The Ice Saints
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In some European countries, tradition has it that you shouldn't plant anything that is sensitive to cold temperatures or frost until after May 15, when the "Ice Saints" have passed. Despite having spent many hours of my childhood reading the "Almanaque Escuela para Todos", a booklet that —along with other information that is much more interesting — contains a full calendar of Catholic saints' feasts, I failed to learn these dates by heart, and so was a bit puzzled when an older neighbor in Geneva said that one needs to wait until after les saints de glace to plant in the garden. In Germany, this old country rule is very well-known, and you often see in gardening books and even printed on seed packages some variation of the instruction: "start inside and transplant outside after the Eisheilige".
Although there are differences among countries and traditions regarding which saints should be included in the icy count, I'll base this post on German folklore and say that they are St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, St. Servatius, St. Bonifatius and St. Sophia (also known as "die kalte Sophie" or "the cold Sophie"), whose feasts fall between May 11 and 15. It is believed that temperatures on those dates could fall even to the point of frost, and that after May 15 temperatures would stabilize at warmer levels and all risk of frost would pass. Hence the rule of not sowing outside and/or transplanting until after that date.
Although old folk rules such as this one may have lost their relevance due to modern weather monitoring and forecasting, and to higher global temperatures in general, they remain an important reference for gardeners. I for one was determined to wait until May 16 to take my plants out of the greenhouse, but changed my mind after experiencing a very warm month with quite a few days over 20 Celsius this year. So almost everything is out or has been transplanted by now (May 12). Still, according to the forecast we can expect a storm and even some hail tomorrow afternoon. The Ice Saints will bring some ice after all.
Although old folk rules such as this one may have lost their relevance due to modern weather monitoring and forecasting, and to higher global temperatures in general, they remain an important reference for gardeners. I for one was determined to wait until May 16 to take my plants out of the greenhouse, but changed my mind after experiencing a very warm month with quite a few days over 20 Celsius this year. So almost everything is out or has been transplanted by now (May 12). Still, according to the forecast we can expect a storm and even some hail tomorrow afternoon. The Ice Saints will bring some ice after all.
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| Things have started to bloom and look beautiful in the garden. |
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