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It’s that time of year again. The snow is melting (well, not where I live) and the days are getting longer. The buds on the trees are starting to swell in anticipation of warmer temperatures. Birds are out and about and our minds, for us gardening types, turn to seed catalogs and what to plant, when and where.

And so, it seems now would be a good time to explore some wise gardening sayings. Along with trowel, hod, and spade, a few handy, old-timey wise sayings can offer some surprisingly useful advice.

#1 : “In October manure your field, and your land it’s wealth shall yield.”

This piece of advice is an accurate one. A good dose of manure needs time to break down and the winter rest gives it plenty of time. This is especially true as I learned once when we came by some free horse manure and tried to use it right away. It was so hot and acidic that it killed many of our plants that year. That taught me!

Another type of manure, apart from animal waste and kitchen waste, are green cover crops that you can plant, and which grow a little in late winter and then in the early spring can be turned over into the soil to incorporate the nutrients as it breaks down. This is an approach to manuring that is being applied at the large-scale farming level with great success in restoring the health of soils that have been overused and overdosed with chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.

#2 : “Water plants well or not at all.”

You would think that any water is better than no water, so when I read the explanation of this particular adage in my book on wise sayings (see below) it finally clicked as to why my dad always told me to “give the garden a good soaking”. If you only water a little, then the surface moisture will cause the plants to develop shallow roots. A good hearty soaking gets the moisture down into the soil and the plants will reach downward to develop a stronger root network.

#3 : “Plant pears for your heirs.”

Some fruiting plants can produce in three or four years, but others take a longer time. This is true for pear trees. And it gives food for thought, planting a garden or an orchard teaches us that immediate gratification is not the way of the Creation. There is great wisdom in patience and learning to commit to the long-term rather than get a quick return in the short-term (the financial sector could use this lesson).

It also teaches altruism. If you plant a pear tree you are doing the work of watering, feeding and protecting a plant that probably will not provide you with much during your lifetime, but it will provide for those who come after. It is a selfless act and one that teaches us that sometimes you put in all the work and toil and sacrifice and you never reap a reward in this life. Life is more meaningful if we take that lesson to heart.

So there are three interesting wise sayings to chew on, and tuck in your mental gardening shed for later use.

What other wise sayings or maxims have you heard through the years that have helped you in your gardening adventures? Please share in the comments below here on the blog, or on Facebook.

Sources: Wise Words and Country Ways: Traditional Advice and Whether It Works Today by Ruth Binney, 2004 (If you would like your own copy, please consider using the following link to purchase. I receive a small commission from Amazon of any purchases through this link: https://amzn.to/3JD4tFY)