Gardening superstition...

It's been deeply implanted in me that here in Central KY, you never never never plant tomatoes before Derby Day. If you do, they will die. And they'll try to talk the rest of your garden into committing suicide. Seriously.

The Derby Day thing actually does make sense, as the derby is the first Sat. of May, and our frost-free date is in the last week of April. The garden committing suicide thing doesn't make quite so much sense, but there we are...

So this week I've been digging, enlarging last summer's plot and preparing a new one in my side yard. So far, cabbage, beets, and carrots are thriving, the herbs have poked up their heads, and I've just planted the first green beans (bush). But no tomatoes. No way.

Does any one else have some garden superstitions? Or odd rules of thumb or old planing lore?

Brewer keeps telling to bury all the transplants up to the 3rd or 4th leaf. I'm no greenthumb, but I cringe and never do it.

I found something on GardenWeb that explained that with tomatoes this was ok (probably where he heard it) but not to do it generally, so we can let that one rest.

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Originally Posted by malkin

Brewer keeps telling to bury all the transplants up to the 3rd or 4th leaf. I'm no greenthumb, but I cringe and never do it.

I found something on GardenWeb that explained that with tomatoes this was ok (probably where he heard it) but not to do it generally, so we can let that one rest.

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Actually, for tomato plants that is a good idea. They have the ability to grow adventitious roots from leaf nodes anywhere along the stem that is buried in the ground. That results in a larger root system for the plant.
And often young tomato plants, either started at home in a window sill or even from the nursery have stretched and weak growth from growing conditions that didn't provide enough sunlight. When transplanted outdoors, that stretched growth is very susceptible to damage from wind, rain and sun...so burying part of the plant makes it more compact and less likely to be battered.

Not all plants have this ability but it works very well for tomatoes.

So not a superstitious reason for doing so but a scientific and practical one....:)

An interesting folklore saying I've heard and often repeated because it's been my experience also, refers to the growth habit of newly planted perennials, shrubs or trees....

First year it sleeps,
Second year it creeps,
Third year it leaps.

In the south (atlanta and thereabouts) you are always suppoosed to plant your black eyed peas on new years day.

marni

I am from South Louisiana, where everyone is Catholic...I grew up with my Dad telling me if you dig on Good Friday, the earth will bleed.

Southern Illinois here (an hour from Kentucky, Missouri and Indiana). Lettuce should be sown on Valentine's Day and you always cut rhubarb in a month that has an "R".

One I've heard but always have a hard tone following is that you're not supposed to say Thank You when some gives you a plant or seed, or the plant will die/not grow.

I've heard that one too. And the whippoorwhill's song is saying "Plant your corn, plant your corn."