Help! Frost!

[firstearly]

I've been a bit silly- could somebody help please? I am going on holiday for two weeks on Tuesday. My pumpkin plants had got too big for their pots, I didn't want to leave them for two weeks, so I took a gamble and planted them out. Oops! Looks like there'll be frost on Friday.

I have few resources to fix this, no car to go buy things in, and precious little time.

I do have some fine mesh insect netting. If I put this on hoops over the plants tomorrow, and leave it on for two weeks while I'm away, what will I come back to? Will it help at all?

I do have some old glass windows I could prop up together in an inverted V shape over one plant.

Darn it, I got too impatient. What a numpty. Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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[starloc]

I think the mesh will give a slight protection, but clear polythene would be better, It depends were your plants are as well as the area as if near the house or surrounded by hedge / trees etc they would have more natural protection

[Greenleaves]

My Grandad use to say if the plant can't see the sky then late frosts wont harm it. He used to use net curtains to protect his wall grown peaches

[veggiechicken]

Hello firstearly and welcome!
Where do you live in the UK? (Can you add it to your profile please) Some places may get off lightly with the frost. I'm not worrying about it here.
At worst, you can sow some more seeds when you return. I haven't started mine yet

[Ja9]

Fleece better if you have it but mesh will give some protection. The v sounds a good idea.I'm sure that they will be fine but do cover with something.Does depend upon where you live !

[Two_Sheds]

pumpkin plants ... I took a gamble and planted them out.

Did you harden them off first?

[firstearly]

They've spent a few nights outside. They are nowhere near any buildings (apart from a shed).

I'm in Cardiff.

Thanks all, will try the netting and windows and hope for the best. The seeds took well, good fasting growing seedlings, so I could easily start again mid-May. Oddly I hadn't thought that, I was just panicking about rescuing the two I have.


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[veggiechicken]

I'm in Cardiff too
If you have plenty of seeds you could start some off in pots before you go and they'll probably be up and waiting for you when you come back

[fishpond]

Cancel your holiday.
Put the mesh over, they should survive, as I wouldn't think it would be more than a light ground frost if at all.
As has been said, if they do get frosted, you have plenty of time to resow.
You could resow before you go, just a thought.

[Penellype]

It depends a bit where you live, but he current forecast temperatures for any time from Thursday to Monday nights could be down to -1, -2 or even -3. The western half of the country looks the most likely to have the colder temperatures, and anywhere that remains cloudy will be warmer.

This is the current forecast for 6am on Monday 6th May:


See http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-b...0&WMO=&PERIOD= for latest updates

[Snadger]

Wrap straw or shredded newspaper around the bottom and cover with a cloche of some description. I use large drinking water containers with the top cut off for giving a bit of protection to cucurbits if required. These can be bought for £1.00 full of water. Bell cloches are also ideal and ornamental.

[Two_Sheds]

They've spent a few nights outside.

was that before you planted them out? Really, you should harden off for at least 7-10 days, gradually increasing the amount of hours they spend outside, to toughen the plant up.

If you haven't done that, then they're probably doomed, frost or not

[Knight of Albion]

A very warm welcome to the forum.

Is there a friend or neighbour you could ask to go in and cover them up if a frost is forecast? Seems the most sensible and practical action.