[jambop]

So looking at the forecast the overnight temp may get as low as 1C tonight. Will my poly tunnel hold back that sort of cold? I am going to cover the plants inside with fleece but its a worry, I don't want to lose months of work to frosting.

[mumofstig]

The area inside the tunnel cools down slower than outside, but at this time of the year, by the time its getting close to the outside temp it will be getting light and temperatures will start t rise again. So it will be cold inside for a shorter period but can still get down into minus temperatures:(
Your only option is to cover everything with fleece, double the fleece if you have enough and/or use plastic sheeting.

Fingers crossed for you!

[jambop]

Yes mum the temp forecast shows the lowest temp being just about 7am starts to get warmer about 8am but will still cover the plants up just to be on the safe side.

[sunshineband]

Yes mum the temp forecast shows the lowest temp being just about 7am starts to get warmer about 8am but will still cover the plants up just to be on the safe side.

I have used low tunnels of fleece over plants in our small tunnel in the past, and they worked well, as the fleece was not touching the actual plants themselves. I noticed some of the "old guys" on our site using tunnels of cheap tarpaulin over their plants at night too

[Salmo]

The real damage is done to soft leaves when frost forms on the leaves which is rapidly melted when the sun comes up. The air in the tunnel will rise gently. Not saying low temperatures will not damage plants, just saying the shade of the tunnel should lessen it.

I can remember the old timers when I was a boy would take a can and water the frost off their potatoes before dawn. I presume it worked. Does anyone still do this?

[mikem]

The real damage is done to soft leaves when frost forms on the leaves which is rapidly melted when the sun comes up. The air in the tunnel will rise gently. Not saying low temperatures will not damage plants, just saying the shade of the tunnel should lessen it.

I can remember the old timers when I was a boy would take a can and water the frost off their potatoes before dawn. I presume it worked. Does anyone still do this?

Does anyone get up before dawn, unless she is your partner!

[gobs]

What quality is it?

That's not too much, especially if only for a short time. It will also depend on, how exposed it is. Do fleece at any rate!

[Urbanite]

last night one of my tunnels got down to -1.2, outside was -1.6 (according to my min/max thermometer)..Toms were fleeced, Spuds in buckets were not, an early sowing of beetroot was not...no damage to anything, so far.

[engineer]

how's this for a quandry? spuds in polytunnel  frosted, opposite side in same tunnel lettuce, toms and chillies not touched! Humph!

[gobs]

Do you follow the forecast, Engi?

Dry and sunny with patchy fog in the West

That's your patchy frost...

[Yorkie]

Do you follow the forecast, Engi?

Dry and sunny with patchy fog in the West

That's your patchy frost...

  

[engineer]

Patchy appears a lot round here, but he tends to stick to holes in roads!