London gripped by frost, at last.
by Shrewd Gardener - December 16th, 2009.Filed under: Seasons, Winter. Tagged as: christmas, Climate, frost, pests, plants, snow, weather, winter.
OK, maybe ‘gripped’ is a bit strong but I was glad of my scarf and gloves this morning when I dropped the kids at school. The ponds were frozen in the local park and the water fowl were seen to be skating around.
I a temperate climate such as in the UK we get used to frost and it has several useful functions. For example; killing off a range of pests that given the chance will breed and multiply nxt year. This isn’t to be underestimated as the effects of a mild winter can be devastating.
Cricket infestations can be a problem in some parts of the US (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20030325/ai_n11382783/) and so mild weather can have difficult consequences.
I’ve seen lots of plants touched by the frost this morning including nasturtiums, artichokes, cabbages and other tender plants. Of course if you’re growing Brussels Sprouts you will be delighted as they are generally left on the stalks until the first frost.
The big question now is, will there be snow in time for Christmas. My kids will be checking regularly.
