[Totty]

A cold snap at this time of year is nothing to worry about anyway IMO.
Unless of course, eager/impatient fingers have left you with a house full of plants that need to go out, but can't!

Totty

Or the frost destroying the potato foliage.
Or having just sown tomato seeds indoors, not wanting the indoor temperature to drop too low for germination.
Or wanting to start the courgettes soon before there is insufficient growing season left to produce a crop, but need temps of 20+C indoors first.
Or because I want my seedlings to hurry up and grow enough so I can put them out on the plot and have it look like I am actually attempting to cultivate something.
Or perhaps because I'm a traditionalist at heart and think that winter temperatures belong in the winter, not late spring.

Having cold snaps in spring is no new phenomenon, it's always happened.
That's why potatoes get well earthed up at this time of year.
When you say indoors, do you mean in your house or greenhouse?
All seeds that like warmth can be easily germinated in home, in the airing cupboard if need be. It's where they go after that that the problems start.

As I, and many others on here have said many, many times, if you can't offer a warm environment in which to grow on plants after germination, ie a heated greenhouse, conservatory, or very bright windowsill with lots of room, then don't worry about sowing anything until the conditions are right for your situation.

Your options are, get a heater for the greenhouse, buy plants in later on, or just be patient.

Totty

[BabbyAnn]

A cold snap at this time of year is nothing to worry about anyway IMO.
Unless of course, eager/impatient fingers have left you with a house full of plants that need to go out, but can't!

Totty

Or the frost destroying the potato foliage.
Or having just sown tomato seeds indoors, not wanting the indoor temperature to drop too low for germination.
Or wanting to start the courgettes soon before there is insufficient growing season left to produce a crop, but need temps of 20+C indoors first.
Or because I want my seedlings to hurry up and grow enough so I can put them out on the plot and have it look like I am actually attempting to cultivate something.
Or perhaps because I'm a traditionalist at heart and think that winter temperatures belong in the winter, not late spring.

Having cold snaps in spring is no new phenomenon, it's always happened.
That's why potatoes get well earthed up at this time of year.
When you say indoors, do you mean in your house or greenhouse?
All seeds that like warmth can be easily germinated in home, in the airing cupboard if need be. It's where they go after that that the problems start.

As I, and many others on here have said many, many times, if you can't offer a warm environment in which to grow on plants after germination, ie a heated greenhouse, conservatory, or very bright windowsill with lots of room, then don't worry about sowing anything until the conditions are right for your situation.

Your options are, get a heater for the greenhouse, buy plants in later on, or just be patient.

Totty

I just want to mention that a few years ago that I witnessed frost on grass in the middle of July ... so a mid May frost is not unusual 

As regards courgettes - most seed packets say you can sow them outdoors in mid May (weather permitting of course), and there is still plenty of time for a crop.  Unlike winter squash, you are picking baby fruits that do not need to mature!

And don't worry about the plot looking a little bare at this time of year - every year I see enthusiastic gardeners planting everything out on their plots during a warm early spring, then after the late May frosts I plant mine out.  Take a wild guess who ends up with a crop to harvest while others moan about how bad the weather has been that year 

[Yorkie]

On our local forecast this morning, the BBC weather person warned of a cold period at (from?) the end of the week but wasn't specific about the detail.

They are rarely specific nowadays. Since the Fish/hurricane episode

Totty

They are frequently specific for imminent forecasts, and usually right, here.

However, this forecast of colder weather is at the limit of the 5 days' distance that they are prepared to go.  Countryfile this evening also forecast colder weather towards the end of the week but wasn't specific as to date.

[3759allen]

compared to last year this spring is looking pretty good to me. i'll wait and see what turns up but i'm not concerned atm.

as for accurate forecasts. we've had the same forecast for the last 3 days "sunny spells, occasionally over cast with scattered showers, some heavy and thundery". that pretty much covers every eventuality. lol

[AK9]

This weekend Metoffice failed me. Both yesterday and today we supposed to have rain continouisly. Thank god I ignored their prediction and went to the plot because both days were really good.
Few rain showers but nothing that keeps someone from not working.

[al78]

A cold snap at this time of year is nothing to worry about anyway IMO.
Unless of course, eager/impatient fingers have left you with a house full of plants that need to go out, but can't!

