Country folk, hereabouts, have been waiting eagerly for the arrival of this weekend's Ice Saints. The 11th, 12th, and 13th of May are represented, respectively, by the Saints Estelle, Achille, and Rolande; the three saints who (for us) herald the end of night time frosts.
Originally the Ice Saints were Mamertus, Pancras, and Servatius, but in 1960 the Catholic church decided that they were far too PAGAN, and replaced them by the more acceptable trio above.
So, on Monday (weather permitting) I shall sow my first row of dwarf beans, and probably plant out my tomatoes. Vegetable gardening now starts in earnest, with no possibility of frost-covered crops until November (fingers crossed).
How wonderful that you can time it so exactly!!!!
ReplyDeleteWoe-betide the Catholic Church if they got it wrong....I'd sue!
DeleteMorning Cro - how can you be so sure - I've noticed that my U.S. blogging buddies also have definite frost dates - in the U.K. it is so variable but the end of May is best for planting out your 'tenders' to be sure of no frost - saying that hope I'm not jinxing it.
ReplyDeleteI did watch a UK weather forecast yesterday that spoke of more frost. Here I think we're OK.
Deletegood luck to you and may the frost stay away from your tender plants!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed learning about the ice saints, I never heard of them before.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Mr. M. Thank you for sharing the ice saints also. I have never heard of them.
ReplyDeleteFor us here in Nebraska, we "really" never trust anything with a last frost date. Several years ago, we had frosts clear up into the first week of July and then the heat was on. I have seen it snow here in July also!
I, on the general rule for me, use Mother's Day, which is Sunday here in the states, and I will be doing some things in the garden. The rest will go in next week. We are having some cold fronts go through and I like to be ready, and I have my greenhouse plastic ready also!
Have a wonderful garden weekend, Mr M and Lady M.
Beautiful frost photo Cro. And as far as the saints go,I think they would make lovely names for additional sows here on our place.
ReplyDeleteI love this story. Our "last frost date" is allegedly the 1st of May, but this year it could have been the 1st of March!!! Happy Planting!
ReplyDeleteYou're about a week ahead of us for planting but even so....
ReplyDeleteWhat a tough start you've had this year with planting. I hope your Saints come marching in!
ReplyDeleteI've not heard of the ice saints, either. Here, when it's apple petal fall, it's usually okay to put out tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteWell, if the Church said it, then it must be right, right? Okay, then. I'll be waiting until the first part of June to put anything out. Not that I'm concerned about frost, but we'll be away the end of May, and I'd be more concerned about anything I put into the ground getting too parched and wilted in the heat while we were gone.
ReplyDeleteNeed some weather saints to pray to here - preferably those that favour days of sunshine and nights of gentle rain. Sadly not available methinks.
ReplyDeleteWill take vicarious pleasure from your abundant plot.
Safe after May 5th...in my neck of the woods...
ReplyDeleteThis is also the weekend for us to plant also without the fear of frost. However, the weather has been perfect for putting in gardens for the past few weeks, and I could not resist. My tomatoes, peppers and herbs have grown to twice their original size and some bean seeds have sprouted. Isn't it the best time of the year!
ReplyDeleteYes, I love the planting-up stage. It's the wretched weeding I don't care for, although even that is satisfying in its way.
DeleteAll these seasons and saints are so foreign to us and so interesting, i would defy anyone at the moment to walk outside and guess what time of year it is,no wonder all the plants are puzzled if we can't work it out how can mother nature lol.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of the Ice Saints Cro, but like you, my father-in-law says never to plant delicate things before the May 24 long-weekend (we still celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday here).
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