Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

Many of you may know that I love to garden and enjoy growing a variety of different plants. There are various reasons that I grow these plants, some are used for food, some for spell work, and others simply because they are beautiful. But while outside last night harvesting a few of these plants for spell work, I thought it would be a good idea to share with you certain steps and important information you need to know about harvesting your own plants for spells and rituals.

Plants are a gift to us from Gaia. They are essential in the circle of life, and are a part of life that should not be taken for granted. This is something that is very important for you to remember when harvesting. While the plant is here for us to use as necessary, we do not hold domain over the plant. We must respect the plant and all that it does for us.

While it should go without saying that you should make sure you can properly identify each plant before you harvest it, it’s something worth mentioning and repeating…frequently. If you use plants often in your spell work, you should become very familiar with all stages of growth for the plant so that you can accurately identify it whether it is growing in your garden or in the wild. Learn how to identify the plant visually, as well as the proper name for the plant. The proper name for the plant will be it’s Latin name, as this is the name that never changes, while common names can vary from person to person, and location to location.

Being able to properly identify a plant is essential if you are going to be harvesting your own plants for spell work. Choosing the wrong plant can be catastrophic, especially if you are performing a ritual that calls for ingestion of a certain plant. There are many plants that can have severe negative effects if consumed or even touched, so you must make absolutely certain you are able to accurately identify the plant that you are taking.

For the most part, I prefer to harvest my plants during the third and fourth quarters of the moon while the moon is in dry signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, Gemini, Aquarius) usually in the evening. There are however some plants that are better harvested at different times of the day, so you should consult with a quality herbal book to determine when the best time is for harvesting each plant.

I like to use a traditional boleen for harvesting, which is a sickle-shaped knife that has long been used my witches. While you do not have to use a boleen, I do recommend using some type of tool to harvest your plants that will help you to cleanly cut the plant away. You never want to just grab and tear at a plant since that can cause damage to the mother plant, you should always cleanly cut the piece you desire away even if you simply use a pair of household scissors.

When harvesting, take no more than you will need for your spell. If you are harvesting the plant to dry for future use, it is of course acceptable to take more than you would need for just one spell, but you should take no more than you can dry at once. Taking more than you need is wasteful and can stunt the growth of the mother plant so that it does not reproduce. If after harvesting you find that you have taken more than you need, take the excess plant cuttings back outside and bury them in the ground next to the mother plant, so that as they decompose they can provide their nutrients back into the Earth to aid the plant in growing. You should never, ever throw any unused portions of a plant away in the trash can as that would be completely wasteful. Instead, always return them to the Earth, and of course try to avoid taking excess in the first place.

These are the most basic steps for harvesting your own plants for spells and rituals. Many of the herbs that are used in spells can easily be grown in pots, so I hope that most of you are enjoying the benefits of growing your own plants for use. Just make sure that you are educated and respectful towards the plants, and you should have no problem harvesting them successfully for your use.

Brightest Blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm and Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”