'Feels Like' Temperature - does it affect plants?
Jack33
Posts: 9
Hi, not sure if his is a daft question but, does the 'feels like ' temperature offered by the Met Office affect plants? While night time actual temperatures can be 4 degrees the feels like if often below 0.
so is it just us this affects or can it affect plants?
Cheers,
Jack.
0
Posts
yes, a lot of plants don't like frost so I have been holding back on planting out.....
Wind chill factor doesn't effect plants it's the ambient temperature which does
wrong again......
I think the wind affects people because we are warm blooded so when it's not windy we create our own little area of warm air around us which only gradually dissipates but if it's windy this air gets blown away much more quickly. So it really only applies if you don't wear windproof clothing.
Plants are less affected because they don't generate their own heat (I think?).
Interesting question!
I would tend to agree with those who say 'no'... but I know nothing.
afaik plants do not 'feel' temperature, rather hormones in the plant react to temperature causing the plant to do whatever it's programmed to do at that temperature (and light level).
It's when the temp falls below 0°C and water starts to freeze that the problems occur.
Unless the plant has natural anti-freeze (and many do) then ice forming in the water of the plant cells will cause the cells to burst - much like a frozen pipe - that's kills the cell, and if all the cells in the plant get frozen and burst, it's dead.
I'd think the main problem for plants with wind-chill would be the drying effect at low temperatures.
As said above - we feel wind chill as we are warm-blooded - usually
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I was in the garden on Sunday clearing last years dead and dying fern leaves from around the pond and was surprised how warm it felt near the ground whilst crawling around on hands and feet. It felt like the ground was radiating warmth back. The ambient air temperature at standing height was quite cool, but the sun had been shining so had obviously warmed up the ground.
Cheers everyone, really appreciate all your answers. So from now on I'll mostly ignore the windchill temperature In regards to plants ( with the exeption that if the windchill is below 0 , then plants shall not be tended to without hat and gloves...)