"Nick Gardner" wrote in message
...
From the replies so far, it seems that such an event although very rare,
is not unprecedented.
I hope the sequence comes to an end next month though, I would like
some warmth now!

Too right! Warmth is needed.

My tomato and cucumber seedlings in the greenhouse were doing fine until
about a week ago, but those cold nights have changed everything and they
are
looking very sorry for themselves now and have stopped growing, especially
the cucumbers which are suffering from leaf curl due to the cold.


Perhaps you sowed too early?

What a difference to last year! By now I was having to put the toms and
cucs
outside because they had taken over the greenhouse and I needed the room
for
other stuff.


But Nick, this April is much more normal as regards temperatures, I agree a
bit on the chilly side. You might have to get used to it though! Last year
was exceptional, not this.

Haven't done any sowing yet outside, but next week will be fine, plenty of
time!

Will
--

Perhaps you sowed too early?

Hmmm, not really. I don't use a propagator or anything like that so if it
gets too cold the plants either stop growing or I can bring them indoors.
This is something that I rarely have to do and means that I can be picking
cucumbers by early June and tomatoes by early July. I also do a second
sowing mid-May and harvest those in mid-august when the earlier plants are
starting to be past their best.

But Nick, this April is much more normal as regards temperatures, I agree
a it on the chilly side. You might have to get used to it though! Last
year as exceptional, not this.

I agree that this April hasn't been exceptional, even for down here but the
persistently chilly nights for the last two weeks has been unusual and that
is what has been causing the trouble as the days have been reasonably warm
(especially in the greenhouse) and sunny.

Somebody did say to me yesterday that the leaf damage to the seedlings
hasn't been the cold but scorching from the sun. He may have a point and I
might have to paint some 'cool glass' on the greenhouse.
_______________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

SNIP
I agree that this April hasn't been exceptional, even for down here but the
persistently chilly nights for the last two weeks has been unusual
_______________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amslhttp://www.ottervalley.co.uk

My coldest Aprils are

9.2C 1994
9.5C 1991
9.5C 2000

So far the average temp in Penzance this April is 8.5C, that's colder
than December, January, February & March! I realise it's largely down
to the cold nights, and there have been some very pleasant sunny days,
but the fact is the 1st 3 weeks have been significantly below the
1971-2000 norm. So it's not simply back to normality after last year,
it has been cold.

Graham
Penzance

On Apr 19, 5:03�pm, Graham Easterling
wrote:
SNIP

I agree that this April hasn't been exceptional, even for down here but the
persistently chilly nights for the last two weeks has been unusual
_______________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amslhttp://www.ottervalley.co.uk

My coldest Aprils are

9.2C �1994
9.5C �1991
9.5C �2000

So far the average temp in Penzance this April is 8.5C, that's colder
than December, January, February & March! I realise it's largely down
to the cold nights, and there have been some very pleasant sunny days,
but the fact is the 1st 3 weeks have been significantly below the
1971-2000 norm. So it's not simply back to normality after last year,
it has been cold.

Graham
Penzance

Its been unusually cold here too. The mean temperature over the last
15 days (5th-19th inclusive) is 5.4C, and is the lowest mean for ANY
15 consecutive days in April since my records began in 1990.
Other 15 day periods in April that were almost as cold we
1998 (5th-19th) Mean 5.6C
2000 (3rd-17th) Mean 5.6C

Dick Lovett
Charlbury (Oxfordshire Cotswolds) 121m