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From the looks of things, you can see that many German gardeners have been quite busy already, evidenced by flowerpots and baskets on windowsills and balconies brimming with blossoms and color.
More cautious types suggest there’s good reason to put off one’s plantings until the middle of May, lest a phenomenon known as the “Eisheilegen” spoils all that beauty with its killing frosts.
The Eisheilegen, which translates roughly to Ice Saints, are holy days of the church calendar dedicated to St. Mamertius (May 11), St. Pancratius (May 12), St. Servatius (May 13) and St. Bonifatius (May 14). May 15, the day dedicated to an early Christian martyr by the name of Sophia, is referred to as "Kalte Sophie,” or Cold Sophia.
According to folk wisdom, a cold snap that can linger for several days running is to be expected around mid-May, so it’s best to leave planting one’s crops and flowers until this period has safely passed.
For those who are curious as to whether any hard science backs up the folk wisdom, the German Weather Service has this to offer: Until the middle of the 19th century, cold air masses were often observed around this time of the year. Although this isn’t usually the case these days, the weather in 2020 coincided with the traditional prognosis, with ground frost up to -5 degrees Celsius (about 23 degrees Fahrenheit) measured in Germany’s Thuringian Forest. In recent years, cold weather moving in from the Arctic so late in the year has become a rarer phenomenon, and has at times appeared at the beginning of May or even toward the tail end of the month.
So if you’ve yet to plant your window box or purchase your tomato seedlings, congratulations! You are not a procrastinator, but rather one fully in tune with traditional ways.
