When the sloe-tree is as white as a sheet, Sow your barley, whether it be dry or wet.

The proverb treats the sloe tree’s white blossom as a seasonal cue for sowing barley. It offers an observable sign for deciding when to begin the work.

Once that sign appears, the advice is to sow rather than wait for conditions to become more favorable. Its emphasis is on acting at the indicated time despite wetness or dryness.

Use the proverb when discussing the timing of barley sowing, particularly if wet or dry conditions make someone inclined to postpone the task. It presents the flowering tree as the deciding cue.