As with so much, we must credit the Ancients with the Dog Days of Summer. The Greeks derived dog days, from the Dog Star, Sirius, the most brilliant star in the night sky. This became to the Romans, always ready to adopt Greek culture, caniculares dies: days of the dogs.
In the Northern Hemisphere these is the hot, humid days of midsummer--roughly mid-July to the third week of August--this year 12 July to 20 August. The Greeks believed that a combination of Sirius' light with that of the Sun's effected plants, animals, women and men.
"Women are the most wanton, but men are feeblest, because Sirius parches head and knees and the skin is dry through heat," according to Alcaeus. Seek protection, he suggested, by steeping your lungs in wine. That certainly sounds more inviting than anything other than the most essential gardening. However, if the family pooch lies panting, Roman naturalist Pliny would have you feed him chicken manure.
Back in North America, Canada's favourite farmer Charlie Farquharson, advised, "Dog Days is here. All of us in heat." He added, however, "Cat nights for my son."
Wes Porter is a horticultural consultant and writer based in Toronto. Wes has over 40 years of experience in both temperate and tropical horticulture from three continents.
