So maybe you’re a college witch with limited space and money, limited to the one window in your dorm. Or, maybe you’re a witch without extensive backyard space who wants to start up a magical garden. Perhaps you’re a kitchen witch who wants the freshest herbs right at her fingertips.
For many witches, having a garden seems to be a bit of a no-brainer. After all, plants and magic go hand-in-hand. Plus, when thinking of a witch, it’s hard not to think of a cottage in the woods with a little vegetable garden out front. Unfortunately for the majority of us, our cottage in the woods is a tiny flat, and our garden out front is a windowsill with limited space.
This is when it comes time to embrace your craftiness and bring your garden indoors! Not only does it place your garden in a convenient location, it also allows you to freshen the air, recycle what would otherwise harm the earth, and embrace your witchy green thumb!
Samwise Gamgee’s Dream Come True!
Okay, so if you follow my blog, chances are that you’re wondering if this whole potato theme for today is because of St. Patrick’s. I promise, I’m not enforcing Irish stereotypes on purpose. I just really like potatoes, and when it comes to gardening, it’s a bit of a disservice to overlook this vegetable. After all, when we think about kitchen gardens or home gardens, we think of herbs or flowers, and not about the veggies we eat that live a rather subterranean existence. But potatoes – those lovely little brown lumps that we can get for a couple dollars per five pound bag in the supermarket – are not only inexpensive. They’re extremely hardy little plants that can be grown rather easily.
You don’t need much to get started with this project. First, you need “seed potatoes.” This is not hard to find. Simply take a few potatoes and allow them to grow a bit. They will sprout a few short little stalks from the eyes on the surface. Save these, and get potting mix and two medium to large plastic pots that can easily stack one inside the other.
Carefully cut a few panes out of the inner pot as in the picture above, then place the inner pot into the outer one. Fill the pot part way with soil, add your seed potatoes, and cover them with potting mix. Water as needed until the potato plants peek up out of the soil. Cover them again and repeat this process gradually until the pot is full.
In roughly three months, you’ll have potato plants that are ready to begin harvesting. Simply lift the inner pot up and pluck your potatoes as needed from the sides! Fresh potatoes, free!
Ideally, this method of potato cultivation can help feed a family of four for about a year. My family had used this method, and our family of five was able to stay fed for a year off of two of these planters (we like potatoes… and we eat them a lot…)
How Can I Witch This?
Potatoes are very useful in witchcraft, and you can find out some of their magickal uses in my Foodie Friday article about Seafood Gnocchi. As for growing them, many of those properties remain the same!
As with any gardening venture, add crystals to the soil to promote healthy and fruitful plants, draw sigils and symbols on the pottery or planters, and incorporate protection or fertility ingredients into the soil – such as eggshell or coffee grounds.
Outside of the useful culinary benefits of having a potato planter on your front porch, a garden such as this is useful for outdoor space cleansing in small spaces, and for inviting prosperity into your home or property since potatoes represent such comforts as full bellies and pockets.
Since a small number of potatoes can be used to produce a much larger quantity in this planting method, you could even turn them into a prosperity or slow growth money spell! Pour your intent into the seed potatoes when you plant them, and as they produce new crops, give them water and food as an offering in order to keep the spell fed! Some of the potatoes produced in this way can also be converted into offerings or used in spellwork, in addition to being used to cook with!
The possibilities are practically endless where potatoes are concerned! See what you can do with these nifty little spuds!
A+ content important I would also suggest soft goth things such as
blackbird euphorbia (maybe tender here maybe niagara goths can have u)
black negligee bugbane
chocoholic bugbane (tbh all bugbane is prolific and spoopy and wonderful)
hellebore black swan maybe also tender?
black truffle cardinal flower
the ever fave heuchera obsidian
britt marie crawford ligularia FAVE JURASSIC LOOKING BB
and obv purple smokebush for soft goth smoke monster vibes
thank the dark goddess for you! Saving this post!
