St. John's Day is celebrated by Christians, with traditional customs commemorating St. John the Baptist. But this day also has meaning for gardeners. On this day there are a number of traditional activities related to garden maintenance. Then the summer tree pruning is carried out and the harvest for some plants is completed. Some vegetables are only harvested until this day. When is St. John's Day and what does it mean for gardeners? We explain below. But first, briefly about the Christian meaning of the holiday.
The Christian meaning of St. John's Day
St. John's Day is a Christian holiday that commemorates the birth of St. John the Baptist, a saint of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Jesus came to John the Baptist as he was baptizing people in the Jordan River and wanted John to baptize him too. John thought he was not worthy, but Jesus replied, “In this way we will do everything God asks.” The holiday is 6 months before Christmas. Popular customs include making a St. John's crown made from leaves and twigs and dancing around the St. John's fire. In some areas, St. John's bonfires or solstice bonfires are lit.
St. John's Day, also known as St. John's Day, is celebrated on June 24th. This is the highlight of summer. This day celebrates the middle of summer and from this point on the days become shorter again. St. John's Day can predict the weather for the near future. If the weather is nice on June 24th, it is expected to stay that way for two weeks. St. John's Day is an important date for gardeners, and the many agricultural rules associated with this holiday speak to this. Here we explain what activities take place in the garden before this day and what you should no longer do in the garden after St. John's Day.
Which plants to cut on St. John's Day?
Around St. John's Day is the time when you can plant lots of hedge plantsmake a cut backand remove soft shoots from fruit trees. At this point, the plants have finished their first shoots and are in a short resting phase. The subsequent new growth is called St. John's shoot. Pruning on St. John's Day promotes plant growth and keeps the trees in good shape by growing more compactly.
Consider that if you prune your plants on this day, it should not be too hot to avoid burning the plants. The days around St. John's Day are also a good time for pruning many ornamental trees, which will be stimulated to bloom a second time by pruning on this day. For example, pruning is recommended for:
- lilac
- Snowball
- Weigelie
- spirit
- Forsythie
- Lavender
- Boxwood
- Yew trees
- Hornbeams and European beeches
- Kiefer
- Cherry laurel
- cypress
- Stechpalme
Summer pruning of fruit trees is also carried out on St. John's Day. Every year, fruit trees produce soft shoots that grow steeply upwards or into the interior of the tree and must be cut back. Branches that are diseased or growing too densely should also be cut back to keep your trees healthy. Please note that on St. John's Day you should only make a topiary cut and not a radical pruning. A third of the new growth should be left standing so that the plants can continue to develop well throughout the season. Make the cut with sharp and clean secateurs, cutting down to a bud.
If you want to make walnut liqueur, you should collect the green, not yet ripe walnuts. Before they ripen in October, the nuts already have the ideal soft shell for pickling.
What should not be harvested after St. John's Day
Traditionally, asparagus is no longer harvested after June 24th as the plants need the rest of the year to growenough nutrients in their rootsto save them so that they can grow healthily again next year. Rhubarb should also no longer be harvested after St. John's Day. The vegetables then produce more oxalic acid, which is dangerous to humans in high doses as it can cause kidney damage.
What is known about St. John's wort?
St. John's wort has yellow flowers and blooms around St. John's Day. It is a plant with healing properties, known for its antibacterial, antioxidant and antiviral properties. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, the plant has been applied to the skin to promote healing of wounds and burns. The plant has been used in traditional European medicine for centuries. In some countries, such as Bulgaria, there is a tradition on St. John's Day that involves young girls picking St. John's wort and other healing herbs early in the morning and making wreaths for their heads. Then they dance and sing together. The healing properties of herbs have long been known in Eastern Europe and there were healers in ancient times who used herbs to heal before modern medicine emerged.
Connection between St. John's Day and currants
St. John's Day is also important for gardeners in connection with currants. They are usually ripe at the end of June and can be picked until September. The first berries are harvested from St. John's Day, which is why they are called currants.
