[Adey Baker]

This seems the best place to put this as many people will have delicate plants in their gardens.

I've just opened the greenhouse at about 4.45am before going to work and it's only 5C inside the greenhouse!

Living in town means I often miss a lot of frosts that catch open country areas but that 5C means that it's more like 3C outside and thus very close to a frost. I'm very concerned about my allotment which is on a more open area and prone to frosts!

So how many BF members have just lost their runner beans or bedding plants?

Adey

[IanF]

I just had a look at the tmeperaturesfrom last night and we dipped to 43°F (6°C) in the north east.

[John N]

I havn't checked the outside temperatures, but it was rather chilly here first thing. So far the runner beans still look OK.Hope all your plants are alright Adey.

[headington7]

It was cold here too.Out with dog at 10.45,clear sky...not sure about temperature.I too have an allotment,very exposed.Survived in May,but I also hope the runner beans/French beans are OK,I will keep checking over next couple of days.I lost them on May 14th last year,nearly same date this year too,went to 3 in the city.Good luck !
Mervyn.

[Michael Frankis]

+7 in Newcastle last night - I guess with the wind off the sea, it didn't go much below the sea temperature.

The weathermen are forecasting ground frost tonight for sheltered sites in Scotland. I'm wondering who has to grind all this frost.

Michael

[Tammie]

DOn't feel bad, it's cold over here too!
We went down to about 3C last night as well and I thought about turning the furnace up this morning. I was quite concerned about my begonias and cucumbers. There's not much I can do if we get a frost here now. I don't have enough blankets and sheets to cover everything!
BTW, does anyone know if castor beans are sensitive to frost??

[Michael Frankis]

Only +8.5° at 2pm here . . .

Yes, castor bean plants (Ricinus communis) are cold-sensitive. They're also deadly poisonous if eaten (guess where Ricin comes from!)

Michael

[Adey Baker]

Well, I popped around to the allotment for a lettuce on the way home from work and everything seems to be OK - must have been a close-run thing, though!

A few years ago all the runner beans on the site were frosted on June 9th which was thought to be very late, then.

As an afterthought, if there's a frost on the morning of June 22nd, is this a very late one or a very early one?!

[very boring banned member]

Greetings from north of everything! Time is 22 and temperature 21 :) :) :) -Going birding tonite.

[Michael Frankis]

Snow on the Scottish hills today (19th), according to the midnight weather roundup

Well, I guess the Dotterels are used to the stuff!

Michael

[Tammie]

Originally Posted by Michael Frankis

Only +8.5° at 2pm here . . .

Yes, castor bean plants (Ricinus communis) are cold-sensitive. They're also deadly poisonous if eaten (guess where Ricin comes from!)

Michael

Yesterday, the temperature dropped from 23C down to 10C in less than 2 hours and was close to zero over night!
I guess right we're a little warmer here at 13C but there's such a cold wind lately!
Michael, I do realize that castor beans are poisonous but we're growing them strictly for decorative purposes as they are a beautiful plant! They are in a fenced backyard. Thanks for the info.

[christineredgate]

I remember climbing in Scotland in June approx 15 yrs ago,there was snow for two days. We went into Crief and bought wooly gloves and thick jumpers.We actually arrived in a heat wave.3 days later the hot weather returned and the deer on the tops were standing in the snow to keep cool.

[Nina P]

My runners and all the tender plants were Ok too, and the low recorded on my thermometer was 4, but I think with the foliage on all the surrounding trees and shrubs just saved the day. I have plants in tubs among all the taller plants to give such protection to those more tender species, seems to work too, as I have been cropping on peas and broad beans this week-end and so far the lettuces and marrow plants have coped, and the pea-pod wine that is now brewing in the kitchen hasn't sufferred either!
Cheers!

[Brian Stone]

Lowest UK temp Sunday night was Redhill in Surrey at 2deg! Shap (Cumbria) managed 1deg last night but that is at a bit higher altitude.

[Tammie]

I find it totally disheartening that the furnace is STILL running daily in Northern Ontario on the 22 of June!!! That is just really depressing. Anyone making offers to help pay my power bill?? :(