Practical Witchery Post #1
So, Iâve decided to go through with my idea and do a series on practical witchery, urban and otherwise. :)Â
Gathering, Drying, and Storing Herbs
Herbs are a major part of kitchen witchery and other magickal practices. Sometimes gathering, drying, and storing these herbs seems very simple, but other times, it can be a pain. You have to know what you can take without killing the plant, how to handle it if itâs dangerous, and how on Earth youâre going to store it. In this post, Iâll be shedding some light on this subject.
Identify the plant. Check, check, and check again to make sure this is what you think it is. There are a lot of poisonous look-a-likes that can fool you at first glance. If it has a foul twin, be extra careful in examining it. If you arenât sure whether or not itâs harmful, avoid physical contact.
After youâve finished researching it, and you havenât found a reliable way to tell if itâs poisonous or not, it would be best to leave it alone and find a substitute for it. If you feel confident that this herb is harmless and useable, go ahead and begin gathering it.
Decide when itâs the best time of day to harvest the herb. Most people recommend picking the herbs early in the morning, when the dewdrops are still covering the leaves. Theyâre fresh, aromatic, and very good for making essential oils. Theyâll hold their scent and taste for a longer amount of time if you collect and dry them in the morning.Â
If youâre only harvesting the flowers of an herb or plant, sometime around midday is optimal. If you have a specific herb in mind, try googling or looking in an herbal guide to find out when it is opportune to collect it. Every plant is different.
Do what works best for you, and discover prime timing for every herb you grow. You may decide that harvesting lavender right as the sun rises isnât your cup of tea, and choose to do so around noon or three oâ clock. It really is a matter of choice when gathering them, and can be done whenever you feel is best.Â
Collect the herb in amounts that the plant can handle. About a handful should be enough for you to take. If itâs a smaller plant, I suggest only a palmful.
Be wise in where you take the cuttings from as well; too close to the root can be bad for the plant, while higher up is best. Donât clip from one side and not the other every time you take from it either. Keep it balanced.
Leave the plant an offering. This is an optional step, really. Some people choose to offer plants things like rocks, water, crystals, fertilizer, or even Eco-friendly foods. It isnât necessary, but if you believe that plants have spirits or that they grow better when given tokens of thanks, then this may be something youâll enjoy.
I like to leave âgrowthâ sigils written on rocks whenever I take a sprig or two from the plants. Itâs quite fun actually.
Pick out an herb drying method. There are a few methods that I find are the easiest, and some, the quickest. There are more methods, and some you may find work better for you than my personal favorites.
Air Drying ~ Best option for herbs that are low in moisture.
Oven Drying ~ Tedious but good for moist herbs like mint.
Microwave Drying ~ Not the best for culinary purposes, but good for magick such as sachet making, and charm bags. It preserves color pretty well in my experience.
Prep your herbs and let them dry.
Air drying is very simple, and very easy. It cannot be used for herbs that are high in water content, because the herbs are more likely to mold and mildew than they are to dry. But things like lavender, rosemary, basil, and parsley can be dried using this method.
Hold your herbs by the stem, and secure them with a band. Cover them with a paper bag (optional, but will catch any seeds or loose ends that fall off) and hang them upside down. You can clip them to a hanger, a hook, or find some other way to allow them to dry. They can sit in a warm environment with little moisture and dry well. Check on them in about a week to see if theyâre finished.Â
Oven drying is a process filled with love. It takes some dedication as well as some time to get herbs to dry in an oven. Doing this isnât recommended among small children or careless adults, because it can require the oven door to be left open (if you have vented ovens you should be okay, but I would open it up every fifteen minutes to get more air flow)
Heat your oven to somewhere between 100°F and 180°F. 100°F is best, but not all ovens will operate at that low of a temperature.Â
Place your herbs on a baking sheet, slide them onto the bottom rack. Crack your oven open for some air flow, and let them dry for 2-5 hours. Most of the time, my herbs are done around 3 and a half, but I still check them every twenty minutes or so.
When they start to look dusty and brittle, they should be good to take out. Let them sit until they are no longer hot, and proceed to storing them.Â
Microwave drying is good for those urban witches. It takes little time, and is an effective way to store your herbs.Â
Gently remove the leaves and flowers from your herb, and put them on a wash cloth or paper towel. Cover with another towel and place it in the microwave.
Set your microwaveâs power to about 500-800 watts. Set the time to 5 seconds, and add more to it after you take it out to see how much it will need. typically, 15-30 seconds will be enough if you take it out to check 3-4 times.Â
When the herb becomes brittle, it is finished drying.Â
Gather a few airtight containers or plastic bags. Fill them up carefully, and try to avoid letting any moisture get into the container. (If the container is dark, the herbs will most likely last longer.)
Mark the container with the date and the herb inside of it. If this is an herb with side effects, you can list those here and avoid any problems down the road. You can also list its magickal benefits if you would like.
Keep this in an area that is cool and dark. Avoid wet conditions and check for mold and mildew every so often. These herbs should stay good for about 6-12 months. A nice spot for your herbs would be away from your oven, inside of a cupboard or pantry.
Another method of storing herbs skips the drying process entirely. You can freeze your plants and keep them for a while longer than if you were to dry them. You can keep them in olive oil, water, other mixtures. Be sure to use healthy, safe liquids when storing them!
***Always be careful when dealing with herbs, especially ones that you know nothing about. Have fun harvesting, but also be safe!***
Well, this is my first Practical Witchery Post! Hope you liked it :)
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