Green witchery: The basics

heatherwitch:

heatherwitch:

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Being a green witch basically means you want to incorporate plants and nature into your craft! Other names include: nature witch, plant witch, garden witch, forest witch, etc.! I’ll talk about some of the basics being a green witch could entail, but this certainly isn’t an all-encompassing list!

On gardens and growing plants:

Whether you have a flourishing garden filled with everything one could possibly think of, a little windowsill herb garden with the bare essentials or one potted succulent; there’s no denying the joy that comes from helping green things grow!

  • A container around 2-3 feet deep and filled with soil is perfect for growing potatoes! Plop ‘em in, water them occasionally and harvest in the fall.
  • Plant things for the butterflies and bees!
  • Sage, rosemary, basil, mint, thyme, oregano and cilantro are all helpful herbs that you might consider planting.
  • Daffodils, marigolds, roses, sunflowers and primroses are my favorite witchy flowers.
  • Eggshells and banana peels are your friends.
  • These food plants can easily be regrown.
  • #garden witch / #garden magic / #garden tips

On bringing the green in (houseplants):

Let’s be real, not of all of us have access to areas for planting gardens, or infinite space for indoor plants! It can make being a green witch a bit tricky. 

  • Spider plants, lucky bamboo, air plants, aloe vera (succulents) and cacti are all pretty easy houseplants.
  • Terrariums are adorable and you can make them into mini gardens!
  • Grow one plant for each area of your life (happiness, mental health, etc) [source]
  • You can get bulbs for grow lights that fit into normal lamps, just be sure to put the plants directly under it!
  • Watering plants with rainwater will make them happy!
  • #houseplant magic / #houseplant tips

On incorporating nature:

  • Find a place outside you can safely visit. Try to spend at least five or more minutes a day sitting and watching. Quiet your mind and just be. (This could be your front porch or backyard, it doesn’t have to be in the forest)
  • Wander on some nature trails. Visit the local body of water. Walk outside.
  • Start taking pictures of beautiful wild places, or wildlife.
  • Learn about what birds and animals live in your area, and perhaps what their tracks look like.
  • Climb a tree, go swimming in wild waters, take your shoes off and feel the ground beneath your feet, remove invasive plants and plant native ones, pay attention to weather patterns, collect rainwater, etc.
  • #nature witch / #nature magic / #connecting to nature

On wild plants:

  • Get some basic plant field guides. I really like Audubon and Peterson, along with Botany in a Day. 
  • There are also plant apps and websites. 
  • Learn what plants have poisonous look-alikes and how to tell the difference.
  • Get a calendar. Go out at least once a week and document what stages the different plants are in. For example: March 4th. Oso berry leaves almost open. Nettles small but fully established. Bitter cherry has unopened flower buds. Salmonberry leaves almost open. Also worth adding where (elevation/location) which is SUPER helpful for harvesting reference later.
  • Pick a plant a week and research/journal it. Points include: What it looks like, what look-alikes there are, ecosystem + elevation it grows in, medicinal uses, edible uses, magical uses, etc.
  • Harvest plants and use them for medicine and food after safely doing research*.
  • #plant magic / #plant witch / #wild plants

Helpful links:

Realized I missed an important category to link:

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