Totty

Or the frost destroying the potato foliage.
Or having just sown tomato seeds indoors, not wanting the indoor temperature to drop too low for germination.
Or wanting to start the courgettes soon before there is insufficient growing season left to produce a crop, but need temps of 20+C indoors first.
Or because I want my seedlings to hurry up and grow enough so I can put them out on the plot and have it look like I am actually attempting to cultivate something.
Or perhaps because I'm a traditionalist at heart and think that winter temperatures belong in the winter, not late spring.

Having cold snaps in spring is no new phenomenon, it's always happened.
That's why potatoes get well earthed up at this time of year.
When you say indoors, do you mean in your house or greenhouse?
All seeds that like warmth can be easily germinated in home, in the airing cupboard if need be. It's where they go after that that the problems start.

As I, and many others on here have said many, many times, if you can't offer a warm environment in which to grow on plants after germination, ie a heated greenhouse, conservatory, or very bright windowsill with lots of room, then don't worry about sowing anything until the conditions are right for your situation.

Your options are, get a heater for the greenhouse, buy plants in later on, or just be patient.

Totty

I just want to mention that a few years ago that I witnessed frost on grass in the middle of July ... so a mid May frost is not unusual 

As regards courgettes - most seed packets say you can sow them outdoors in mid May (weather permitting of course), and there is still plenty of time for a crop.  Unlike winter squash, you are picking baby fruits that do not need to mature!

And don't worry about the plot looking a little bare at this time of year - every year I see enthusiastic gardeners planting everything out on their plots during a warm early spring, then after the late May frosts I plant mine out.  Take a wild guess who ends up with a crop to harvest while others moan about how bad the weather has been that year 

On my seed packet it says the following:

"All squash need WARMTH to sprout! Germination temp: 23C minimum."

Is it possible to provide these conditions without artificial heating and still be left with enough growing season to produce a crop?

[al78]

This weekend Metoffice failed me. Both yesterday and today we supposed to have rain continouisly. Thank god I ignored their prediction and went to the plot because both days were really good.
Few rain showers but nothing that keeps someone from not working.

Lucky you. Yesterday was pleasant, the rain went through the previous night instead of during the day as originally forecast. Today was much worse, showers all day, some particularly heavy. Soil on the plot is now back to the consistency of wet cement. 

[mumofstig]

"All squash need WARMTH to sprout! Germination temp: 23C minimum."

Is it possible to provide these conditions without artificial heating and still be left with enough growing season to produce a crop?

Start them indoors - they germinate on a sunny window ledge, inside a placcy bag. Remove bag as soon as you see them.

[DD.]

On my seed packet it says the following:

"All squash need WARMTH to sprout! Germination temp: 23C minimum."

Is it possible to provide these conditions without artificial heating and still be left with enough growing season to produce a crop?

I sometimes think that whoever writes the back of seed packets will be the first up against the wall when the revolution comes!

They either come up with something like this, or persuade you to sow early so that you have to buy another packet when the first fails!

My squash and all curcubits have had to "rough it" in the greenhouse with a minimum overnight temp of 10^oC. It's now heaving with them.

[AK9]

This weekend Metoffice failed me. Both yesterday and today we supposed to have rain continouisly. Thank god I ignored their prediction and went to the plot because both days were really good.
Few rain showers but nothing that keeps someone from not working.

Lucky you. Yesterday was pleasant, the rain went through the previous night instead of during the day as originally forecast. Today was much worse, showers all day, some particularly heavy. Soil on the plot is now back to the consistency of wet cement. 

Planning to ignore them this week. Hopefully after work I will be able to drop by and see whats going on..

[barley]

were all doomed 

[Nobbie]

For me it's all about balancing risks, there's no point waiting until all danger of frosts has passed if you don't get much of a crop. If you live in the more northerly areas, the season is shorter so you need to take more risks. My unheated greenhouse has toms in the ground and all the usual tender stuff in pots. It looks like a frost on Friday, so I'll rig up some temporary heating to keep the frost off. Not too much hassle for a longer growing season.

[AnnieB]

Poor gardening weather in the UK? 
I am sure you are wrong. 
Do we get poor weather here? 

[Yorkie]

Frost now definitely forecast for Thursday night up here.

[Middlesexbloke]

Met Office warnings of much colder weather on the way have backtracked a bit since yesterday. Still looks like most of us will see a frost Fri-Sat nights, but it now looks as though it will warm up next week quite quickly. Glad I have some fleece handy though