The Big Chill - starting April 4/5th

Harry Palmr

Get ready to drag all your fleeces back out! Get straw and grass cuttings, and anything else to hand and move seedlings back indoors cos it's going to be cold potentially very cold for next week.

Open this and watch the deep blue of arctic air sweep down over us.

https://www.wetterzentrale.de/en/topkarten.php?map=1&model=ecm&var=1&run=0&time=120&lid=OP&h=0&mv=0&tr=24#mapref

2011abc

Thanks , many will be lulled into false sense of security by current scorcher .I think I have desert sand on my car roof !

Thanks for the heads up! It’s probably too far away yet to be definitive but how cold are we talking and for how long?

I was planning on moving some salvia this week but I might hold back for a while.

Jim_Hodge

SnowyMuckish wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up! It’s probably too far away yet to be definitive but how cold are we talking and for how long?

I was planning on moving some salvia this week but I might hold back for a while.

It probably depends on where you are. Check met.ie
For me it's just down to 2c for a three night of nights.

I planted some bergonia bulbs last weekend in two half barrel yolks on the fence. Do I need to protect them?

magicbastarder

Jim_Hodge wrote: »

It probably depends on where you are. Check met.ie

met eireann tend to be quite conservative on these things, they don't forecast really bad weather until the modelling pretty much says it's inevitable.

Jim_Hodge

magicbastarder wrote: »

met eireann tend to be quite conservative on these things, they don't forecast really bad weather until the modelling pretty much says it's inevitable.

I actually use the UK Met Office, as I along the border. I just suggested Met Eireann to the OP as he may be more familiar with it.

ellee

Yeah looks pretty cool for me, down as low as 1 degree some nights. Must throw some bark on the more tender plants.

magicbastarder

for dublin (airport), met.ie are now predicting sleet and 1C in the wee small hours on monday morning, and -1C on tuesday morning.

fryup

should i cover my rhubarb? or is it hardy enough?

Supercell

fryup wrote: »

should i cover my rhubarb? or is it hardy enough?

Rhubarb is pretty tough, this wont bother it one bit.

fryup

probably benefit it? heard frost is good for rhubarb

Harry Palmr

Jim_Hodge wrote: »

I actually use the UK Met Office, as I along the border. I just suggested Met Eireann to the OP as he may be more familiar with it.

I only consult met error for laughs.

lordgoat

All the seeds going in this weekend will get a good cold snap then!

fryup

leave it till after the cold snap

magicbastarder

it's due to drop to 0C tonight in dublin.

Harry Palmr

This cold spell is on the downgrade at a rate of knots, will be chilly at night certainly but the threat of persistent cold wind from the north is receding.

magicbastarder

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I only consult met error for laughs.

so they were right after all?

Harry Palmr

They changed as the facts did, which is as science degrees. I view Met.ie with some scepticism for their graphics, (which are frequently contradictions of the written/spoken script), often poorly managed weather warnings and various other quirks like a rain radar that fails when it rains.

frosty123

Looks like the big chill has been put back to mid-week... probably never happen now I reckon

Reckless Abandonment

I have a large garnet maple tree in a pot. (6ft) im thinking throwing a bed sheet over it at night as its a real feature in the garden and don't want it to get any frost damage. Is this worth trying or a bad idea.?? Im normally not to worried about trees and late frost. Just want to try keep this one 100%

I've been wanting to put some seed potatoes down for the past few weeks, but have been waiting for this cold snap to pass. Am I being too cautious?

I've covered the strawberry bed with fleece though and put fleece over a bed where nasturtiums are starting to peep out of the ground. Took scallions (in pots) and moved them to greenhouse. Have a couple of cabbages in large pots that just sprouted... put them in the greenhouse under fleece.

Have a rake load of chives... could harvest them or cover in fleece, but am thinking they are tough enough to survive this snap, given they already survived through the winter.

MeepMeep2021

MeepMeep2021 wrote: »

I've been wanting to put some seed potatoes down for the past few weeks, but have been waiting for this cold snap to pass. Am I being too cautious?

