The book Old wives’ lore for gardeners by the Boland sisters collects tricks and wisdom of English gardening, adaptable to our climate. From sowing with the moon to the benefits of hair and animal fur as fertilizer, through the rotation between warm and cold herbs, the text is a mine of practical and curious advice. Ideal for those who grow vegetable gardens or gardens, even on balconies.

Using the book Old wives’ lore for gardeners by English sisters Maureen and Bridget Boland we will answer these and other curious questions:

How to farm easily? Where do I find the cultivation tricks? Are there books on how to grow a garden?

But why do we use this book?

The British put a lot of hands on their garden

Thanks to the favorable climate, humid, changeable, rainy, they have always been able to afford a luxuriant greenery. From them box hedges are green sculptures, and flower borders always make us mad with envy.

How many books are there that give crop suggestions?

There are therefore several books by English “experts in the field” who tell their experience in the garden. It must also be recognized that over the years this rule has changed a bit and today we also find many good gardener writers of their own green space in Italy too and we will talk about it in the next articles.

OLD WIVES’ LORE FOR GARDENERS

This delightful couple of English sisters have had more than one garden and have studied and observed and cultivated, learning many secrets which they finally decided to include in a book.

“‘Old wives’ lore for gardeners” precisely full of suggestions and idioms also valid here and which for the most part can also be used in our climate, quite different from theirs.

One seed for the raven, one for the crow, one that will die, one that will grow.

How much wisdom in this saying. In other words it is suggested to always sow abundantly because a good part of the seeds fails to grow.

A few tricks from the book on how to farm easily

Did you know that you should sow seeds naked?

To decide whether to sow barley, for example, one would have to sit with a bare back on the ground: if the temperature is good for that part, it will be good for the barley too.

This speech, about going out in the garden without clothes, concerns the air temperature in sowing which, if it doesn’t make us shiver, is also suitable for seeds.

Does planting with the waxing moon or full moon help in the cultivation of the vegetable garden?

This is already known and absolutely true information as women know about cutting their hair that grows back sooner. One could spell planting and cutting one’s hair on a waxing moon.

Lunar calendars are widespread and absolutely reliable.

In fact, according to statistics, it seems that after the full moon or the new moon there are often showers.

Cut hair should not be thrown away…

…and so the hair of your pets. They are in fact a source of many minerals that can be used by plants as nourishment.

The book suggests inserting them along the bean cultivation furrows also to combat small harmful insects.

How to grow easily: Hot herbs and cold herbs

The book recommends alternating between growing hot and cold herbs. It is recommended to plant a warm herb following a cold herb. As soon as the article was published this was a mystery which however, by rummaging around and asking everyone we could reach, we think we have solved it. Here is the answer from Mr. Raffaele Galleani, Head of the Scientific Medical Direction of Natural Salus Spa:

“Hot herbs or cold herbs depend on the natural habitat of the plants. In fact, a thermophilic plant (or warm grass) is defined as a plant that loves temperatures higher than the average environmental ones and which therefore, within a territory, preferentially settles in the warmer areas.”

The possibility remains valid that if you do not agree, you can report it to info@mondodelgiardino.com explaining why.

Plants useful to others: Advice and suggestions for improving the vegetable garden and the garden

Nettle that makes the surrounding plants grow better, Digitalis stimulates growth and protects against ailments, chamomile heals stunted plants, parsley gives more perfume to roses if planted nearby. The ferns, buried in the earth of the fuchsias, protect them from the cold.

A whole world of tips in this beautiful and very helpful book that I’m so glad I bought a few years ago.

Now on horseback! Work awaits us! Our new wonderful outdoor space is about to be born!

GOOD WORK and … if you have any questions please write to info@mondodelgiardino.com

Sources of the images: Thank you.