#green witchcraft

[menhera-magi]

allspice better be really good at healing, considering how much i accidentally dumped into my tea all at once

[decafanddivination]

Brain reset = altar refresh plus some new additions. 💜

[decafanddivination]

The "FAFO" Jar

Sometimes you just need to throw a paper with a name or a personified object that represents an asshole into the "FAFO" jar and shake the absolute bejeezus out of it.

*Note* : I never place intentions of harm, and all intention-work and spell-work is protective and defensive; with the simple foundations being to remove that person from my space/life, and send whatever negativity they are trying to bring my way back to them to deal with.

The FAFO jar ingredients - A.K.A. the Return to Sender/Energetic Timeout and F-Off Jar! (Because of a shared living space, I don't like putting my spellwork into my freezer).

Incense Ash: spiritual protection and banishment Salt: protection, cleansing and banishment Cloves: protection and banishment of negativity Cinnamon: protection and potency Red Chilis: removing negative energy and warding Garlic (dried/powdered etc.): protection and banishment Black Pepper: protection and banishing negativity

Iron/steel nails or anything pokey; such as sewing pins: this is to help "make the intentions/spell stick", and also can reinforce the protective properties

Grind all the spices with your tool of choice, spice grinder, mortar and pestle, etc. and mix in the incense ash after (to not contaminate your spice grinder etc. if it is not possible to have one just for spell work, and if you need an easier option for incorporating the ingredients and mortar/pestle method is not possible).

Find a nice sized jar that is shakeable, preferably with a good secure seal. Add the powdered/combined ingredients to it. Then add a paper with the person's name and intentions (i.e. Name, I no longer permit you to direct your negative intentions or harmful behaviour towards me and my home) or an object (such as a smaller jar with things representing the person) into the bigger shakeable jar.

Proceed to then shake it in a spice-filled, "screw-you", tornado-esque manifestation of not tolerating people to treat you like dirt anymore, while setting your intention. Such as that of not allowing their negativity, aggression, etc. to be received by your person, and returning whatever not nice stuff/actions/intentions/energies they are bringing to the table back at them. Because you don't deserve to deal with that. :)

Also side note: be mindful while shaking the jar if you use nails, as it can cause the jar to crack/break if you shake it hard enough.

And as always, make sure to do protection warding and cleansing for yourself before and after shaking the jar, through whatever method you use.

Stay safe, and protect your peace.

[elminx]

Easy Houseplant Spotlight: Cane Begonias

Note: I am writing an ongoing series about plants that have been easy for me to grow in my environment. I live in Southern New England (Zone 5b), where we have relatively hot, very humid summers and cold, drier winters due to indoor heating. I do not have good indoor light and rely extensively on grow lights, as well as putting my plants outside during the warmer months. Your experience will vary based on your own growing conditions. You can see my basic tips for growing houseplants here.

If you've been following along recently, you might have heard that I just root rooted my prized cane begonia (Begonia "Flamingo Queen"). And you know what? It's fine. I took a cutting, and it's already growing in water. In a month or so, I'll have a new baby plant.

I'll admit that Begonias aren't quite as easy as some of the other plants I've written about so far, but given how easily you can fix any mistakes you make, I think they still count as a part of this series.

I've had my cane begonia since May of 2023, and until I overwatered it recently, it has given me zero problems. And we need to be for real here - you can kill nearly ANY plant if you overwater it. The problem was all me. (When grief watering, you are bound to make mistakes)

The Basics

There are many, MANY different types of Begonias, many of which require high humidity and effectively "greenhouse conditions"; these are not the "easy" Begonias we speak of here. Although rex begonias and other rhizomatous varieties are lovely, they are not nearly as easy to care for. Here we refer to cane varieties: those that grow on tall, upright stems, especially cultivars in the Begonia maculata family.

Cane begonias require somewhat specific environments, but as long as you meet those basic needs, they are relatively easy to care for. Like most houseplants, they prefer bright, indirect light. What sets begonias apart from the other plants I've covered so far is that they require regular watering and medium to high humidity.

