Today is a great almanac day... May 11 - Three Chilly Saints. May 11, 12, and 13 are the feast days of Saints Mamertus, Pancras, and Gervais (or Gervatius).
"For some gardeners, the next three days are quite special. May 11, 12 and 13 are the feast days of saints Mamertius, Pancras (or Pancratius) and Gervais (or Gervatius). These three are known as the Three Chilly Saints, not because they were cold during their lifetimes, but because these days are tradtionally the coldest of the month. According to folklore, these days were most likely to bring a late frost. In Germany, they were called the "Eismänner", or Icemen Days, and people believed it was never safe to plant until the Icemen were gone.
Today, most of us feel quite comfortable planting during the long weekend in May. But some gardeners, like Grandma, never put annuals in until after the full moon in May. This year the full moon is quite late in the month, not until the 26th. By the way, the full moon in May is the Full Planting Moon or the Full Grass Moon. I don't think I'll be able to hold off qite that long, but I will wait until the Icemen are gone."
