Glad you didn't lose everything! I can't offer any advice on frost. We are heavily treed here and unless it is really heavy we don't get frost in our yard. I am heading to town to pick up another insulated tarp our lows are supposed to be around 2 next weekend which is much too low for my comfort.

Wow! Marcia that is a huge variance. I am a bit nervous now as our overnight lows are supposed to be between 7-9 as well. I never knew you could save stuff that got frost I will be watching for the answer.

I also have a west-facing wall; however it retains a lot of heat from the previous afternoon right through the night. A thermometer placed within a few feet of this wall is several degrees warmer than one on the grass. I suspect that may also be the reason in your case, especially with a marginal -1 C frost.

Yes, my cold frame and the plants are within a few feet of the wall, and it's brown, so that's another factor. I went home for lunch and had a look and there were some things that were singed a bit. They're getting covered tonight for sure.

Message to Mother Nature - ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

We have a forecast for 2C tonight. I have some plants out in my little cold frame tent. I will stick a light bulb in there for the night. I have geraniums, pansies , bacopa & rudbeckia in it. They should be okay, but the plants in the sunroom are all tender things. I'll probably stick the heater on in there. But the sunroom should protect them unless it goes a few degrees below zero. What a pain.
I've been expecting this however. It happens every year. That's why my basement is still full of plants. I'm watching for a long range forecast without lows below 10 before I'll feel safe.

Now my dad used to get up really early, check for frost (?!) and spray his garden with water as the sun was rising but still lost plants so I'm not sure if that theory really holds much truth. I suspect it's got more to do with how long the frost is on the plant - if frost hits just before sunrise or if it's cold enough to freeze at midnight makes a pretty big difference. I think that the west side of a building settles into the night warmer than the east simply because the sun has been beating on it more recently.

+3 with risk of frost predicted here tonight. Although I've planted seeds in the veg garden, nothing is up (some much needed rain and less wind would help that) and I've not yet planted any of my transplants out; they're all in the greenhouse for the night and will put the heat on before bed. It's a wonky season for sure and mother nature is definitely in a miserable mood.

This morning's low was predicted to be +4, so i made sure to cover everything really well last night. No frost! LOL But i didn't want to take any chances.

We haven't started the vegetable garden yet - probably on Sunday i'll have time. Next week is when the night temperatures are supposed to be over 10ð. Maybe things will stabilize a bit then.

And yeah, what's with all the wind??

Mother nature is have a laugh at us too. I planted out this past weekend because lows were not supposed to be under 8 now we have a heavy rainfall warning with the chance of freezing rain......ACK!! Hope my plants don't drown and seeds wash away as lots are under an eave with no gutter :(

So did anyone get frost? My high/low thermometer in the sunroom registered 5, so I guess I didn't have to worry. I didn't turn the heater on. Just brought the most tender stuff (coleus and basil) into the house.

No frost here. Rain forecast but we hardly ever get that so I am hoping the EC is wrong again. We want to put in a fence this weekend. Except for the nasty wind it has been nice here. Not supposed to go below 7 this week but I have my eye open just in case.

North53, I am scared I put all 40some coleus out. Lows of 4 now. Ack!! Guess I better build a cover.

I guess there are times when it is good to be so busy that you are running behind......I have nothing in the ground yet even though we have had nice weather. Supposed to get rain for a couple of days now and that is just Edmonton. Apparently Calgary is getting floods! And snow.....maybe.

Yes, Mother Nature is not a happy lady lately. :)

Ginny

Yeah, SCG, I would cover the coleus for sure. They really can't handle frost or even really cold. Do you have any cardboard boxes? They would work.
I just returned from walking the dog and the wind felt like it was blowing from the arctic.
The full moon is on the 25th. We should be safe after that, don't you think?

I have the tarps and means to cover them all but work is so busy I must risk it......Ack!!! If they survive tonight, and it is +6 at midnight, I will build a temp frame to cover them all. Coleus is worse than any addicting drug.... I can't lose any lest I buy more!!!!

SCG

Lol, only coleus? I find pretty much any plant addicting! Did you start the coleus from seed, Lance?

Ginny

We were at just at 0 yesterday morning and -1 this morning. Everything is covered....Hopefully this is the end of it. :-/

Ginny, yes I started almost all my coleus from seed and I agree all plants are addicting. I only purchased a few and only then because they used their telekinetic powers to call me over and put them in my cart. Limelight was the loudest but I think El Brighto and Splish Splash were egging her on.

It is +2.5C here so we made it one more day........ Sundays low of 2 is scaring me.

Lance your forecast looks awful till Tuesday 1,1,-1,0 I wonder how they gave your area its zone. Maybe the high heat in the summer definitely not the longer season like some areas.

SCG, I hope your coleus will be okay. I know I get much more invested in the well being of plants I grew from seed. I mean it's so much more of an effort. You'd hate to lose them now. I have browallia and begonias still under the lights in the basement. I may be daring enough to bring them out this weekend. The forecast looks promising.
It only went down to 5C last night here.

CLB, Which town where you looking at? I get 5,4,7,6 quite a bit better than this mornings forecast. I look Jaffray and Elko. I sometimes wonder about our zone as well. We would have quite a bit longer of a growing season if it wasn't for the odd late frost, As well, we can get cold enough to be rated zone 2 or 3..... go figure.

North, ya it would kill me to lose any I started. Some of the slow growers I have been nursing along since February. I don't think the coleus will see frost even if we get it due to their location. I just hope they can handle the temp.

Let us pray..... lol

Weather network for Fernie. But there is a drastic difference between EC (which only has Cranbrook), the weather chanel and the weather network. Here's hoping the weather network is wrong it was the coldest prediction.

I check Environment Canada and The Weather Network and pick the forecast I like the best, lol.

CLB, ya I can be quite a bit different than both Fernie and Cranbrook. Even Jaffray gets considerably more precip and frost. I have never been so worried lol. Looks like Sunday is the morning that will tell the story. Elko is low of 2 Jaffray 4 so I should be 5 unless the wind picks up from the mountains. If I lose my plants I plan to take up a more reliable hobby: crack cocaine.

Lol North. I am tempted to run to Walmart and buy all the hand warmers up and tape one to each plant. Realistically I will probably cover with light plastic on Saturday night. Ug lol

For covering plants it's better to use fabric rather than plastic. Do you have any remay cloth? It is very lightweight and won't crush the plants. Failing that, old sheets work well.

North, good advise. I have a pile of stuff like that including moving blankets I would have to prop up. This is the part shade/shade garden if anyone has any more advice.

Moving blankets are awfully heavy you might crush your babies, i'd stick with sheets.(edit - right you said you'd prop them duh!! I should read slower) Awe I can see them now clutching their little hand warmers saying "Thanks Daddy"

Today's lesson- Monkey See Monkey do does not work.

Sorry I planted so early and gave you courage. And now heart failure.

This post was edited by CLBlakey on Sat, May 25, 13 at 8:27

Haha CLB, the forecast, at the time, also said it was okay. The coleus I actually did 3 days later.

The weather network is now reporting more favorable conditions and we are past the "old timers" last frost date. So I will blame them if something happens.

north53, full moon tonight
looks ok in our area, +5 and cloudy

then it is clear sailing, I hope

coleus are fascinating little creatures,
all the colors of the rainbow,
like candy for the mind and soul