Planting early? Protect from cold wind & late frost

Some plants are more tender than others, and if you are planting the more vulnerable crops then please make sure you protect them well to avoid losing them to  cold winds, cold soil or late frosts.

Which plants are vulnerable?

  • Tomato
  • Aubergine
  • Sweetcorn
  • Peas & Beans
  • Chilli & Pepper
  • Courgette & Squash
  • Cucumber

You don’t need to worry so much about brassicas, roots, salad leaves, leeks & onions. These are all more hardy and can be planted on arrival.

What should I do if my plants arrive while it’s cold?

The best thing would be to temporarily plant these vulnerable crops in pots, or in a bag of compost, and keep them in a greenhouse/sunny patio or similar until the weather becomes a little warmer.

If you have nowhere under cover to grow them initially, plant them out but cover them with a cloche tunnel, or similar. It is easy to make a homemade cloche by cutting clear plastic bottles in half and using them as an individual mini greenhouse for each plant – you can re-use them again year after year.

When can I confidently plant out?

Wait until the night temperatures are more consistently warm, towards the middle/end of May. We tend to find that after 20th May (ish) you can fully relax.