not your helpful post
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Good to get a proper easterly blast, as opposed to the pathetic weak affairs we've had over the last few years. Snowing here in Surrey and Sussex, just hope this isn't the start of one of those extended winters like March 2013.
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I think I'm going to let you guys sow what you want because its to darn cold not seed sowing weather for me
in a cold greenhouse
did I hear you rite 3weeks of this b/////dy weather o no :mad:
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I know I should plan ahead but I'm also trying to maintain denial, or else I'll become despondent...I'm really not a winter person! Accuweather is currently saying temperature will be back up to 7 degrees on Sunday, which isn't too bad though.
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There are some indications that the warm at the weekend is only a short respite before the cold reloads, so don't count on going straight into Spring, within a few days. Sorry if it works out that way!
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There are some indications that the warm at the weekend is only a short respite before the cold reloads, so don't count on going straight into Spring, within a few days. Sorry if it works out that way!
Nooooooooo! Well thanks for the warning, that might have caught me out!
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It's been cold here today with a mainly E.N.Easterly wind blowing, but not strongly thank heaven, Couple of very slight snow flurries lasting only a minute or so, it's not so bad, (been worse, :lol:). But if it's cold here, I know it's bad elsewhere.
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It's maybe not a good idea to risk early sowings or plantings, or to assume that Spring has spung :dry:
The weather charts for after next weekend are showing more cold temperatures moving in from the East again :ohmy:
It's obviously still out of the reliable forecasting time-frame, but the various models are all starting to agree that it is on the way. Depth of cold and how far West it reaches will be better predicted by the end of the week.
Just thought I'd post a heads up to keep an eye on your local forecast.
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Oh dear how sad. I wish I hadn't planted my little broad bean plants out last weekend now, although they are under a bit of fleece.
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I think they'll be fine. I planted mine out last weekend too.
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That's reassuring :) Forecast for Friday is currently 8 degrees, then a high of 1 measly degree on Saturday! Whyyyy
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With a bit of snow here again for Saturday. :(
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With a bit of snow here again for Saturday. :(
and for us, Sunday as well :( The bad weather now arriving a few days earlier than they thought at the end of last week.
Plus some very cold nights are forecast for the week ahead, for the SE anyway.
Please check your local forecasts and get fleece ready where necessary.
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Talk of a White Easter now coming in from the north !
Nice ! ::)
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The models don't have things settling down until mid-April :ohmy:
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The models don't have things settling down until mid-April :ohmy:
Late early spuds, then!
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When we lived in Loughborough a few years back I seem to recall having heavy snow in April, sometime around 2006 if I remember.
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Back in Hants every year i used to fish the first day of the trout season April 1st.
More often than not we would get a sprinkle of snow !
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I'm tempted to put the earlies in tomorrow. The shoots normally take 3-4 weeks to break through the ground, by which time it should be getting milder. I can't remember a winter lasting into May ::).
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I'm tempted to put the earlies in tomorrow. The shoots normally take 3-4 weeks to break through the ground, by which time it should be getting milder. I can't remember a winter lasting into May ::).
Sounds like a plan to me!
Think I'll wait a week or two myself though.