Gardening is an age-old occupation, and over the years, gardeners have come up with some interesting ways to improve their production. Garden folklore has helped gardeners decide when to plant, how to plant, when to harvest, and other essential tasks over the years. Some of these traditions have a solid basis; others maybe not so much. We’ll let you decide.

Never say “thank you” for a plant.

A common belief in Appalachia is that you should never thank someone for a plant or cutting. Some folks say it’s just bad luck and others say the plant will die. Either way, best to just give a response like, “what a gorgeous a pepper.”

Foxglove is often associated with fairies or witches.

People once believed that foxgloves were associated with faeries. Foxgloves grew where the faeries flourished, and planting them would invite faeries to your garden. It was considered bad luck to cut them. 

Today some believe that the name foxglove may have been initially “folk’s glove” as fairies were sometimes referred to as “the folk.” In Norwegian folklore, it was believed they were named foxgloves because faeries taught foxes how to ring the foxgloves’ bell-shaped flowers and warn each other of hunters.

Witches were reported to make ointments and balms from foxglove that allowed them to fly. Although foxglove may have never allowed anyone to physically fly, there is some tidbit of truth behind this belief. An herbal preparation called “flying ointments” were once created from various hallucinogenic and toxic plants and allowed the users to have visions. You can read a bit more about this odd tradition here.

Never consume or use any part of foxglove in an ointment or herbal remedy. All parts of the plant are extremely toxic.

Plant your corn when the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear.

We still include this one in our corn-growing guide! Corn should be planted after your first average frost-free date, and you can usually count on the oak leaves starting to grow by then.

Plant above ground crops during the waxing moon and below ground crops during the waning moon.

Planting by the phases of the moon was once a common tradition and is still used by many gardeners. A common belief was that the moonlight increasing or decreasing each night affected which plant parts would grow best. 

Increasing moonlight (a waxing moon) was believed to encourage the growth of leaves and stems, so it was an excellent time to plant crops like tomatoes, winter squash, cucumbers, corn, and peppers. Decreasing moonlight (a waning moon) was believed to encourage the growth of bulbs, tubers, and roots, so it was a good time to plant crops like potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, and flowering bulbs.

Plant potatoes and peas on St. Patrick’s Day.

In many parts of the U.S., it was considered good luck to plant these crops on St. Patrick’s Day. This generally works well for folks in zone 5 or higher. Other folks believe it’s best to plant potatoes on Good Friday.

It’s time to plant when you can sit on your garden soil without pants on and not get cold.

This is a funny old bit of folklore but it still rings true. Many vegetable crops need warm soils (around 60°F) to germinate and grow well. Soil thermometers weren’t always as easy to come by as they are today and gardeners have always been a determined lot!

Fennel wards off evil.

Traditionally, people hung bundles of fennel over doorways to ward off evil spirits, witches, and demons. Some folks went as far as to stuff it in gaps and keyholes to help seal their home from evil. 

Add Epsom salts to your soil to fix plant issues.

I’ve seen this one floating around the internet lately, and it may rarely be correct. Epsom salts contain magnesium and sulfur, which plants do need. However, these are just two nutrients your plants need, and odds are your soil isn’t deficient in them. If you’re having a lot of issues keeping plants healthy, get a soil test and learn how to understand it.

Stolen plants will grow better.

There are a couple of versions of this one. Some say it’s all plants, while others say it’s just herbs. Sometimes stealing the plants is good luck in general, while others say the plant will grow better. This tradition is still alive today, and some people will turn around when giving away plants so that the recipient can “steal” them. 

Planting peppers when you’re mad will make the peppers hotter.

I’m not sure when this one got started, but it’s a fun bit of folklore. Next time you’re mad about the weeds or wildlife getting into your garden, add a few more pepper plants and let us know how this one goes.

Do you have any garden traditions? Have you tried any of these? Let us know on Facebook! While not all these traditions are practical, they are fun to think about!

There’s a lot to love about gardening. You spend time in nature, grow beautiful flowers and delicious food, and save some money on your grocery bill. For many, another allure is the ability to control how at least a portion of our food is produced.

