MyGardenFinder.com

If you’re dying to get out in the garden and get a few jobs done, the most important thing to know about is what kind of weather to expect.

And, when it comes to protecting tender plants from frost, or your vegetable crops from drought, a good weather forecast is essential.

So here’s your handy MyGardenFinder guide to sources of weather information and advice on the web, from next weekend’s forecast to coping with the effects of climate change.

1. BBC Weather Centre for gardeners - free web-based service covering all the home nations plus the channel islands in detail with regional breakdowns for England and Scotland. Updated every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon and highlights points of interest to gardeners for the next few days.
2. RHS Weathercall - paid-for telephone-based service that breaks down to a county level. Users can choose a Met Office forecast for the next hour or day, or up to five or 10 days ahead. Calls from a BT landline cost 60p per minute, proceeds to the RHS. Six-hour forecasts are updated hourly, regional forecasts are updated three times daily.
3. Gardeners’ World: gardeners’ seven-day forecast - this free, web-based service provides seven-day forecasts specifically for gardeners - and you can personalise them by typing in a town or postcode.
4. Met Office - weather forecasts This free, web-based service is the definitive general guide to UK weather. Forecasts are available on a one-day, three-day, six-day and seasonal basis and break down regionally for all the home nations. Information on topics like wind, pressure, rainfall and temperature are also available, as well as more detailed paid-for and mobile services.
5. Met Office - climate change - a site section that sets out the latest news and research about climate change, something that many UK gardeners are already seeing the effects of. Check out the FAQs and read about some climate change myths.
6. MetCheck - a web-based UK weather service that offers both free and paid-for services including a ‘hobbies’ section covering gardening. There’s a stack of useful information available here if you’re prepared to hunt for it.
7. Safegardening.co.uk: gardening and weather conditions - this gardeners’ website has an article on understanding weather and climate, how they impact on your plants on several different levels, and how to develop an awareness of what is on the way. Also check out this article on climate change from its sister site Wildlife Gardener.
8. Weather Shop: weather tips - this site specialising in weather instruments, barometers and weather stations also carries useful monthly advice guides on dealing with UK weather conditions.
9. Gardeners’ Corner forums - this community-based site is a great place to discuss and get advice on all kinds of gardening issues, including those arising from changing weather and climate conditions.
10. Vegging out - coping with bad weather - an article in The Times gardening section with advice for novice gardeners on growing veg in adverse weather conditions.

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