I've covered the strawberry bed with fleece though and put fleece over a bed where nasturtiums are starting to peep out of the ground. Took scallions (in pots) and moved them to greenhouse. Have a couple of cabbages in large pots that just sprouted... put them in the greenhouse under fleece.

Have a rake load of chives... could harvest them or cover in fleece, but am thinking they are tough enough to survive this snap, given they already survived through the winter.

All my late spuds went down on friday

SouthWesterly

SouthWesterly wrote: »

All my late spuds went down on friday

You're a braver poster than I! Hope they do well.. can't beat fresh homegrown spuds.

Deub

MeepMeep2021 wrote: »

You're a braver poster than I! Hope they do well.. can't beat fresh homegrown spuds.

Just planted potatoes shouldn’t be at risk as they are not near the surface. For the ones just coming out now.. it is another story.

beggars_bush

Promised even colder this coming weekend and into next week.
Like everyone I've seed trays all over the house waiting to plant out

Hocus Focus

Jim_Hodge wrote: »

I actually use the UK Met Office, as I along the border. I just suggested Met Eireann to the OP as he may be more familiar with it.

I live in Dublin and I use the UK Met Office, also Windguru, and a number of other weather sites, as I sail a boat. and the advice to sailors is to never depend on just one source of information.

Ms2011

MeepMeep2021 wrote: »

I've covered the strawberry bed with fleece though

Strawberries should be fine, mine have been under a foot of snow several times without a problem.

Ms2011

Ms2011 wrote: »

Strawberries should be fine, mine have been under a foot of snow several times without a problem.

That's mad, but good to know! I didn't know they were that hardy. I had them under fleece for most of the winter before last.

Ms2011

MeepMeep2021 wrote: »

That's mad, but good to know! I didn't know they were that hardy. I had them under fleece for most of the winter before last.

Yeah even the runners I took up and potted on last September have been out all winter through hale and storms with no bother to them

fryup

is this freaky temps for this time of year?

scarepanda

Do strawberries not need a spell of cold weather to have a better crop in the summer?

Does anyone know when this cold spell is due to end? I've 2 blueberry bushes in the shed that I want to mind this year, but I also want to move them back outside. I've no frost fleece which is why I brought them in. The cold spell has been a non event around here, Monday was cold, with a cold wind, but only a light frost. My luck I'll put the pots back out and we'll get a hard frost!

wildwillow

We can get frost up to June. When this cold spell ends harden the plants by putting out by day and covering by night if temperature drops below 4.

Newspaper or old sheets will do for cover. Just keep an eye on the forecast.

Blueberry bushes are hardy once established but you may choose to cover in frost to preserve new growth or blossoms.

Anything purchased recently should be protected even if it's normally hardy, as it has been indoors for the winter.

scarepanda

Ah ya, I know that. I brought them in because they are covered in new buds and I was trying to mind them for that reason. Normally i wouldn't bother doing anything with them, but they have gotten some TLC for once this year and it'd annoy me if they got damaged through a hard frost and I didn't do anything to try protect them. And some of the reports last week sounded like we were in for a spell of hard frosts/snow. Anyways, I might just chance it and put them back out and what will be will be

fryup

minus 4 this weekend :eek:

Is there no end in sight at all?!I’m so behind this year, mad to get stuck in..!

looksee

My pricked out seedlings in the cold frame have survived so far, even last night which was extremely cold here. I throw a cover over it at night - just an old curtain, but it seems to have worked.

Bill Hook

Ditto here. I have some big bits of bubble wrap that come in handy.

We’ve been lucky here, cold temps and sleety showers but nothing ever lay. Being close to the coast has always been a curse when you want to see lying snow in winter but it has been our saving grace with this spell. The temps look like they’ll begin to climb gradually after Monday morning onwards. I’ll just have to steady myself till then. I’ve made an old fashioned ‘to do’ list as long as my arm, Monty Dons ‘jobs for the weekend’ wouldn’t be a patch on it! :pac:

OldRio

Lost tomato seedlings and chilli seedlings. They were wrapped up in the polytunnel with bubble wrap and fleece on top.
I'll sow again on Monday.

