Plants in polytunnel

Hi, I live in cumbria and as we have a very short growing season here I've just put up a polytunnel. I very got excited and have put in (in growbags) tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers and a courgette plant in the ground.
I went in this morning to do some planting and although they've all been growing well the courgette and all of the tomato plants look like they've been caught by the frost (brown leaves turned up at the edges) The cucumbers look alright at the moment.
I'm very fed up :( and wondering if this is really possible, I though they'd be ok in there ? or could it be something else ? is there anything I can do to help them ?
Any advice gratefully received ! Thank you !

 

Hi Fretters, I'm also in Cumbria and have my toms/courgettes in an unheated greenhouse and they are ok. My cucs are on the kitchen windowsill untill overnight temps are at least 10c. Whereabout in Cumbria are you, I have far too many courgette plants so your welcome to a few if you need them, I could even spare a tom plant or two.

Steve...

 

Hi Steve, That's really kind of you but I do have a few spare that I have on a window sill still that were headed outside.
I'm just east of Brampton, but we're quite high up so the past few nights have been quite cold, I can't imagine what else it could be, maybe the big changes in temperature between day and night ? I guess I thought a polytunnel would be like being abroad ! how wrong ! :lollol:

Thanks again for the offer ! Much appreciated

Fretters

 

Hi Fretters. Sorry about your problems but a polytunnel or greenhouse by itself will not give you enough cold protection for things like tomatoes on frosty nights.
Do you use fleece ?
If not, I highly recommend it. It's like putting a little quilt over their heads and it can be left on for days at a time if you get a cold spell.

 

Hi Alice, Thanks for your advice, You would think after 3 years of growing veg here I'd be used to late frosts but obviously not ! I used to grow my Tomatoes in a sun room on the back of my south facing house where they were lovely and warm, but sadly we had to take it down !
Where do I get fleece from ? I'm assuming a garden centre ? any advice on what to buy ? and do I literally just tuck them in ? I've only ever used it in the hope of getting early broad beans but it wasn't very successful (I think it blew away even though it was held down by stones !)

Thanks !

Fretters