[Eightball]

I was just wondering how often i should water stuff on my allotment. The soil is a clay soil so holds moisture pretty well. At the moment I have potatoes and overwintered garlic and onions. Ive been giving them a good soak once a week. Is that enough? even in sunny weather? The soil is dry on top but if you dig a little bit there is still moisture.

I plan on putting in cucumbers, tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins and some sweet peppers. I guess these will probably need a bit more water? I'm thinking tomatoes will prob need 2-3 waterings a week in dry weather? what about the others?

Also i've checked the weather forcast and friday night is going to go down to 3 degrees, saturday 1, sunday 6 and monday 4. I currently have toms, chilli's and sweet peppers (all around 3-4 inches tall) in a plastic green house up against my house on the east side. Will they need to come inside for the night's? or can they just stay in the greenhouse? Maybe covered with fleece if i can get hold of some?

[mumofstig]

If there is moisture a couple of inches down - then there is no need to water at all!
You do more damage by watering as the roots will stay near the surface rather than groing deep for available moisture.
The only exceptions are newly seeded rows or new transplants.
Sink pots, or pop bottles with the bottoms cut off, next to your

cucumbers, tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins and some sweet peppers

and water into them - this directs the water where it's needed.

I still bring all my tender plants indoors every night - neither glass or plastic greenhouses will keep the tender plants happy overnight in a frost. They really need to have a minimum of 10C.

[Eightball]

ive been bringing them inside for the last couple of days because it has been kinda cold at night. Tonight is supposed to be down to 5. In the greenhouse i guess it should be a little warmer than that. I have fleece as well. Was thinking of covering the plants tonight with fleece inside the greenhouse. How much protection does fleece provide? was never really sure how it worked.

[JayG]

Fleece works better draped over plants outside because although it's not very thick it's enough to deflect the cold air away from the plants underneath, and to stop a little of the warmth in the soil escaping.

The first bit doesn't work as well in a greenhouse - although the greenhouse itself provides some frost protection eventually everything inside will finish up at the same temperature as the air inside the greenhouse whether it's fleeced or not, especially if in shallow trays rather than large planters which can store heat for longer.

Obviously it depends how low and for how long the temperature drops - fleecing could still make a crucial difference even inside a greenhouse.