Black pearl pepper is another good one, I can attest that they look really cool in person. Aside from being ornamental, the little peppers are edible, and I think decently hot? I haven’t tasted them though so idk about that part
Black Pearl plants are EXTREMELY drought hardy and the peppers taste great, yes! I love mine even though I’ve given it less than stellar care; I’ve had it for…almost 10 years I think!
These pictures are so cute and so is the article.
Black Mondo grass also.
Also this is a tropical moat places but bat flower/ Tacca chantieri
So maybe you’re a college witch with limited space and money, limited to the one window in your dorm. Or, maybe you’re a witch without extensive backyard space who wants to start up a magical garden. Perhaps you’re a kitchen witch who wants the freshest herbs right at her fingertips.
For many witches, having a garden seems to be a bit of a no-brainer. After all, plants and magic go hand-in-hand. Plus, when thinking of a witch, it’s hard not to think of a cottage in the woods with a little vegetable garden out front. Unfortunately for the majority of us, our cottage in the woods is a tiny flat, and our garden out front is a windowsill with limited space.
This is when it comes time to embrace your craftiness and bring your garden indoors! Not only does it place your garden in a convenient location, it also allows you to freshen the air, recycle what would otherwise harm the earth, and embrace your witchy green thumb!
The Eternal Rose of Jericho
I have been writing and teaching on this blog for almost a year now, and it honestly surprises me that I haven’t yet written about this inexpensive, easy-to-grow, and magic-laden plant! At roughly $8 US, resurrection plants are virtually incapable of breaking the bank, and so long as there is access to a small amount of water, these plants can easily live forever.
They have earned their name from their ability to survive long droughts by drying out and curling up into tight balls, going into dormancy until their roots are moistened again. There are two species best known – the true rose of Jericho, and resurrection fern. The difference between the two is two-fold: true rose of Jericho is native to Western Asia and requires undisturbed root systems in order to revive itself, while the resurrection fern (pictured above) is native to Southwestern United States and Mexico and has the ability to revive even with disrupted root systems.
Despite being two different plants, they are frequently used interchangeably due to their similarities. Covering all of the lore related to resurrection plants would take quite a long time, as many cultures have developed myths, legends, spells, and rituals related to the plants over the many centuries. So, bear with me and consider this article to be more of a spring board to jump off of in your own exploration regarding these wonderful greens!
Easy Care, Holy Waters
Caring for a resurrection plant is extremely simple. Place the bulb in a shallow dish with water – don’t drown the plant; you only need enough water to cover the roots. Over a period of a few hours to a week, the plant will unfurl its leaves, regain its green color, and grow out to nearly a foot in diameter (depending on the size of the bulb). If the plant is forgotten for a while, and the water evaporates, it will return to its ruddy yellow-brown color and curl up again, to await the return of water.
Unsurprisingly, waters collected from the bowls of resurrection plants are often considered to be blessed simply by contact with the plant. These blessed waters can be used in the same function as holy water or other blessed waters, and some witches encourage using moon water to hydrate resurrection plants so as to have blessed moon water.
A Spirit in the Home, Protection For Rent
While this subtitle is somewhat in jest, it has merit. In some traditions, resurrection plants are believed to contain a spirit or fey. In these traditions, offering water is done as a petition and as a way of welcoming the spirit into your home. So long as the plant is hydrated and open, the spirit will invite prosperity and happiness into the home, while banishing negativity and protecting your space. As such, it acts as a natural, living space cleanser and ward. As with any other spirit, it’s recommended to provide offerings of fresh water regularly and to thank the spirit for its help and presence in your home.
Ongoing Money Spell
One of the more creative uses for resurrection plants is as a continuous money spell. Place silver coins either in the water being offered, or place coins in the center of the plant when it is open in order to invite money into the home. This type of spell can be done as needed, allowing the plant to dry when coffers are full, and rehydrating it and making offerings when funds are low.
Collecting some of the leaves or debris from the plant and using them in sachets or other money spells is not an uncommon practice, and is believed to add an extra punch to the spell!
Spiritual Meditations
Easily one of the best ways in which the Rose of Jericho can help in witchcraft is in reminding us of the cyclical nature of the world. Before our very eyes, a resurrection plant can grow, flourish, die, and be reborn again. For this reason, it is often associated with life and healing. However, it can also be meditated upon, helping us consider and discover ways in which we are also like the plant, experiencing our moments of growth and happiness before withering and going through our turmoils before being reborn stronger and more vibrant again.
Disposal of the Rose
Many witches abhor disposing of the resurrection plant for varying reasons. The first is that it is a self-reviving plant – disposing of it sometimes seems to be a bit of a disservice. Another is that, being a spirit helping in the home, disposing of it would seem ungrateful. However, not all traditions follow these viewpoints. In such cases, when a spell is done and the rose is no longer needed, it can either be saved or buried, where it can ground and decompose, nourishing the earth.
In conclusion, the resurrection plant is useful and beautiful. For the budding garden witch, it is an exceptionally easy plant to start with, and for those who are limited on space, they make a great addition to the home without taking up much space! In terms of magic, resurrection plants are versatile, their energies being great for cleansing space and being a natural and low-effort way of creating blessed waters. Whether a garden witch or not, consider the usefulness of having one of these plants in your home!
I could not find a specific page for this, but Ylang Ylang is usually associated with calming, employment, love, magickal ability, and anti-negativity. (source)
So maybe you’re a college witch with limited space and money, limited to the one window in your dorm. Or, maybe you’re a witch without extensive backyard space who wants to start up a magical garden. Perhaps you’re a kitchen witch who wants the freshest herbs right at her fingertips.
For many witches, having a garden seems to be a bit of a no-brainer. After all, plants and magic go hand-in-hand. Plus, when thinking of a witch, it’s hard not to think of a cottage in the woods with a little vegetable garden out front. Unfortunately for the majority of us, our cottage in the woods is a tiny flat, and our garden out front is a windowsill with limited space.
This is when it comes time to embrace your craftiness and bring your garden indoors! Not only does it place your garden in a convenient location, it also allows you to freshen the air, recycle what would otherwise harm the earth, and embrace your witchy green thumb!
A Practice As Old As Time
In previous Domestic Garden Witch articles, I’ve covered setting up altars and arranging gardens so as to be living altars. As witches, we are often looking for ways in which we can reconnect with nature and find harmony with its ebb and flow. For as long as mankind has been around trees, it seems as though these impressive and beautiful plants have inspired and drawn us closer to the divine.
Nearly every culture has something to say when it comes to trees – their growth patterns, their spiritual significance, and even the varying properties of their constituent parts. Roots, leaves, branches, seeds or fruit, and wood… all have a part to play in many religions. This is particularly true for modern druidic practice, which draws from Celtic lore and centers around the magic in certain woods. And as can be seen from my current Runic Friday series on the Ogham, certain woods were prominent enough in Celtic lore to inspire a form of divination symbolized by Irish Celtic writing.
There are many ways in which we can bring the magic of trees into our lives, but when it comes to garden magic, I have yet to see a method so endearing as building shrines on or near them.
Simple or Complex, Religious or Spiritual
Shrines are most often associated with religion – especially religions such as Hindu, Shinto, and Buddhism. In short, a shrine is a type of altar which is usually dedicated to a specific god, spirit, or ancestor as opposed to being devoted to whole pantheons. Depending on the practice, these shrines can be ornate or very simple.
But shrines aren’t limited to religion or ancestor worship. Like altars, they can be places of meditation or magical working, and therefore can have a place in spirituality regardless of the faith practiced.
Tree shrines are a great way of integrating your practice with your garden, providing a place to meditate or work magic, or to honor deities. As an added benefit, they can be used to honor the spirit within the tree if desired. For those on a budget, the shrine need not be overly fancy – a small altar made of stone or wood at the base of the tree is sufficient. But if fancier shrines are more your style, inspiration can be drawn from real world shrines, which are often built into the hollows of trees or carved into them. Here, offerings can be made or deities worshipped as you see fit.
Consider the role the tree plays in your garden, and build your shrine with that in mind. Is your oak tree a silent protector? Or perhaps you feel that your maple tree brings luck and money to your home? If this is a tree in your orchard, the shrine may be a way by which you can ask for healthy and bountiful harvests!
A few examples:
-Oak: Oak trees are common, and are often symbolic of protection, knowledge, wisdom, and strength. Building a shrine decorated with acorns and fallen oak branches may be a way of encouraging the oak to protect your home, or inspire the drive to learn in your heart. Or even, perhaps, it can be a way of honoring the Oak King if you follow the Wiccan Wheel of the Year!
-Maple: Often associated with the moon, maple trees are linked to both magic and healing. Shrines dedicated to bringing about good health and happiness are ideal with maple trees, allowing them to extend their healing energies to you!
-Pine: Pine trees, a mainstay in the northern hemisphere, are trees of strength and raw power. They are ancient and invoke a sense of mystery. Shrines built at the base of a pine tree can be dedicated to finding that primal strength that lives within all of us, and for helping us connect with the past. These are excellent trees for ancestor shrines, depending upon your practice.
-Apple: Speaking of ancestor worship, apple is associated with otherworld. Its link to the dead is on a mythical scope, lending its energies quite well to ancestor shrines. However, it is also a tree of fertility and choice. As such, shrines meant to encourage fertility in the garden or one’s own fertility are great when built at the base of an apple tree. Furthermore, it helps encourage decisive action, inspiring quick decision making and wise undertakings.
In Conclusion…
While this week’s article is quite different from most, it calls us back to a time when the gardens we tended were the ones planted by nature itself. Whether your shrine is dedicated to the tree or some other spirit, or if it is built to honor an altogether different plant, it is a useful tool for the garden witch who thrives when working magic outdoors.
Consider how your garden can benefit from the added spiritual energy of shrines. Perhaps the trees have more to offer than we may realize!
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is NOT a recipe for an edible extract or an oil to use in cooking or baking! Be smart, and only use your oil in spells or as a perfume/supplement to your baths, etc.
What you’ll need:
~A mortar and pestle. Don’t fret if you don’t have these! You can use a spoon and a glass bowl, your fingers, etc. as a substitute.
~A cup of your chosen plant’s petals or leaves. Fresh is preferable, but dried works too. However, your oil may need to heat for longer, and you may need more than a cup of your ingredient for the smell to be strong.
~¾ths of a cup olive oil.
~A jar or glass container with a lid that’s heat-safe.
~A saucepan or pot, filled halfway with warm/heated water.
~Cheesecloth, or something else to strain the oil through.
~A tinted jar to store the final product in.
~Time and patience! (24 hours or more, depending on your discretion.)
This is a simple recipe that is great for a witch who can’t always have fresh ingredients like roses or lavender on hand, and it can be used in a lot of creative ways to infuse your daily life with your favorite scent! It also keeps for a long time, so if you have troubles storing your ingredients, perhaps working with oil might suit you better. Steps under the cut!
Research your climate zone [usa] [ca]. Buy plants that are recommended for your climate zone.
Note the sunniness of where you are going to grow your plants.
no direct sun at all (still needs ambient light) = full shade
sun in morning/evening shade for rest of the day = part shade
sun all day = full sun
shade in morning/sun for rest of the day = sunny, part sun
follow these guidelines:
south window = sunny, part sun, sometimes full sun
east window = part shade
west window = part shade
north window = full shade
sun bulbs can be purchased to encourage indoor growth.
indoor plants used to low light might easily burn and dehydrate if left in full sun for too long, even if they are normally hardy plants.
soil & drainage
basic potting soil or gardening soil is “universal” for almost all plants.
major exception:
cactus & succulents = rocky, sandy, succulent soil is necessary for proper drainage
all plants need proper drainage or else they will ‘drown’. Choose only containers with holes in the bottom. Use a thin layer of rocks and/or gravel at the bottom of containers to ensure the hole is not clogged with soil.
