Oh dear! FROST predicted for tonight................!!!

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi there!

Well, it looks as if winter is almost here -- weather warnings for a frost tonight over here near Oxford, UK.

It has been getting much colder at night for the last week & I have been covering up every evening, with fleece/plastic. It was very chilly when I went out this morning to gather chives for my scrambled eggs. It looks as if I shall be spending the day bringing in all my most precious plants. I have most of them potted up for the winter already. I managed to get a bargain 'end of season' buy of stacking pots that form towers & my cottage has very deep window sills.

The daytime temperatures are still warm, with plenty of sunshine so if I cover my raised beds they should be OK except for the runner beans. They might get frosted because they have outgrown their teepee & are climbing through the sumac tree nearby. I'll pick most of the existing beans later today except for the ones I want to save for next summers crop. My chickens have eaten all the lower leaves already.

Well I'd better get going early!

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Sam The Yam]

Hi there!

Well, it looks as if winter is almost here -- weather warnings for a frost tonight over here near Oxford, UK.

It has been getting much colder at night for the last week & I have been covering up every evening, with fleece/plastic. It was very chilly when I went out this morning to gather chives for my scrambled eggs. It looks as if I shall be spending the day bringing in all my most precious plants. I have most of them potted up for the winter already. I managed to get a bargain 'end of season' buy of stacking pots that form towers & my cottage has very deep window sills.

The daytime temperatures are still warm, with plenty of sunshine so if I cover my raised beds they should be OK except for the runner beans. They might get frosted because they have outgrown their teepee & are climbing through the sumac tree nearby. I'll pick most of the existing beans later today except for the ones I want to save for next summers crop. My chickens have eaten all the lower leaves already.

Well I'd better get going early!

:rose Hattie :rose

Enjoy the day Hattie! I am glad I don 't live where winter hits strong. I live in Arizona where only parts of the state get the cold. I grew up however in Northern Utah so I am well aware of the frost and frost warning. Sounds like you have a nice place there.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hattie,
I know your climate is quite different from mine so comparisons between us don't necessarily hold up, but out of curiosity, how did that Japanese Black tomato do for you? I remember you looking forward to it from earlier posts. Mine were early, delicious, and resisted splitting very well but it really did not produce the volume I expected. I've saved a few seeds and will probably put one plant out next year. I think it warrants being in my garden but does not deserve a prominent place.

Sounds like a busy day for you. Good luck on getting your precious plants in and may your frosts be light.

 

[HiDelight]

Oh Hattie it seems just too soon for frost!

we have such similar weather it did cool off (I actually had a dream we had snow today but it is no where near that cold)

I turned my heat on to take the chill off this morning

stay warm!

do you have any special process in bringing your plants in? where do you store them? what do you usually take in?

I am so nosy

the only thing I do is soap the dirt so the bugs do not take over my house ..some of mine go in a mock sun room and some are just around as houseplants

is this what you do?

 

[lesa]

Hope the frost missed you, Hattie. Tell me about this "soaping the dirt" HiDelight. How do you do it??? It is always sad to see summers bounty ending. My morning glories took my breath away this morning- but they will be gone soon...Oh well, spring will be here before we know it...

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Sounds like you are prepared. I'm glad you have deep window sills.

I asked my husband to make wider sills on south facing windows, but I also got one of those garden windows and they are just a joy to have. They are pricey and we found one that was pre-used. Now that I have tested this one out, I know that in the future I will be willing to spend the money to get a nice big new one. I started a late summer basil crop in mine and the basil is amazing with bigger leaves than any I have ever grown before (even in the unheated greenhouse).

Take care and snuggle up with all those precious plants.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Good morning!

Well we were lucky, no frost last night but iit was much colder but there is still a warning for tonight-- I must not get complacent!

I spent yesterday trying to put my new garden truck together --Yes, a flat-pack saga......!! I was so careful unpacking it, counting all the component parts, screws & various dooh-dahs. I even labelled & bagged-up the various bits as I ticked them off the list (AND I had read the instructions & laid everything out on a flat tarpaulin. I even had the right tools they suggested. MUCH GOOD THIS DID ME as they had only sent me wheel fixings for 3 of the 4 wheels......!

The suppliers said they would get back to me...................................... when I complained.

Ridgerunner

My Japanese black tomato suffered from terrible blight along with most of the others -- I shall try again next year & try HiDelight's method's for prevention. I was so disappointed as they looked so healthy & I had lots of fruit. It broke my heart! The blight was very bad here this year,
as it was so very wet for so long.

Thank you all for your kind words -- enjoy you own gardens this weekend. :bee :bee :bee

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[HiDelight]

glad you did not get a frost yet!

it seems we were just waiting for the spring flowers to open! where does the time go!