traditions, myths, rhymes and other growing related stuff

[KittyColdNose]

I have heard/seen comments from people about planting times for certain crops, garlic being one of them. Does anyone have any wee gems they would like to share? I love hearing them and my curiosity is making my nose itch

I like one about the weather in March... In like a lion, out like a lamb.

[Bill HH]

Myth...I was always told willow twigs will grow even if planted upside down! could that be true?

Red sky at night Shepherds delight
Red sky in the morning, your cottage is on fire.

Ne'er cast a clout till may is out (Clout being clothes and may being either hawthorn blosom or the month of May)

[Dorothy rouse]

Red sky in the morning, shepherds warning.

[KittyColdNose]

The weather on St Swithuns day will be the same for the next 40 days.

[Bill HH]

Not so much growing related but farming related..........

My Grandad(A farmer) would always burst into song whenever anyone had dressed up to go out...........


Ohhhh the ducks and the drakes
what a row they makes
when I took out Nance to church.

and

Always sow parsley on good Friday.

[KittyColdNose]

I just did a search on sowing parsley on good Friday. It's a day where plants are temporarily free of the devil!

[Dorothy rouse]

This is quite appropriate at the moment


'Rain, rain, go away, come again another day'.

[KittyColdNose]

Myth...I was always told willow twigs will grow even if planted upside down! could that be true?

I remember hearing the same thing Bill.

[Bill HH]

I just did a search on sowing parsley on good Friday. It's a day where plants are temporarily free of the devil!

Maybe we should plant everthing on good Friday then.

Here are a few wierd words/sayings my dad used to come out with,

Nash (tender)

I am starved (Feeling cold) and used in this phrase "How starven I be, how starven I has gone"

Bents (long grass seed stalks)

Squitch (Couch grass)

[KittyColdNose]

My dad nearly made me spit out my tea the first time I heard him anywhere near close to swearing. He used the phrase "a knat's kna**er away" to mean very close.

Although he had two lotties side by side I never really picked up any gems from him. Something I would change if I could, his veg were always good from what I remember.

I have a similar word, "nesh". Meaning feels the cold easily.

I have been looking up plant lore, there are some mind boggling things out there.

[KittyColdNose]

Here's one I might try.

Sow beans and peas on David and Chad
Be the weather good or bad.

David and Chad = 1st & 2nd March. If it's a waning moon then even better according to another quote.

[noviceveggrower]

Hi,
My Grandad use to insist on keeping back a few new potatoes so he could plant them on Boxing Day. It didn't matter if they were going to dinner at someone else's house or if they were having visitors he had to do it then.
He and my nan use to have a farm a large poly tunnel on. He use to give my mom the potatoes so she could sell them at the local WI for some extra money. During the 70's my dad kept been made redundant and they never qualified for any benefits. She was always one of the first ones with the new potatoes for people.

[Compo72]

At agriculture college

Used to get told sow 3 or 4 seeds
One for the crop
One for the ground to rot
One for the birds to eat

Or something to do with the weather

If the weather is too warm and sunny today
It is a weather breeder for bad weather tomorrow

Another

Remember the temperature rises for it too snow
As currently it's too cold too !





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[Martin H]

"One for the rook, one for the crow,
One to rot and one to grow."

[WPG]

Prune your roses on St Patricks day (March 17) - I always stick to that tradition

I remember my childhood fear of 'poisoned' blackberries in October, down to the the myth that the devil pees all over them on St Michaelmas day (Sept 29)