Who Are The Three Ice Men?
Perhaps you’ve heard the old proverb that warns not to plant until after the “Three Ice Men” have passed, but do you know who these mysterious Ice Men are? We explain.
Quick Reference
- Who: St. Mamertus (May 11), St. Pancras (May 12), St. Servatius (May 13). Also called the “Three Chilly Saints” or “Iceman Days.”
- The rule: Do not plant tender crops until after their feast days have passed. The last frost typically falls on or near May 13.
- Origin: Northern European farming tradition, formalized in German, Swiss, French, and Polish folklore.
- Plus one: May 15, “Cold Sophia” (Zimna Zoska in Polish), Feast of St. Sophia. Rain on her day means safe planting season.
- Companion read: Almanac Gardening by the Moon Calendar and Mother’s Day Rule.
Perhaps you have heard the old proverb that warns not to plant until after the “Three Ice Men” have passed, but do you know who these mysterious Ice Men are? The tradition comes from Northern Europe, and is tied to the successive feasts of St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, and St. Servatius, whose respective days occur on May 11, 12, and 13. They are also sometimes referred to as the “Three Chilly Saints.”
Who Are The Three Ice Men?
In Europe’s not-too-distant past, parts of the continent remained rather cold through the middle of May, making planting before then risky. German and Swiss lore refers to mid-May as “Iceman Days,” while an old French saying states “Saint Mammertius, Saint Pancratius, and Saint Gervatius (the Francophone spelling of the three saints’ names) do not pass without a frost.” Because the agrarian people of medieval Europe were not likely to be literate, let alone aware of calendar dates, they measured time by observing nature and by the church calendar.
Remembering that the last frost of the year generally falls around the feast of Servatius was a useful marker for pre-modern farmers.
Who Were the Three Saints, Really?
Each Ice Man was a real bishop or martyr in the early Christian church. Their feast days happened to land in the same May week, so the agrarian calendar bundled them together.
| Saint | Feast day | Who he was |
|---|---|---|
| St. Mamertus | May 11 | 5th-century Bishop of Vienne, France. Founder of Rogation Days, three days of prayer for the harvest. |
| St. Pancras | May 12 | 14-year-old Roman martyr, beheaded under Diocletian around the year 304. Patron of children and oaths. |
| St. Servatius | May 13 | 4th-century Bishop of Tongeren, in modern Belgium. Patron against frost damage and rats. |
Servatius is the most directly linked to the cold-weather warning. His feast day was the latest of the three, and a frost on May 13 was the calendar’s last fair warning that winter was not yet finished with the garden.
More “Chilly Saints” Lore
In some regions, the lore goes on to note that rain will fall on Feast of St. Sophia, marking the beginning of planting season. For this reason, May 15 is referred to as “Zimna Zoska,” or “Cold Sophia” in Poland.
One point of interest is that this bit of lore dates back to before the creation of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, at which time most days of the year shifted somewhat. While the feasts of the Three Chilly Saints are still celebrated from May 11 to 13 on our calendar, these days used to fall a little later in the astronomical year: May 19 to 22.
Does the Rule Still Hold?
Roughly. The Three Ice Men served as a reasonable last-frost benchmark for medieval Northern Europe. In the modern United States, the average last-frost date varies dramatically by latitude and zone. For most of the U.S. corn belt, mid-May still tracks well. For the upper Midwest and northern New England, the safer date is closer to Memorial Day. In the Deep South, the last frost typically passes by mid-March.
| Region (50% probability) | Average last-frost date | Three Ice Men rule |
|---|---|---|
| Deep South (zones 8-10) | Mid-Feb to mid-Mar | Far too late, you can plant earlier |
| Mid-Atlantic / Ohio Valley (zones 6-7) | Apr 15 to May 1 | A safe ceiling, you can plant earlier |
| Corn Belt / Northeast (zone 5) | May 5 to May 15 | Right on the money |
| Upper Midwest / Northern New England (zones 3-4) | May 20 to Jun 1 | Wait an extra week to two |
| Mountain West (zones 3-5) | May 25 to Jun 15 | Wait two weeks to a month |
The National Weather Service publishes a probability table of frost dates for every U.S. station, which is the most reliable modern equivalent of the saint-day calendar.
Other “Last Frost” Rules of Thumb
- The Mother’s Day Rule. Wait until after Mother’s Day (the second Sunday in May) to plant tender crops. Common across the American Midwest.