Graces7

OldRio wrote: »

Lost tomato seedlings and chilli seedlings. They were wrapped up in the polytunnel with bubble wrap and fleece on top.
I'll sow again on Monday.

RIP wee plants!

I have trays of peas etc ready for planting out; no tunnel etc and very little outdoor planting room so they shin up fences!

My kale is brilliant still and has provided healthy dark green leafy eating all winter. With little access to fresh veg in the shops it is perfect. I stopped it going to seed last autumn

Harry Palmr

Beyond the chill it's the lack of rain which is worth keeping an eye on. March was very dry for most. April will continue the trend.

SnowyMuckish

SnowyMuckish wrote: »

We’ve been lucky here, cold temps and sleety showers but nothing ever lay. Being close to the coast .......has been our saving grace with this spell.

And I eat my words... There go my tulips! I’m sure they’ll recover from the shock.

I think this arching look looks pretty graceful, pity they couldn’t be bred like that.

Mackdublin

Well, do you think it is safe to remove any fleece from the garden.
Has the current frost threat passed with last nights dose?
I'm in Dublin and forecast dont seem to be indicating any further frost this week.

I have a shed full of young plants to get into the ground. Salvias, persicaria, phlox, astilbie's etc They have been living and thriving in the shed for the last month. Still to early to plant? I'm mad to get planting!!!

Mackdublin

Mackdublin wrote: »

Well, do you think it is safe to remove any fleece from the garden.
Has the current frost threat passed with last nights dose?
I'm in Dublin and forecast dont seem to be indicating any further frost this week.

I have a shed full of young plants to get into the ground. Salvias, persicaria, phlox, astilbie's etc They have been living and thriving in the shed for the last month. Still to early to plant? I'm mad to get planting!!!

I’d say don’t take the seeds out yet, particularly salvias, some varieties are pretty tender. Depends on their size too I suppose, I’d be tempted to leave them til May if they’re smallish and harden them off gradually during the day for a week or so before planting.

As for the fleece I’m lifting mine tomorrow, mind you I didn’t check the farming forecast but I’d say it should be safe enough?

Graces7

SnowyMuckish wrote: »

And I eat my words... There go my tulips! I’m sure they’ll recover from the shock.

I think this arching look looks pretty graceful, pity they couldn’t be bred like that.

Oh how sad! But rather lovely all the same.

Graces7

Mackdublin wrote: »

Well, do you think it is safe to remove any fleece from the garden.
Has the current frost threat passed with last nights dose?
I'm in Dublin and forecast dont seem to be indicating any further frost this week.

I have a shed full of young plants to get into the ground. Salvias, persicaria, phlox, astilbie's etc They have been living and thriving in the shed for the last month. Still to early to plant? I'm mad to get planting!!!

I am waiting a few more days, and we do not get frost out here just wind. patience is a gardener's friend!

Check met ie? Frost tonight even out here but due to ease later in the week. Al I have here is peas and a few nasturtiums. Cannot find my saved nasturtium seed and seedaholic have sold out.. Cannot live without my trailing nasturtiums!

fryup

most garden shop would have seeds

wildwillow

Your plants are vunerable if the temperature drops below 4 degrees at night. It doesn't have to be zero or below.

Don't be tempted to put bedding plants out till May. If you have some, harden them off properly before planting and be prepared to cover if the night temperature drops.

Depending on where you are in the country you can have low night temperatures up to June.

The weather app on the Iphone is actually very accurate and a good guide to night temperatures.

The very windy dry weather is just as hard on the plants and remember to water any newly planted trees and shrubs.

Mackdublin

Thanks all, Ill stick to some maintenance work for the moment so and hold off on planting for a time yet.
Is there a name on that weather app?

wildwillow

Its whichever is standard on the I phone. I find it very accurate if you allow it know your location. Will predict rain to the nearest half hour.