Frost and plants in pots

[sleepyhead]

After success in planting a few spring bulbs last autumn, I'm having a go at growing some veg and flowers in pots from seed for the very first time.

I have access to a communal 'garden' out the back of my flat and am hoping to brighten up a corner, and if my neighbours get involved so much the better. I can't justify taking over too much though so everything has to be in pots.

So far I have a thriving pea plant, some mint, three sunflowers, some lettuces, radishes and marigolds. My question is, we've had early morning frost forecast twice in the last 3 days so I've taken in the pots last thing at night and put them in a corner of the downstairs hall out of the way, and then put them back out again in the morning - do I actually have to do this, or are my plants probably ok to fend for themselves now?

The forecast is warmer for the next couple of weeks so it's possibly (hopefully!) a moot point now.

Frost is forecast for tonight, seems to be the last before warmer weather. You could protect your plants outside, by covering them up with plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, large bin bags. Anything that will stop the cold air getting to the plants and allowing the moisture to turn to ice crystals.

I think we're ok tonight here (forecast doesn't go below 2), but I'll keep an eye out - probably as quick to take the pots inside but that's good to know for future if I have more of them or larger pots.

All of those plants will be fine with a light frost, except possibly sunflowers, I haven’t checked. Just google each plant and “frost” to check.

For future years there are plants to avoid if you have to move pots for frost. Like tomatoes, runner beans and courgettes. Or keep them in small pots until late May.

Thanks - that's helpful. It's a bit of an experiment as I've always assumed that we didn't really have enough sunlight to grow anything, but actually one half of the garden gets a decent amount in the summer.

Looks like sunflowers are ok when they're this early on, so I'll be brave if there's a dip again!