Soon we will experience a long winter's rest as we sit inside waiting for the sun to return and the gardens to turn green again. But not quite yet! Indeed, we are experiencing 'Indian Summer' here in Southern New England, and there are plenty of things that need to be done before the snow flies. Of course, each person's garden is different from another's and the necessary chores will also differ. But generally speaking harvesting the final gifts from your garden is something everyone can do.
Harvesting: Of course, Samhain (Halloween) November 1st is the traditional last food harvest of the Wheel of the Year, but while the weather is nice you can harvest right up to November. Walk among your gardens and yard and see what might be harvested for use during the winter. I have ever-blooming strawberries that have berries right up to the first frost. I harvested the leaves for love spells. Placed in a basket they dry quickly and in just a day or two. I lay them down on a clean piece of paper towel.
I also harvested some beautiful lemon balm, which even when dried smells as lovely as it does fresh. Lemon Balm is good for love, success and good health. Carrying lemon balm with you will ensure you find your true love.
Don't walk too quickly past some late season 'weeds' if on a magickal herb walk. A favorite of mine is witch grass or couch grass (Agropyron repens) which has the magickal properties of attracting happiness and is used in banishing rituals. It's a grass that spreads by roots trailing along the ground often on top of the soil, anchoring down every so many inches and putting down a new root ball, then trailing out again to root again.
Witch grass can be sprinkled under the bed to attract a new lover. When an infusion is made, it is sprinkled around the property to rid a place of entities and unwanted spirits.
Thistle has the properties of hex breaking, strength, protection and banishing. Grown in the garden thistle keeps thieves away.
Goldenrod - Has the properties of money and divination and is often used in money spells.
Its easy this time of year to make use of the magickal properties of trees by the falling leaves and tree pieces being blown to the ground. Using twigs, bark and leaves ground up for spell mixes or pouches, infusions and powders can give you the following magickal properties.
Ash - Protection, Prosperity, Sea Rituals, health
Birch - protection, banishment, purification . The birch is a tree of the Lady, white birch especially.
Hazel - Luck, fertility, anti-lightning, protection, wishes
Maple - Love, longevity, money.
Oak - Protection, health, money, luck, potency
Many fruit are ripe and falling to the ground, the following could bring the specific magickal properties you're looking for.
Apple - Love, health, garden magick, immortality
Peach - Love, banishment, longevity, fertility, wishes
Plum - Love, protection - the fruit is eaten to promote and maintain love
Pear - Lust, love - the fruit is eaten to arouse sexual feelings
Let us not forget the common herbs culinary and typically found in a kitchen garden. Many have magickal properties that will enhance your spells and magickal working.
Thyme - Health, love, courage
Onion - Protection, banishing, money, prophetic dreams, lust
Lettuce - Protection, love, divination, sleep
Tomatoes - Prosperity, protection, love
These are just some of the garden's bounty you might choose to harvest and dry or use right away to add a specific magickal property to your spells, your meals and your life!
Harvest small amounts until you find out how often you will use each ingredient. It doesn't take enormous amounts of herbs, but a small packet is usually good for personal use. It may take a few years to really learn which herbs and plants in your yard you will utilize but that's the fun of learning about the magick to be found in your garden. Happy Harvesting!
Peace and Happiness
© 2010-2011 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website.
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