Washing frost off

[noviceveggrower]

I saw an old friend of mine the other day and it reminded me of some advice her late husband gave me.
He told me that if you get frost on your plants if you wash it off with water before the sun gets on it then the frost wont do any damage. His theory of it was that it was the heating up of the plant by the sun that caused the cell damage.
I would of thought sweeping a thick frost off a plant would of been better than washing it.
He also use to plant his parsnips in toilet rolls so they would grow straight and not get bent by any pebbles as they grew down.
Anyone else heard this or was it his 'thing' to do?

[darcyvuqua]

The parsnips in a toilet roll I've seen before!

Strange about a frost though :?

[WendyC]

It's the water freezing and expanding in the cells which causes them to swell and burst that causes the damage. I suppose if you washed or removed the frost before the damage is done it might help.

[Kristen]

If you plan on washing-off the frost you have to get up blinking early!!

I think it is probably a yesterday thing based on them getting up at Sparrow to get to work anyway - and perhaps only having a candle to light the room in the evening, so earlier to bed than nowadays what with houses being wired for electricity - and TVs and all!!

Easier to cover the Spud plants with fleece when a frost is forecast, and probably more likely to keep the frost off than "washing".

Parsnips in loo rolls is fine - I do that, but I use a sheet of newspaper rolled around an aerosol can instead, as I can make a much taller "pot" than a loo roll, plus it rots down more quickly too. But I dare say that either is much-of-a-muchness.

[rary]

I have had my runner beans and potatoes frosted several times and have found that if you shower them with cold water then cover with newspaper or something similar to shade them from the sun they will be fine, it`s the frozen moisture in the cells magnifying the sunlight that cause them to be burned hence the cold water to wash off the ice and the shading to keep the plants cool

[21up]

I have had my runner beans and potatoes frosted several times and have found that if you shower them with cold water then cover with newspaper or something similar to shade them from the sun they will be fine, it`s the frozen moisture in the cells magnifying the sunlight that cause them to be burned hence the cold water to wash off the ice and the shading to keep the plants cool

Too true i used to do it with plum tree if you spray with hose pipe it stops
sun magnifying and burning the buds
cheers Peter

[Bill HH]

"He told me that if you get frost on your plants if you wash it off with water before the sun gets on it then the frost wont do any damage. His theory of it was that it was the heating up of the plant by the sun that caused the cell damage."

Ifind standing on one leg and reciting "Little bo peep" to be equally effective.

[Martin H]

Ifind standing on one leg and reciting "Little bo peep" to be equally effective.

Bill, there is evidence that the water treatment works. Plenty to google, e.g. Freeze Protection Methods For Crops .

While I know that the bo-peep school has its adherents, I've been unable to find any scientific basis for this approach.

[Bill HH]

Bill, there is evidence that the water treatment works. Plenty to google, e.g. Freeze Protection Methods For Crops .

While I know that the bo-peep school has its adherents, I've been unable to find any scientific basis for this approach.

My wife complimented me the other day she said "I have never met anyone who manages to blend cynicism and pessimism together so perfectly as you do" Mind you looking on the black side I doubt if she really meant it.

[Kristen]

My wife complimented me the other day she said "I have never met anyone who manages to blend cynicism and pessimism together so perfectly as you do" Mind you looking on the black side I doubt if she really meant it.

... and I doubt if she meant you to take it as a compliment

[Bill HH]

... and I doubt if she meant you to take it as a compliment

Oh i remeber now she also added thick skinned, insensitive, and a Pain in the Axx, to the list :0 So she must love me.

[Kristen]

and Women say that they think that Men never understand them ... I wonder why?!