June 16, 2025, 9:30 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Farmers’ proverbs are meant to help care for and tend to the garden according to the weather. There are various folk sayings for June as well. myHOMEBOOK consulted a weather expert to determine whether these sayings hold true—or not.
“Cold in June spoils what wetness in May acquires” – so goes a farmer’s proverb for June. According to weather expert Jörg Riemann, this saying refers not only to the so-called “sheep cold” in June but also to the weather conditions of the previous month, May. How much truth lies behind this proverb and what it means for hobby gardeners.
The Farmer’s Proverb for June – What Sheep Cold Means
“In June, specifically from June 5 to June 20, the so-called sheep cold occurs, if it comes.” Sheep cold is caused by cool, moist polar air. In the past, it was even referred to as a Central European summer monsoon. “This can make it so wet and cool that there is a real risk of waterlogging (danger of parasites and root rot), as the cold simultaneously reduces the high evaporation usually typical for June. For us hobby gardeners, this means: The risk of diseases increases, for example, due to wetness and the increased occurrence of fungal diseases like the notorious pear rust,” Riemann further explains.
What Can Hobby Gardeners Do?
Those who want to protect and care for their plants should be particularly vigilant about waterlogging and pests. You can learn how to protect plants from fungal diseases here.
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Other Farmer’s Proverbs Said to Apply in June
For each month, there is not just one farmer’s proverb that provides insight into plant development and the upcoming harvest. For the month of June, the following additional proverbs circulate:
- June, more dry than wet, fills the barrel with good wine.
- Nothing has been spoiled by a June wind from the north.
- If field and garden are to thrive, they need sunshine in June.
- June, wet and warm, makes no farmer poor.
- A thunderstorm shower in June makes the farmer’s heart very glad.
In summary, it can be said that moisture in June benefits the harvest – except when it comes to the wine harvest. But just as it needs enough water, plants also need sunshine to grow healthily and produce fruit.