Magical Gardening
Witches have been growing herbs for centuries, so they have amassed a wealth of procedures for effective magical gardening. Sometimes these make more sense than a pile of gardening books.
When seedlings are well-established, other uninvited plants will probably poke through the ground. Let some of these grow provided they don't crowd your herbs, for many will be useful in magic. typically, non-Witch gardeners often destroy such plants, little realizing their powers.
There are specific pruning rules. All pruning should be carried out in the decrease of the Moon. Hedges (such as Hawthorn, which at one time every Witch had in her garden) should always be trimmed from East to West, which follows the course of the Sun. Prune trees in a clock-wise direction as you walk around them.
Thistles can be a bit of a bother in the garden. If you cut them after Midsummer two will grow for every one you cut. Be sure to cut them will before June 21 unless you want a lot of thistles.
You may wish to share your herbs with friends. That's fine, but even here there are strict rules. Never give a part of a plant to a friend. If the person asks you for a sprig of, say, fresh rosemary, change the subject and walk away. They must steal a bit for themselves. If this procedure is followed the plant will stay healthy and flourish.*well I can't say I agree with this part! I love to give and receive plants*
Once a month after the herbs are fully grown, on the night of the Full Moon if possible, walk out to the garden and draw a circle in the dirt around each plant, using your magical knife. Make sure that the ends of the circle meet. Draw clockwise. This helps to seal the powers inside the leaves and roots.
Then, too, go out at night when the herbs are rejuvenating and basking in the Moon's light and talk to them. Never neglect this, for it creates a bond between you, a merging of your energy and the plant's energy. If your neighbours overhear your nocturnal conversations, don't worry. Many people talk to their plants today and many psychiatrists believe that it is excellent therapy. *Why wait until nightfall to talk with your plants...better still talk to them during the day light hours too as you are weeding, watering, tending to them.~Oceanna~*
Indoor Gardening For those who cannot afford or do not have room for outdoor gardening, consider indoor gardening. Be sure to plant the seeds in the proper phases of the Moon in the pots or window-boxes and follow to whatever lengths possible the above directions.
Situate these plants where they will receive some sunshine. Glazed terra-cotta pots work best. Three hours after watering a plant in an un-glazed pot the earth will be dry inside. Plastic pots are not favoured.
Take the plants outside once a week and spray with a light mist of water. Also allow them to receive direct sunlight on a regular basis, if they need sunshine, as window glass screens out some of the sun's vital energies. *I would have to advise against this as you will fry your plants if you just start taking them outside...anyone who has started seeds indoors knows that you cannot just stick them outside in direct sunshine, they must be hardened off first! So if you want to put them outside start very slowly by putting them out the first day for only 10-15 minutes in a shaded area and slowly work up by 5-10 minutes a day, eventually giving them brighter light until they can stand full direct sunlight. Be very careful though...spoken from first hand experience! Also plants should never be sprayed with water while in full sunshine as this will burn their leaves, spray either very early in the morning or in early evening...between 10-2 the sun is the strongest so do not spray them at that time.~Oceanna~*
The artificial grow-lights now in use by some gardeners are fine-but not for magical herbs! Even though the garden has been moved indoors, many of the old procedures can be followed. *Here again I would disagree...if you do not have enough sunlight to grow herbs then by all means use a grow light...after all isn't it better to grow your own herbs under a grow light instead of buying herbs from an unknown source just because they were grown outdoors....at least your own will have had your energies put into them and you will know they are organic.~Oceanna~*
A magic garden, to be just that, is more a collection of plants with mysterious and fabled pasts. It is a place where energy meets energy, where the old forgotten magic of the Earth lies in waiting within the enchanting elecampane or the sacred vervain. It is a glade where birds sing and dew collects to form moonpools in tightly curled leaves and scented flowers.
It is a place where the Wise, if they kneel upon the Earth and listen carefully, can hear the heartbeat of nature murmuring softly in a single leaf of a single stalk of one of the billion billion plants nurtured by our blessed planet. Witches respect all forms of life-including plants. Fortunately, herbs are hopelessly self-sacrificing. They were scattered on our planet to nourish and aid us in our practice of magic.
~from Magical Herbalism by Scott Cunningham.
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