The warm rays of the sun are beckoning and the little plants you grew yourself are waiting on the windowsill to finally be allowed outside. Is it the same for you? Then you should, just like me, still be a little patient with the planting! Because in mid-May it can get quite cold again. The so-called Frost Saints are coming!

Who or what are the Frost Saints?

The Frost Saints are 3 to 5 days between the 11th and the 15th of May, during which it can get frosty once again. Even ground frost is not uncommon. And that’s poison for your baby plants!

They are named after some Catholic saints whose name days fall in this period: Mamertus (May 11), Pancras (May 12), Servatius (May 13), Boniface (May 14), and Sophia (May 15).

All superstition, right?

In fact, the Frosty Saints are based on the popular belief that things don’t really stay stable weather-wise until May 15. However, we humans have been observing the weather for centuries if not millennia, and there are indeed always regular strong weather changes during this period. Hence the recommendation is to allow your tomato seedlings a few more days indoors and wait out the volatile frosty times.

Climate Change and the Frost Saints

Well, climate change does not stop at the Frost Saints. Since our climate is warming up, the frosts around the May Days are becoming less severe and also somewhat rarer. Nevertheless, the age-old weather rule still holds true: even if there is no frost, the temperatures still drop noticeably. And not only for us, but also for the plants.

By the way: In the meantime, the drop in temperature is usually no longer the case during the actual Frost Saints, but rather around May 23.

For even more gardening tips, check out the blog articles below: