The Soul of  the House

The sultry suns of summer came,

And he grew thick and strong;

His head well armed wi’ pointed spears,

That no one should him wrong.

The sober autumn enter’d mild,

When he grew wan and pale;

His bending joints and dropping head,

Show’d he began to fail.

Or so it was to the Scottish Poet Robert Burns (1759-96) when he celebrated John Barley corn in 1785.  Earlier the Celts had known October as the Ivy of Gort Month.  Notwithstanding all this, to us without a doubt pumpkin time, about which more later…

Luis Batagan, the Mexican Landscape architect, once said, “The garden is the soul of the house.”  But even the soul deserves the occasional break; while in northern climes more prolonged ones are required, at least for the garden.  Although unlike our boondocks buddies north of Steeles we have another month before things get desperate, there is much that can be commenced in October.

Raking fallen leaves is probably numero uno on the list.  It is not sufficient, as is sometimes suggested, even in certain literature, to simply rake them on to the flowerbeds.  The result is a wet, stifling mat that deprives the plants and soil of life-giving air.  Worse still, untreated dead leaves are a favourite sheltering place for many over wintering pathogens.  Composting is the answer.  Few of the familiar home composters have sufficient capacity.  The average oak, after all, will deposit 750,000 leaves plus some 5,000 acorns.  Pack them into plastic bags, secure and punch holes in the sides to allow air to enter, and then stack in a secluded corner.  A year later, voila, leaf mould emerges: rich and desirable compost.  Small quantities of leaves can be placed in the home composter.  Oak leaves and pine needles are highly acidic though and may unbalance the pH.  So for that matter can excess household waste.  Correct this by sprinkling a large handful of garden lime on top of each six-inch (15cm) layer.  You haven’t got a home composter?  All householders in Toronto are eligible to receive one delivered to the door for just $20.00, or $15.00 if you pick it up yourself.  Phone the city composting line at (416) 393-9573.

Other material for the composter will be dead annuals and perennial foliage and flowers.  Some of the stems may be hard and woody.  In such instances, first cut into very small lengths.  Vigorous weed roots, such as those of couch-grass and goutweed, should be allowed to shrivel in the sun on the patio for a couple of days before adding to the composter.  Do not cut back perennial ornament grasses.  Their crowns require the protection of the dead stems against the extremes of the next few months.

Towards the end of this month and even into November is the best time to worry about over-wintering the rose bushes. The same applies to the last mowing of the lawn, protecting evergreens and other similar chores.

October finishes off pumpkins nicely.  Actually, most of the “pumpkins” used to make traditional pies are, if truth were known, “squash”.  This is but one of the many intrigues indulged in by bumpkins who you might have guessed originally were called pumpkins down Boston way.  Incidentally, beans were not the original fare of that city.  Pumpkins were.  So much so, that it was known elsewhere as Pumpkinshire.

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