Gardening Myths, Legends & Folklore?

[crazy_red]

Hello to the forum powers that be...

As a newbie, I wasn't sure where to post or ask this question, so forgive me if i've transgressed

I have a friend, Arthur, who began on his lottie when he was four, helping his Mum grow the family's veg during the war and he has continued tending it, without a break, ever since, 'inheriting' it when his 'Ma' passed away.

If you can catch him in the right mood and he doesn't think your question is one 'even a young eejit should be able to answer', he will give you one of his 'advisories' which usually starts with the preface:

"Well now, the trick to such and such is this ......"

He has a wealth of stories, ideas, growing tips and gardening lore which I find fascinating. Sadly, in our modern world of mass-produced veg, with no-one to pass it on to or record it, much of this growing and gardening related oral history is being lost.

I would love to hear more of this, especially as the 'lore' on a particular subject often differs from county to county. Would it be possible to have a 'sticky' thread, like the 'what I did today' thread for people to post up interesting or unusual things they have heard or read?

The incident that tickled me was when he observed that my parsley seed had sprouted and said it was actually a bad sign if a woman who was wed could get parsley seed to grow, because it meant that she was too headstrong for the marriage to last!!

Red x

[rustylady]

Hello to the forum powers that be.

I have a friend, Arthur, who began on his lottie when he was four. He has a wealth of stories, ideas, growing tips and gardening lore which I find fascinating.
The incident that tickled me was when he observed that my parsley seed had sprouted and said it was actually a bad sign if a woman who was wed could get parsley seed to grow, because it meant that she was too headstrong for the marriage to last!!

Red x

Love the old stories, Red. Lots of them have good common sense behind them too. Never heard the one about women growing parsley, but they do say that only a strong woman can successfully grow Rosemary.

[Snadger]

Parsley and parsnip seeds are purported to travel theee times to the Devil and back before they germinate!

[lynda66]

planting lolly sticks in the ground ...... makes a lolly tree grow

[Alice]

I think there was a similar thead a while back Red, if you want to search for it.
I think there was something about the Devil goes into the rhubarb on the 23rd June.
I don't know if that's true, but the rhubarb isn't as sweet or tender after that date.

[crazy_red]

Hey Snadger,

Some etymologies give the term 'pars' as deriving from an early latin form meaning 'pronged' or 'forked'.

The prong/fork in various forms, is a symbol often associated with the devil.

Parsley and parsnip are also very closely related botanically and parsley can apparently be cultivated to produce a double pronged, parsnip-like root.

So maybe the devil is in the name.......?

Red x

[crazy_red]

Hi Alice,

Thanks, I will look for the thread.

My OH thinks rhubarb tastes like the work of the devil whenever or however you serve it up LOL

Red x

[Snadger]

Hey Snadger,

Some etymologies give the term 'pars' as deriving from an early latin form meaning 'pronged' or 'forked'.

The prong/fork in various forms, is a symbol often associated with the devil.

Parsley and parsnip are also very closely related botanically and parsley can apparently be cultivated to produce a double pronged, parsnip-like root.

So maybe the devil is in the name.......?

Red x

As par hemlock!

Hemlock - britains most common witchy plant

[rustylady]

planting lolly sticks in the ground ...... makes a lolly tree grow

Does it work with cigarette butts too, Lynda? I chuck my ends on the plot (but they are roll-ups with no filters so totally biodegradable). Would be really good if I could grow them instead of buying!!

[lynda66]

Does it work with cigarette butts too, Lynda? I chuck my ends on the plot (but they are roll-ups with no filters so totally biodegradable). Would be really good if I could grow them instead of buying!!

dunno, i waited 10 years ...... didn't sprout very much ....... you can grow tobacco in this country though

[Stacey Steve]

Bit of urban myth that seems to be going round at present is that if you take on a lottie and think about crops, that they will magically grow and fulfill all your family's needs without having to do anything.

Sadly a lot of these people on our site have found it is just a myth.

[Alison]

Have heard the one about parsley, my grandad told my mum that when she managed to germinate it the first year her and my dad were married. Mind you, they lasted over 30 years until he passed away so I don't hold much water with that one. For the record, I've never had any problems with it either.

[lynda66]

parsley has taken over my garden ..... dunno why i bothered i haven't used any ....... rabbit likes it though

and there may be some truth in it ........ i never got wed lol

[Flummery]

The version I heard was that if a married woman can grow parsley she will be the one who wears the trousers. Wel, I can grow parsley - and I don't wear a frock (nice old-fashioned word!) much. However, I don't think that's what they meant.

[HeyWayne]

Not sure if it's the kind of thing you mean, but I will always remember the "plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest" for onion sets.

Can't think of any others - any of this kind of stuff I've only heard here.