Vol 2-6
The Dog Days, summer's sultry final breath of sun and heat, are the time in the northern hemisphere when the star Sirius rises in the east opposite the sun setting in the west. The Ancient Greeks named this annual moment the "dog days" in reference to the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, meaning "scorcher." During the Dog Days, as this summer rolls to a close, I think back to a summer concert on Northerly Island. It is a perfect venue for an open air concert at the end of a sunbaked summer in the city. Imagine yourself clapping and singing along at the top of your lungs as Florence Welch, of Florence and the Machine, belts it out with unparalleled skill.
Florence was inspired to write this song by a piece of art, by Ugo Rondinone. She says it is in "...reference to the dog star, Sirius. When it was closest to the Earth, all the animals would get languid and sleepy. When it moved away, they'd wake up."
Sirius is the brightest start in the night sky and follows Orion's daily journey from East to West, like any good dog would. During the Dog Days, roughly a month from July to early September, the heliacal rising of Sirius corresponds to the sun. Rising with the dawn and disappearing below the horizon at sunset. For Ancient Greeks, this scorching second sun was blamed for the immense summer heat. Homer documented this in The Iliad when he referred to Orion's rising dog as a harbinger of war and disaster. Late summer heat brought drought and ruin to crops in unlucky years. Further references in ancient cultures tie Sirius to catastrophic weather events such as hurricanes, intense thunderstorms, and tornados. Alternatively, it is in the height of summer when tempers run hot and violence is at its height. The violence Sirius brings as he trots across the bright summer sky is still seen today. Across the country this summer, we've experienced hurricanes, forest fires, record heat and gun violence. The beauty of our own garden was saved from scorching heat and thunderous storms by the care of many hands.
Celebrations were held across Ancient Europe at summer's end. Rejoicing in the bounty of the fall harvest while also warding off lingering bad luck of the Dog Days. Gone are the summer pool days lounging in the sun. Yet, we are coming to the season of celebration. First comes Halloween, originating from the Celtic festival Samhain. According to tradition, peace was declared and feasts, bonfires, and contests were held to mark the new year. There is intricate Celtic mythology associated with the underworld, fairies, and kings. These traditions, including potato carving, were transitioned into All Hallows Day and All Hallows Eve with the popularization of Christianity and later our Halloween. Pumpkin carving is undoubtedly more fun than potato carving.
Refreshing breezes have replaced humid summer days as we enter the dark half of the year. With the arrival of chilly evenings and colors turning in the treetops, we an rejoice in having been untouched by the bad luck of the Dog Days. Now the Dog Days are over, the close of the garden is near. We can busy ourselves with trips to a pumpkin patch near or far, apple picking, a hike with your pup, or baking pies and breads. With the the crisp air on your face, snuggle into fall, embrace the calm of falling leaves, and enjoy some good soup.
Good News
We are on Facebook!
The Imperial Towers Community Garden now has a moderated Facebook Group. We encourage you to stay connected to your fellow gardeners in this new group. It is a private group, but open to all gardeners. We are excited to foster conversations about plot care, inquiries for help watering plots, strategies for trellising, gardening fails, gardening hacks, and celebrating successes large and small. Join in the conversation and the fun:
Congratulations!
Chicago Excellence in Gardening Video Award Winner!
Thank you to all who shared the link and encouraged friends and family to vote. We are so proud of our garden and are happy others and delight in our efforts as well.
Just because voting has ended does not mean that you can't keep bragging about our garden. Feel free to continue to show off our garden with our Winning CEGA 60-Second Garden Video
Upcoming Events
Garden Closing
As days have gotten shorter and nights have gotten colder, it is time to initiate the garden closing.
On Sat, October 2 the frost blanket for your plot will be door dropped between 9:30-11 AM. There will be a one page directions sheet rubber banded to the roll. This goes to primary plot owner unless otherwise previously requested. If you are traveling, please contact Vicky for other arrangements.
We will be closing in stages, thank you for responding to the questionnaire, to allow Urban Habitat to have more time to refurbish our garden boxes.
Stage 1: early/mid group- closing by Friday, October 15 :
2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10,11,12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 28, 29,32
Stage 2: late group- by Sat, October 30:
1,3,7,8,14,17,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,30,31,33,34,35
All gardeners must tuck in their plot by 2pm on Saturday, October 30th per the Garden Rules. The Garden Commission has planned for this to be as easy as possible. The Deck Crew will have the water turned off and winterize the storage box by 2pm on October 30.
Please plan accordingly so each and every plot is ready for what is to come.
Fresh from the Garden Recipes
Lentil Tabbouleh
with Dolmades and Pita
Ingredients
(serves 6-8)
8 oz dried green or brown lentils, rinsed well
1.5 cups chopped fresh parsley
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped into about 1/2 inch cubes
1 large cucumber, partially peeled, and chopped
1-2 TBSP Lemon juice
1 TBSP fresh thyme
1tsp Vinegar
Salt, Pepper & Cumin to taste
For the full meal:
Store-bought dolmades
Olive oil
Greek yogurt
Pita, toasted and cut into wedges
Directions:
Add the lentils to a pan with water to cover them by at least 1/2 inch.
Bring to a boil and then allow them to simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add thyme, vinegar, and cumin and black pepper to taste
Combine parsley, tomatoes, and cucumber, and lemon juice.
Drain lentils once they are tender, add another squeeze of lemon and S&P to taste.
Let cool.
Combine all ingredients, add additional lemon, salt, pepper, or cumin if desired.
Serve at room temperature or cold, with a side of dolmades, pita, and Greek Yogurt drizzled with olive oil.
*Thank you to Laurel Berman for this recipe submission *
Ask Rose
Dear Rose,
In a fall spirited shopping spree, I purchased a plot full of beautiful fall mums. I planted them and added cute squash and pumpkins to my plot. It couldn't look more lovely this fall. With the closing date looming, I'm hoping to find a way to extend the life of my mums. Is it possible to bring them inside?
Please help!
Fall Spirited Shopper,
There are many techniques for overwintering your mums. If you plan to leave them in your plot, they just may be happy where they are. The row cover we use when closing our plots allows rain and snow to nourish the roots in your plot. However, because the garden plots are raised, they do not benefit from the more temperate ground temperature. It is likely your plot will cool to the air temperature, which can damage perennial plants left overwinter.
Mums are best kept over winter in a pot, wrapped in newspaper or another protective layer, stored between 20F - 50F, and watered occasionally. Given our type of residence, this is likely not possible.
One option you do have for enjoying just a little more time with your mum is to uproot it and keep it potted for the fall indoors. You will need a pot about 2" wider than the root cluster of your mum and additional potting soil. If you plan to pot your mums and bring them in, do keep in mind that you should take extra care to redistribute the growing medium in your plot while leaving a layer of mulch on top. If you leave big holes, you will have added difficulty sewing seeds in the spring. This will also need to be done shortly before you close your plot and cover with row cover. Leaving large gaps in your plot when removing plants will increase wind erosion and cause a mess on the deck.
Cheers to successful growing,
Rose
Find more helpful hints for opening your garden on our Resources page.
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