watering
water less = cooler, cloudy, low wind, humid, rainy.
water more = warmer, sunny, windy, dry, no rain.
note the type of container you have used.
dries out more slowly, water less = metal, plastic, glazed ceramic, light colors in sunlight, nonporous.
dries out more quickly, water more = terracotta, wood, moss, dark colors in sunlight, porous.
indoor gardeners, plants with smaller root systems need less water. Watering them more will drown them; not encourage them to grow. The roots cannot drain the soil and the water will sit, drowning the tender root system 😦 this applies primarily to container gardening.
no need to water daily. water when the plant tells you it is ready:
its leaves droop (aim to water a day before this hits!)
it begins to stop being glossy and starts looking a bit drab
the soil is dry 1 to 2 inches down
the pot is lighter because the soil is dry (lift pots before and after watering to compare)
you want your plant’s root ball to be moist.
when roots dry, they shrink, pulling away from the edges of the pot.
when you add water to the pot, it follows the path of least resistance around the edges of the pot, straight past the root system.
to fix this, soak the plant once in water. then, water again.
if a plant is not seeming to be hydrated no matter how much you water, it is possible all your water is draining off to the sides and never reaching the actual root ball. to fix:
soak thoroughly in water several times.
place your container in a tray of water and let osmosis or whatever suck that water right up straight to the root.
avoid frequent, small waterings. this encourages the plant’s roots to grow too close to the surface. It is best to thoroughly water plants then let them dry out slightly before you water again (no need to let the leaves droop or anything – just wait until the plant is ready again, as described above).
getting a plant from a nursery
choose smaller plants as long as they are healthy.
smaller plant = smaller root system, healthy.
larger plant = big root system, curled and unhealthy in small commercial pot.
young plants with fruit or flowers = prematurely grown, highly stressed, unhealthy.
healthy plants have several identifiable traits.
they are colorful and lush
they are firm and do not have mushy stems or leaves
they have thick white roots
they are free of brown, white, or yellow spots
they are free of bug bites and infestation
transplanting a new plant to a pot
get the right sized pot.
too big = easily drown plant in soil that cannot drain.
too small = root system curls in an unhealthy way, not properly sized.
the “right sized” pot is based on the current size and future growth of the plant.
if a plant is 10-12 inchestall, give it an 8 inch diameter pot.
if the plant is 2-3 feet tall, give it a 24 inch diameter pot.
with a new nursery plant, get a container giving about 2 extra inches on each side of the plant.
get a container tall enough that you can have 2 inches of soil at the bottom of the container, a plant, and one inch of space between the topsoil and the lip of the container. This gives you plenty of room to water!
ensure your drainage hole is properly covered with mesh or a stone to prevent soil from falling out or clogging it.
moisten your potting soil if it is really dry. Mix some in a pail or bucket with water until it has the texture of a squeezed sponge.
ensure the nursery plant is damp enough to transplant. If the soil is too dry the root system will not hold the dirt together and everything will just fall apart (!!!). Soak your nursery plant for 30 minutes in water.
fill the space around the plant with potting soil, leaving one inch of free container space above the plant.
although the soil and plant should both be damp, you must now water your transplanted baby to ensure all air pockets are eliminated and that the soil has settled around the root ball.
even if plant is “full sun” do not simply place a young plant right outside for hours and hours. “Harden off” plants by slowly introducing them to the sun for an hour at a time and progressing over a course of days until they are ready for full sun.
enjoy plants :3
extensively plagiarized from Container Gardening for Dummies
So maybe you’re a college witch with limited space and money, limited to the one window in your dorm. Or, maybe you’re a witch without extensive backyard space who wants to start up a magical garden. Perhaps you’re a kitchen witch who wants the freshest herbs right at her fingertips.
