Posted on 11/01/2024 6:46:36 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The MONTHLY Gardening Thread is a gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.
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November Gardening Tips and To-do List by Planting Zone and Region
https://morningchores.com/november-gardening-tips/
https://www.tipsbulletin.com/how-to-compost-pumpkins/
Thank you for the new thread!
I harvested all my produce several weeks ago when it was supposed to get down to freezing. Ever since then it’s been nice and warm, I should have kept everything green on the plants. You never know.
The History of Day of the Dead
(Dia de los Meurtos)
What Is Day of the Dead
Here in the USA, we mourn our loved ones when they pass with funeral services and wearing dark solemn clothing. It’s usually a sad time in our families when we have to say goodbye to grandpa forever. Different cultures grieve and treat death differently with traditions that have been around for centuries.
One culture that has created a unique and interesting way to face death and the deceased is Mexico. Mexico is colorful, noisy, and lots of fun. The people, the food, and the celebrations are bright, loud, and unequaled. So when it comes to death, in true Mexican style, Mexicans celebrate with color, food, and music.
Day of the Dead is a 2-day celebration where it is believed that the passageway between the real world and the spirit world is open so our deceased loved ones can come back to visit us. What do we do when grandpa comes back from the land of the dead? We make his favorite meal and we offer him his favorite drink. We sing, dance, and rejoice before he heads back to the underworld for another year.
When Is Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. It is sometimes confused with Halloween because of the symbolic skulls but is not related at all.
It is said that on November 1st the children who have passed come back to visit and celebrate as angelitos and on the following day, November 2nd, it’s the adults (Difuntos) turn to show up for the festivities.
Family members prepare for several weeks in advance for the tradition by creating altars, decorating burial sites, and cooking specific Day of the Dead food.
Origins of Dia de Muertos
When the Spaniards came to Mexico and introduced Catholicism to the indigenous people they blended traditions and beliefs to create their own customs.
Dia de Muertos came to be from a mixture of the Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess, Mictecacihuatl, with the Catholic influence. Mictecacihuatl is the “lady of the dead” and it is said that she watches over the bones of the dead and swallows the stars during the day.
The church rejected the Aztec’s beliefs and turned it into All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day making it on 2 days to fall into the catholic calendar. Mexicans have since transformed it into a truly unique holiday that they honor every year.
How It’s Celebrated Today
Today’s customs regarding Day of the Dead festivities have morphed over the years to become the distinct tradition it is now. Flowers, altars, food, and music are all integral parts of the holiday.
Families will gather during the night at the cemeteries (panteons), light candles, and place flowers on the burial sites of their lost loved ones. There is festive music and definitely no crying or grieving. This is a reflective and lively get-together honoring the deceased back to celebrate life and enjoy all the human things again.
https://dayofthedead.holiday/history/
Hi Everybody!
(((HUGS)))
bkmk
I like having color in my life, as opposed to neutrals, so this is interesting to me. I’ve always celebrated All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, so this is very similar, but much more colorful and festive.
It’s hard to believe it’s November 1st, though.
I’ve been told by an acquaintance here that pine needles are great to put around my blueberry bushes (which are in large containers). He says to just pile ‘em on like mulch, & they’ll feed the soil as they decompose. Anyone here ever done that? My pine tree always sheds a ton of needles, so if what I was told is accurate, maybe I’ll have a good harvest next year.
Great start to November.
It’s been GORGEOUS out.
We’re getting trees harvested for firewood and today is going to be a massive garden clean up.
The nice weather is supposed to continue for a while, which is GREAT for our fuel bills.
Don’t need to use oil or firewood.
I understand that acidy things like pine needles and oak leaves help acidify the soil for blueberries.
Sounds like a great idea.
Thank you for this super worthwhile topic!
The pine needles are acidic so probably good.
Yes, the pine needles are acidic and your Blueberries will benefit from them.
‘Miracid’ is the brand from Miracle Grow to use for fertilizing all acid-loving plants, if you want an easy liquid fertilizer to use come Spring.
Acid-Loving Plants:
https://www.thespruce.com/acid-loving-plants-2132427
We had a storm blow through for a few hours yesterday, so there are wet leaves everywhere, but today it’s gorgeous again. I have a few errands to run today, so won’t get to yard cleanup right away. Maybe it’s better to let it dry out some anyway.
I’m grateful that the temps will be ok for a while and that I won’t have to use any firewood for a few weeks, if the forecast is right. This year our provider stiffed us quite a bit. He seems to charge more and deliver less every year. I think we will be on the lookout for a new firewood dude.
I usually wait until it’s in the 30s by dark to build a fire inside. However, I love the ambience of a glowing fire, so I bought a multi tiered candle holder that holds 9 pillar candles. So until the temps drop a bit, it will be candles in the fireplace for that cozy glow.
We will do a ‘Season Round Up’ of all of our good/bad experiences this past gardening season - usually in December, but BEFORE the 2025 Seed Catalogs arrive!
:)
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