- The Memorial Day Rule. Wait until Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) to plant tomatoes and peppers. Common in zones 3 and 4.
- “When the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear, plant corn.” An old American farming maxim that times planting to a phenological signal rather than a date.
- “Plant peas when the forsythia blooms.” Another phenological pairing. The forsythia bush blooms when the soil is warm enough for cool-season crops.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Three Ice Men?
The Three Ice Men are St. Mamertus (May 11), St. Pancras (May 12), and St. Servatius (May 13). Their feast days mark a Northern European agricultural tradition warning that the last frost has not yet passed.
Why are they called Ice Men?
Because their feast days reliably brought one last cold snap to medieval Northern Europe. Mid-May frosts during their week were common enough that German and Swiss lore named them “Iceman Days.” An old French proverb says the three saints “do not pass without a frost.”
Should I still wait until after May 13 to plant?
It depends on your zone. The Three Ice Men rule still tracks well for zone 5 (most of the corn belt and Northeast). South of that, you can plant earlier. North of that, plan to wait an extra one to three weeks. Check your local last-frost probability table.
Who is Cold Sophia?
St. Sophia, whose feast day is May 15. In Poland she is called Zimna Zoska, “Cold Sophia.” The lore says rain on her day signals the start of safe planting season. She is the unofficial fourth Ice Man.
Did the Gregorian calendar change move the dates?
Yes. The 1582 calendar reform shifted dates by about 10 days. Under the older Julian calendar, the three saints fell on what would now be May 19 to 22. The cold-snap pattern was originally tied to those later dates, which is one reason the modern May 11 to 13 sometimes feels a little early in the rule.
What is the Mother’s Day Rule?
An American gardening rule of thumb: do not plant tender crops until after Mother’s Day, the second Sunday in May. It is the U.S. counterpart to the Three Ice Men, tuned to the calendar of an English-speaking, Protestant farming culture.
Are there phenological cues that work better than dates?
Yes. Two well-tested cues: “Plant peas when the forsythia blooms,” and “When the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear, plant corn.” Both anchor planting to a local biological signal that responds directly to the soil and air temperature, rather than to a calendar that may run early or late in your zone.
Join The Discussion
Do you wait until after the Ice Men to plant your garden in spring? Or maybe you follow the Mother’s Day Rule? Let us know in the comments below.
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Jaime McLeod
Jaime McLeod is a longtime journalist who has written for a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including MTV.com. She enjoys the outdoors, growing and eating organic food, and is interested in all aspects of natural wellness.
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been burned enough times i go by the mothers day rule -lol. live in central indiana now but came from florida where i could plant in march
Hi Cynthia, Hope Indiana is treating you well 🙂 Thanks for sharing with your community here!
We live in Colorado at 8400 feet above sea level and the only way we can plant early is to start almost everything indoors in a grow tent, then transplant them into our greenhouse by end of April. Tomatoes, cabbage, zucchini, carrots, strawberries, snap peas and strawberries are all growing well out there. Peppers will be transplanted mid to end of June to avoid loss. With wildlife and weather fluctuations here, the best thing to do is invest in a good greenhouse complete with water, heat and air circulation.
After Memorial Day in Northern Michigan
In northern Arizona at 6300Ft, i waite until around June 1st to plant.Still to cold at night to plant now(May11,12,or13)
Here is the Colorado Rocky mountains we are still experiencing cold nights in late June this year that can damage or kill tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and squash unless covered at night.
My dad always said plant after Easter. So I still follow his rule. It’s served me well.
Memorial Day was “Planting Day” in our family when I was a child. Many I year I bicycled to my Grandparents’ home to help my grandfather with his planting while we listened to the Indy 500 Race on the radio. No transistors back in the Forties, just a long extension cord and an old radio with lots of tubes.
We always wait until mid-May, or until the last frost day is forecasted to plant. But usually, mid-May. Today, is June 19th, and it was 44 degrees this morning. I’m sure the tomatoes, squash, and cukes are not happy campers. I hope the green beans and butter beans are okay, too. The weather has been jerking us around. Upper 80s and low 90s, then beautiful 70s. Then back up. Then down.
Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.
Derby Day is my calendar milestone for planting.
I planted after Mother’s Day but Mother’s Day came early this year. I’ve had to cover up a couple of my plants because it has gotten so cold at night. My peonies always bloom by Mother’s Day. That’s what I always gave my mother for Mother’s Day. They’re just budding now.?