For many witches, having a garden seems to be a bit of a no-brainer. After all, plants and magic go hand-in-hand. Plus, when thinking of a witch, it’s hard not to think of a cottage in the woods with a little vegetable garden out front. Unfortunately for the majority of us, our cottage in the woods is a tiny flat, and our garden out front is a windowsill with limited space.
This is when it comes time to embrace your craftiness and bring your garden indoors! Not only does it place your garden in a convenient location, it also allows you to freshen the air, recycle what would otherwise harm the earth, and embrace your witchy green thumb!
Gardening for Your Familiar
This past weekend, I went to one of my coven sisters’ place to run a game of Dungeons and Dragons. This in itself isn’t that unusual – I usually play about a game a week, and every other week is held at her place. However, she is definitely a witch who spends plenty of time both in the garden and in the kitchen! A fellow animal lover, with three cats and a couple of dogs, it’s always enjoyable to visit. What surprised me, though was an addition to her home’s normal features: a little garden close to the ground meant for her cats!
Whether a college witch or a witch who’d been practicing for a long time, it’s fair to say that many of us – dare I say that perhaps most of us – have dogs, cats, or some other kind of pet. And while there are plenty of spells out there for familiars and pets, it’s rare that I see spells focusing on gardens for them. So of course, my sister’s garden is featured this week, because it is absolutely brilliant!
A simple project, done in the same way you would any container garden, consider growing plants that your furry friends can safely consume. Where the magic comes in is the intent with which you grow your plants and with which you pot them. The example above makes use of cat grass, catnip, mint (which the kitties love to rub up against), cilantro, and parsley.
But let’s take it a step further, as there are plenty of other animals out there!
Aquatic Gardens: Just like with terrestrial pets and plants, live plants can be added to an aquarium with care. Not only do they breathe new life into your fishes’ home, but they help oxygenate the water and depending on the species of plant and fish in the environment, could provide a food source. Sometimes the plant itself is the pet, as in the case of marimo moss balls!
Terrarium Gardens: In the past, I’ve mentioned bottled gardens and terrarium gardens. Whether reptile or amphibian, plants can help provide a more natural surface for climbing, can provide a food source for herbivorous friends, and – as before – help bring more life to the terrarium!
Formicarium Gardens?: Admittedly, not everyone has a colony of ants as a domestic pet. But as with any animal, ants require care and maintenance, and a proper formicarium usually has a larger area for foraging. Though the ants will be healthy with a steady supply of feeder insects and sugars, adding plants will not only make the “outworld” a more aesthetically pleasing environment, but a more diverse one for the colony as well. In addition, ants have been known to tend to plants, harvesting sap and nectars while also keeping the plant nourished and maintained. Take it a step further by adding pitcher plants – a plant that could easily be a pet itself – which not only help control the colony population, but also promote a mutual relationship with ants (the plant offers nectar to the ants from its inactive pitchers, and while it does “eat” ants, the ants will still take care of the pitcher for the sake of the nectar).
Bringing it Outside: Some of us count horses and other outdoor animals as pets. The same principle applies – set aside a box garden specifically to help nourish your friends and bring some joy to the stable. Similarly, if you don’t have any pets, you could set up a garden to encourage wildlife. It’s not uncommon to see beautiful flower gardens for hummingbirds, fruit trees and berry bushes to encourage wild birds to visit, and gardens set off to the side specifically for deer.
What This Brings to a Witch
Part of being a witch or of being pagan is nurturing a relationship with nature. There are many ways of doing this, from adopting an organic lifestyle to assisting in conservation efforts, to even learning how to forage and to recognize various plants. But it goes without saying that pets, plants, and animals can all do much to help us learn about our role in the world. They teach us how to be ourselves, how to live in the moment. Even the ants in a formicarium can teach us about how to naturally be efficient and productive.
This in itself is magical. It’s a natural spell that is meant to enliven the spirit and while it does do quite a bit to make the animals in our lives happy and healthy (even more so when planted and grown with intent), it also turns around and gives us the very same blessing.
Grow your garden, and tend to it and your animal friends with love, and they will teach you far more than you may realize!
teakepp 