Last Expected Frost...

[Bex]

Some of the things I need to sow say I am to sow under glass 6 weeks before the last expected frost, how do you know when the last frost will be, is there a major gap in my education? Probably! LOL!

Is there a set date that gardeners go by?

Thanks for your help as I'm itching to get sowing.

[Nicos]

In Manchester- expect the last frost by the last week in May...have been caught out a couple of years though with ones the first week June.
The further south/ north/ frost pockets/coastal/altitude of course will affect the date.

[supersprout]

I use the wonderful Gardener's Almanac (put together by an experienced veg grower) as a reliable guide to sowing and planting dates: http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Indexes/index.htm

The Frost Zone Chart (http://tinyurl.com/y57avq) has always been spot on for me.

[Lesley Jay]

If everyone posts the dates of this years late frosts in the correct region on The Weather Board then next year this important regional information will be available for everyone.

[Bex]

Thanks for the info and the links. Great idea LJ, will remember to put the date on for my region

[Digger-07]

Try this link,

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/main/weather1.asp

[JennieAtkinson]

Unfortunately we are not on it Supersprout!

My diary last year notes that we still had snow on the ground on 18 April, but I didn't note a frost after the beginning of May. We are well into the long daylight hours then so our nightimes are short. My problem is the wind, in early June it can still be subject to a wind chill that will blacken young plants. So that is also worth bearing in mind too.

[supersprout]

Depends if I'm feeling bold or chicken too One Italian regular on our plots always seems to get it right, so I tend to keep a discreet eye on what he's planted out and when!

[Alice]

Last frost here Bex could be the end of May, but don't know about your area. You need some local knowledge so ask the regular gardeners around you, and keep notes so you'll know for the future. You can get 10 day weather forecasts now , so from the middle of May you could be looking at that and deciding if you want to risk it. You'll work it out .

[dexterdoglancashire]

Bex you could always keep your seedlings etc in the greenhouse/plastic house overnight then put them outside if the weather looks ok during the daytime. I did this last year with mine and things went really well. DDL

[mandyballantyne]

You can get long range forecasts up to 45 dyas from this site but I am not sure how accurate it is, it does give year on year data which might be helpful.

You can search by postcode too.

www.theweatheroutlook.co.uk

Mandy

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks for link Mandy - very interesting, though as you say not sure how accurate.