Possibility of frost

The old tried and tested method around here for spuds is grass cuttings.

 

I'd do that Pete, but it's so cold and dry here at the moment, the grass isn't growing.

 

trops wrapped again but should be good for the rest of the week

 

@Trunky
Used to use newspapers or just draw the soil over the top of the shoots when I was growing up.

 

My Mothers' day

 

How's everyone? It got to 3C last night in the greenhouse, probably lower outside. But no signs of frost. Phew~

 

Update: apparently my yacon plants got hit and look dead now.

 

It only went down to 6 deg C in my garden this morning, and my thermostatic gas heater kept it above 11 deg C in my greenhouse.

Next week it's forecast to be going down to freezing at my plot on Wed and 26th and Thur 27th early in the morning around dawn, so I'm keeping a close watch on forecasts as it might need blankets rather than fleece over some of the stuff now filling up one of my tunnels.

It's in situations like this when my collection of supermarket crates comes in handy so they can be filled with plants and stacked up during an evening dog walk and have protection thrown over the heap of crates, then spread out again on the way back from the early morning dog walk.

 

We have had ground frost,(it appears to be trendy to call it "grass frost" these days), the last two mornings.
Up till now not much damage, some leaf damage on a T rex, and a grapevine which was actually covered with fleece has lost a few of the new shoots.

The grass is fine though, so why they call it "grass frost" is beyond me.

 

Next week, from Monday to Wednesday, could be colder by night here with 3c being forecast but where I am that will be around freezing as we on sand.

 

OK it turns out, the damage is much worse then I first thought.

Kiwi lost half of its leave:



Hardy kiwis are not so hardy after all:




Yacons are hopeless......



Rhododendron suffered too:



And figs, oh my poor figs. Their tiny new leave are now crisp:




I think my heart broke a little :(

 

Beware of the (possibly confusing) BBC forecasts that give the low temperature for each day that is actually for 7:00 am the following day. And if you live in a village they give you the same forecast for the nearest town, when rural temperatures are very often a few degrees lower.

 

Has anyone tried the old trick of spraying tender new growth with water before dawn?

Never have know if it works or not, but I think there is a scientific explanation of why it should work.

The ground is pretty dry in a lot of places at the moment, I think that also allows frost to form easier.