Temperature Damage

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by HarryS, May 14, 2011.

  1. HarryS

    HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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    I get all my bedding seedlings into the greenhouse in April . I keep the temp at 5°c + , actually I turn the paraffin heater on when the forecast is at 7°c. I have had most of my plants outside for 2 weeks now due to the barmy weather , and I have been planting up my baskets and containers. Last night the temp dropped to 5°c unbeknown to me :mad: I am pretty sure the plants will be OK , even though I think ground temp can be 4 degrees lower than air temp(?). At what outside night temp should you get worried ? At what temp generally would bedding plant damage occur ?
     
  2. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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    It can depend on exactly where you are. If you are in a valley or depression you will be more susceptible to ground frost even at air temp of 5C but the plants can generally survive at air temp of 3C.

    It's a bit late now but if you think there may have been a frost on them, and can get out there before the sun has hit them, a light sprinkling from a hose should stop any damage. This method may not work if it has been a heavy frost with air temps down below 2C.
     
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    • HarryS

      HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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      Thanks Shiney , there was no frost last night luckily , and for the next ten days night temp is around 10°c. Normally a cold night like last night I would cover the plants with fleece , but it caught me out. So 3°c is the danger point for most bedding plants.:thumbsup:
       
    • skinner

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      Useful post for me. I've had to pot on the courgettes into tubs so they had to go outside into the new plastic growhouse and I was a bit jittery about night time temps. Found this very reassuring. :thumb:
       
    • Kristen

      Kristen Under gardener

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      Courgettes (and their siblings Squash, Cucumbers, et al) are all a bit woozy when ti comes to cold night temperatures. They will survive cold (but not freezing) but they go into a big sulk for quite a while. Don;t know how big your containers are, but if you can get them into the garage for the night if < 5C is forecast I think that would be prudent.

      My slightly-tender stuff is stood right outside the garage door at the moment so I can easily drag them into the garage for the night if necessary.
       
    • skinner

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      Worth bearing in mind Kristen. Thursday night is likely to be a bit chilly so they may have to double up as footstools that evening.
       
    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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      Our nightime temperatures for the next 10 days are predicted to not drop below 7C. :thumb:
       
    • Bilbo675

      Bilbo675 Total Gardener

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      Same here, day time temperatures up slightly too but night times should be no lower than 7-10 degrees from tonight :thumbsup:
       
    • Kristen

      Kristen Under gardener

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      Yup, its looking good :thumb: and we are probably past the last frost ... but I thought that around this time last year too, and we had a late frost (many places had one at the beginning of June last year IIRC :( )

      Its around this time of year where, after a week or 10 days of around 10C nights, I am not paying proper attention to the forecast, and can get caught out! Taking the dogs out for their late-night pee in a short-sleeved shirt somehow doesn't seem to alert me to the fact that its actually quite cold :(
       
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