Spring starts Monday, March 20, 2023, at 5:24 p.m. EDT. Many of us are counting down the days until its arrival.
Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal. It is also a time to cut, break, and till the dirt. A time to sow and plant. Tend and pull weeds. And cross our fingers for a big harvest.
Some of us have a “green thumb,” and many of us do not, so we tend to do other things besides fertilizing. For instance, some of us might celebrate spring by remembering some of the folklore and superstitious ways of a Grandmother.
For example, I am extra good to Mr. & Mrs. Scarecrow who reside in my vegetable garden, year after year, because Mamaw told me to be. Mamaw explained that if I was not kind to the couple, my crops would die. I’m sure each spring of every year, they get new clothes (new to them, but some of my old clothes) including a special straw hat to help keep them cool in the summer sun. Now, once you have given clothing to a scarecrow you can never wear it again, or it will bring bad luck. Folklore tells us that a scarecrow should not be put out before Easter and should always be taken down and burned before midnight on Halloween. And a scarecrow is always to be given a name.
If you need a little extra luck for growing your garden, here are some of the things old folks used to do.
Some gardeners believe that plants will grow so much better if stolen. Some even believe this so much that, when they give someone a plant, they will put it down and turn their back on it. That way, the other person can “steal” it. And NEVER thank someone for a plant. The plant will die.
About the same time that Mark Twain was writing the book Huckleberry Finn, many gardeners practiced what Twain talked about in one part of his story: you, “talk to the bee’s.” According to this myth, you need to tell your bees about everything that’s going on in the house. Every evening, stand by your beehive and talk to your bees. It is believed that this encourages the bees to be more productive. The happier the bees, the sweeter their honey, or so the myth goes.
Furthermore, if someone in the household passes away, the bees need to know about it within a week or they, too, will die. Some beekeepers went as far as draping the beehives with a black cloth in case the bees weren’t paying attention when told about the death in the family.
- Work animal fat into the soil of your rose garden. It is said to enhance the blooms and the plant will be fuller.
- Don’t plant your garden until the oak leaves are the size of mouse ears.
- Always plant your potatoes on Good Friday. Plant your green beans on Good Friday.
- Anything planted on the first day of Spring will live.
- Bury nails around the roots of Hydrangea to make the blooms blue.
- Grass won’t grow where human blood has been spilled.
- Tomatoes should be planted on Memorial Day.
- After planting a hill of beans, press the soil with your foot for good luck.
- Planting peppers when you’re mad, makes the peppers grow hotter.
- If 2 people’s hoes hit together, they will work in the same field next year.
- Trees that bloom twice in one year will have a bad crop.
- Lay off your rows straight. Rows have to be straight because God wants everything straight as an arrow.
- Rows should run North to South.
- When planting seeds, always plant three in a hill – one for the good, one for the crow, and one to grow.
- Plant crops that grow above the ground during a waxing moon, and plants that grow below the ground on a waning moon.
- Burying a piece of iron next to your roses is supposed to make them more fragrant.
- Nothing grows under a walnut tree.
- In a vegetable garden, never plant the same plants in the same spot two years in a row. Rotate where they are, and you’ll save your soil.
- Flowers which bloom out of season are evil.
- To keep crows from bothering your garden, kill one and hang it nearby.
- Plant green beans when apple trees are in bloom.
- Sow peas when daffodils are in flower.
- Plant melons when iris bloom.
- Plant tender annuals, beans, cucumber, and squash seeds when lilacs bloom.
- Plant marigolds around vegetables to deter pests.
- Plant three crops of parsley: two for the devil, and one for yourself.
There are also many Appalachian superstitions surrounding parsley. According to Pennsylvania Germans, Good Friday is the only day you can transplant parsley without bringing death on the family. If you’ve ever tried to transplant parsley, my advice is to leave it well alone!
Cooking potatoes for dinner? You can use the potato water – don’t tip it away! Save water after boiling potatoes and spray it onto plants that need protection. The starch is said to provide a protective layer on foliage.
It is considered bad luck to plant anything on the 31st of any month.
Some old folks say that you can keep moles away by laying out Juicy Fruit gum or human hair.
Not only do gardens put healthy and tasty foods on our supper table, but they offer other benefits. Colonial America Quakers believed gardens helped relax and restore the soul. They also believed growing plants and designing a garden stimulated the creative juices. So, not only can gardens help improve your mood, but they can also help with mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.
One last thing. No matter how tired you are after a long day of gardening, never forget to leave the hoe a safe distance away from the house. It’s very bad luck to carry a hoe in your house.
Happy gardening!
banjo
