KW-11 Of Saints and pigs

Do good pigs go to heaven?

I was quite sure that this week - (k/c)alendar week 11, as we know - was the 8th week before the last frost. It turns out that my counting skills are not quite as good as I thought they were, and we are sitting comfortably at NINE weeks before the last frost.

I have decided to illustrate today’s newsletter exclusively with pigs. Here they are enjoying the fresh morning rays of another crispy early spring morning

Ground frost is when the water in the ground freezes. Jack Frost comes to visit. Knowing when your last likely ground frost is is going to be is of great importance if you want early crops and heavy harvests.

As with most things in gardening, there are folk stories and superstitions to help us along. In the German-speaking part of the world, we have the tales of the catholics to help us here. Every day of the year is dedicated to a specific Saint (Heilige), and in the middle of May, there are five of them who together are known as the Eisheiligen - The Frost Saints. Actually, it’s usually translated as “Ice Saints”, but that’s kinda literal and unattractive, so I’m going to go ahead and call them the Frost Saints.

I never really bothered to learn their names, but I know that one of them is called St Pancras (yes, London people, that St Pancras) and the last one of them was a lady Saint called Sophie. I know her because:

„Vor Nachtfrost bist Du nie sicher, bis Sophie vorüber ist”.

Which isn’t very poetical, but it says it all. “You’re never safe from ground frost until Sophie’s been and gone”.

So, this week, I was planning on starting sowing all the stuff which you sow 8 weeks before the last frost - gourds and courgettes, brassicas, celer(y/iac), leeks, and so on - but I guess I have another week to wait. I’ll probably still sow the most nervous and delicate of them and see if I can get away with it. And maybe some giant pumpkins for fun.

Instead, I shall be mostly:

• Working on the potager

Yes, that’s it. I mean, I won’t. I’ll get distracted by other things, but seeing as the ground is drying out a bit, I should make the most of that, and dig, dig and dig some more.

The sun came out and so did the suntan lotion. You can’t really see it on this picture, but they dug themselves little holes to sleep in. I think they think they are chickens and in need of a dust bath.

What about you? Have you sown anything yet?

I have some homework for you. Go and find out when your last frost is going to be. There is all that online stuff, but the best way is to find an Old Person™ who gardens, and ask them. Let me know in the comments where you are, and when yours is, and what you are most eager to get in the ground!

And until next week, be excellent to each other

Much love x

your The Pirate Ben