When we grow our own, we get to decide how the land is managed, what inputs are used, and eliminate the gas-guzzling travel that most food in a modern grocery store does. In short, we want to grow food that’s a bit more sustainable. Here are some tips to help you further that goal and grow a more sustainable garden this year.

Ditch the plastic.

Did you know that plastic is now so ubiquitous in agriculture that there’s a term for it? It’s called plasticulture. From greenhouse covers and black plastic mulch to seedling trays and packaging, plastic is involved in every step of food production.

This year, try to eliminate it from your garden wherever you can. Ditch the black plastic mulch in favor of natural mulches and cover crops. Purchase a soil blocker or look into other plastic-free seed starting methods. 

Reduce erosion.

Erosion isn’t just a problem for big agriculture. It happens in gardens and on small farms too. Letting soil and nutrients wash out of your garden has obvious negative impacts on production, but it also impacts the environment. As nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous wash out of gardens and croplands, they make their way into the local watershed and cause toxic algae blooms.

Thankfully, there are several solutions to erosion. What will work for you will depend on your land. You may want to build a swale or create terraced beds on larger slopes. On mild slopes, planting rows perpendicular to the slope of the land will make a big difference. You can also help keep soil in place by never leaving it bare, especially in winter. Use mulch and plant cover crops. 

Make your own seed starting mix.

Not all potting mixes are created equal. Certain commonly used ingredients like sphagnum peat moss and perlite are less than ideal. Peat moss sounds eco-friendly, but it takes thousands of years to form and is considered a non-renewable resource. 

Perlite is a type of volcanic rock that’s harvested through strip-ming. Check out our post, DIY Potting Mix, to learn more about potting mix ingredients and how to create your own blends.

Water your garden efficiently. 

Here in the eastern U.S., wasting water in your garden certainly isn’t the issue that it is in other parts of the world. However, that doesn’t mean water should be needlessly wasted, especially if you pay for city water. A few small changes can make a big difference in your garden.

First, if your garden is sloping see the above “reduce erosion” section. Don’t let that rainwater go to waste! Create some swales or terraced beds to capture it. 

Second, think about what time you water. Watering in the evening or early morning is most efficient. If you water during other hotter parts of the day, you’ll lose a lot of water to evaporation.

Lastly, consider switching to soaker hoses or drip irrigation which water just the roots of your plants. They can also help cut down on weeding because you’re not watering between plants.

Use integrated pest management.

Unfortunately, all gardeners will struggle with pests at some point. Thankfully, there are many sustainable solutions, sometimes called integrated pest management, that you can use to mitigate pest issues without resorting to pesticides, organic or otherwise. 

A significant step towards reducing pest issues is to attract their predators. You can plant flowers that attract predatory wasps and other insects, create an insect hotel, or create habitat for insect-eating birds.

Another way to mitigate pest problems is by practicing companion planting. This method of planting different crops side by side has been shown in several studies to reduce pest issues. For example, marigolds may repel bean beetles when planted alongside beans, and onions may repel carrot flies when planted alongside carrots.

Lastly, crop rotation is critical. It helps keep soil healthy, which helps keep your plants healthy and more able to withstand pest pressure. Also, many pests overwinter in the soil. When you plant the same crop in the same spot each year, their numbers will build up, and they’ll always have something to feed on.

Save seed.

There are many reasons to save seed this year. One key reason is that when you save seed from open-pollinated varieties, you help to preserve biodiversity. The genes in the variety you save may someday be found to be helpful in adapting to climate change or coping with specific disease and pest pressures. 

Go no-till.

No-till agriculture can sound intimidating, but many find it results in less work in the long run. When you practice no-till agriculture, you create a permanent garden and use cover crops and mulch to keep down weeds and grass. Two of our seed growers, Rodger and Karen Winn, have a great example of a no-till garden.

You avoid using fossil fuels to run a tiller or tractor using these methods. It helps build good soil too. You constantly add organic matter and allow beneficial insects, bacteria, and fungi to thrive. You also allow your garden to store more carbon in the soil and cover crops. 

Gardening is good for you and good for the planet. This year make your garden even more sustainable by incorporating a few of these tips into your plan.