----- Original Message -----
From: Allan Balliett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2002 10:45 PM
Subject: Frost tonight in Northern Virginia
Hi Allan
This is a situation where you use that refractometer and
anything you can lay your hands on that will raise plant brix - I would try
several different mixes with things like - liquid calcium - fish - seaweed -
sugar - molasses - any teas that you have got ready - as well as or in
combination with the appropriate BD remedy. We would dowse and do bottle
mixes first for mix order and compatability, then test sprays with the
little pump sprayer that you get in the grocery store - only needs a square
metre of crop, couple of meters of row or a few plants, if there is not a
useful response (2 brix) forget it. The valerian may be adequate I have no
experience of using preps this way. (will be testing that this coming crop
season)
All the best
Lloyd Charles
> As unlikely as it would seem, Robert Farr and I are looking at the
> possibility of frost in our gardens this evening. This is a full
> month PAST the 'safe-to-plant' date extension gives and almost 5 days
> past my own intuitive 'safe date.' (Although I have to admit that I
> was cringing while transplanting tomatoes earlier in the week.
>
> Robert has some 2500 pepper plants out. I have 2000 sweet potatoes
> slips in the ground and hundreds of tomatoes in the ground.
>
> Predicted lows are 38 tonight and tomorrow night, but the site of the
> predicition is some 15 miles away and is hundreds of feet lower than
> where our sites are. SO, the possibility of a freeze or frost is
> there.
>
> The wind has been high this spring, also, so remay is not an option
> that I'm considering. (I don't want to beat the plants.)
>
> I have compost kit valerian on hand. I wonder if somoene can give me
> directions for mixing that, diluting it (I probably need to spray
> about 3000 sq ft of beds, not really all that much.)
>
> Any other suggestions w.b. appreciated. I'm simply not up-to-date on
> frost-proofing things like spraying water on leaves in the evening,
> and so on.
>
> I think that a 'hard freeze' is not likely, but I only have the
> predicitons of the weather service to go by.
>
> -Allan
>
>
