Possible frost

smudge249

Good morning, 
I am a novice gardener and been trying to learn as much as I can for a beginner. One thing was to harden plants before planting out and I bought a few for borders, pots and hanging baskets and for 2 days now they been outside in day and inside at night. I was going to plant them today but see weather for tonight is 2c and clear skies. Is this bit risky for frost? Thing is I won't get chance to plant until Thursday if I wait but if had to would they be OK in their containers for another 2 days?
Thanks

Busy-Lizzie

I would wait a bit. Are you in the north or the south? There can still be frosts until mid May at least.

Are they in small pots or plugs? If plugs then it would be best to pot them on into something a bit bigger and fresh compost. Hardening off usually takes about a week, 2 days isn't really enough.

smudge249

Hi Busy-Lizzie I'm in South and a few are in plugs so will get them transferred to pots. Thanks for advice didn't realise needed more than couple days 

Athelas

You can check out the forecast for frost where you are on https://www.metcheck.com/

Go to Weather > Forecasts > Frostrisk



Example below:

carletonexotic

This is also a good map for checking average last frost dates: https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-united-kingdom-last-frost-date-map.php

smudge249

Brilliant thanks for those

Nanny Beach

Am SE UK, fairly near the sea, says mid April last frost for us,we had one 2 days ago,we get frost at 4c, some time and some time no frost at 0c, hubby talks about air temperature, moisture some rocket science thing! Way above my pay grade. I harden off a week that considered minimum, nothing goes "out, out" till 1.5 

didyw

"out, out" - love it @Nanny Beach!  @smudge249 - check to see if the plants you have bought are hardy, half-hardy or tender.  The border plants might be hardy, in which case you can plant them out.  

Nanny Beach

I just had to write that, because a few months back neighbours took a parcel in for me, said was I out,er lockdown and I have obeyed all the rules. Asked what he meant ( like an idiot, because he always makes,"jokey" purile, sarcastic mysogynistic comments)he said OUT OUT.  Shame on me for not asking what plants, mind you, even hardy annuals or perennials, I would harden off if they were small

didyw

@NannyBeach - 'out out' comes from a sketch from the comedian Micky Flanagan and caught on.  You could see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5k8Su_ek2k 

Obelixx

@smudge249 It's not just frost you have to worry about but wind chill and the drying factor of cold winds too.

Better to be safe than sorry and pot on and grow on in safe conditions, hardening off by day but tucked up at night till these cold winds and any chance of frosts are past.  Even hardy plants don't appreciate going outside if they've been raised indoors.  They need time to acclimatise.