(Mine bloom all the way through our winters, where the humidity sometimes drops to 30%, so the popular cultivars can sometimes even survive low humidity if their general watering needs are being met)

Species: Begonia maculata, Begonia sp. Nicknames: Cane Begonia, "Polka dot" Begonia, "Angel Wing" Begonia Pet Safe: No (my pets don't find them the slightest bit interesting)

Buy or Trade

Begonias are readily available in most places that sell houseplants, and you can generally find a large specimen for $20-$30; if you want a big plant immediately, that is a perfectly good option. That said, they propagate easily in water, and you likely know a houseplant friend who's got one that needs a trim! If you get a begonia from someone in your area, you can assume it will grow well under your general household conditions.

There are many cultivars of Begonia maculata - if the standard "Whightii" variety doesn't quite do it for you, there are many varieties in coloration, spot size, etc. I bought my Begonia "Flamingo Queen" from Steve's Leaves, a popular begonia hybridizer out of Texas. If you go the online route, make sure you are buying a plant that can acclimate to normal household conditions!

Potting Requirements

Begonias like more water than your standard pothos or philodendron, so the chunky houseplant soil mix I've spoken of before isn't the best choice for them. Any standard houseplant mix on the market will suffice, some mix of peatmoss or coco coir and perlite. They also sell begonia-specific mixes, and I've potted my begonias into African violet soil with great success. Some people amend begonia mixes with vermiculite to help with water retention.

Begonias have thin, sensitive roots and prefer smaller pots. You will need to balance the size of your rootball with a pot large enough to support the plant's cane growth (and whatever you are using to keep the canes upright!).

I suggest planting cane begonias in plastic nursery pots, then placing them in heavier cache pots to help with this.

Lighting Requirements

Cane begonias thrive in bright, indirect light. A bit of morning sunshine is fine (through east-facing windows), but the leaves crisp up easily in harsher direct sun. They will grow more enthusiastically on the side of the plant nearest the light, so turn your plant often for a fuller, more balanced plant. They do well in artificial light.

Watering

Cane begonias like to be evenly wet, but not waterlogged. They can dry out briefly but will begin to crisp up quickly if left too long without water. This is especially true in lower humidity - crispy leaves are a sign that something isn't right in the plant's environment.

Let your plant go 50% dry, and then water again.

That said, because their roots are delicate, they are surprisingly easy to root rot for a plant that enjoys watering. Do not let your plant sit in water; this is how I ended up rotting my begonia this summer. You will know that you have root-rotted your begonia because the plant will quickly go downhill, killing off its leaves from the bottom of the canes upwards.

This is a plant that I highly recommend bottom watering or top watering in the sink, and then returning to its cache pot after the water has drained.

Some people keep cane begonias in semi-hydro, but I have not tried this, so I cannot speak to this.

Pruning and Staking/Trellising

Cane begonias require semi-regular care to keep them looking their best. As their canes get taller, they often droop; most people attach them to a trellis or stakes to help them support their own weight. Additionally, regular pruning helps remove old leaves with crispy edges, giving the plant a pleasant appearance.

Some cane begonias can become very tall (5' or more) and may require pruning to keep them manageable in your space.

Note: you will have to clean up flowers that drop off as they die, and prune spent flower stalks during their flowering season.

The great thing about cane begonias is that you can cut their canes back to the ground level and, in a few weeks, they will begin to regrow. This allows you to correct growing mistakes - for example, letting the leaves get crispy. This is also a way to treat pest pressure (I've never had pests on my begonias, but it's always possible).

Repotting

Repotting your begonia is all about balancing the size of the root ball with the size of the plant growth. A top-heavy plant is likely to tip over; keeping your begonia properly staked or trellised helps.

I have found that most cane begonias can live in a pot for a year or two before they need to be sized up, but much of this depends on the plant's growth and height. The heavier your cache pot, the more it can balance the height of your begonia.

If you put a begonia in a pot that is too big, it will stay waterlogged too long, increasing the chances of root rot. Do not put your begonia into a pot that is more than 2" bigger than its current root ball unless you have really honed in on your watering.

Fertilization

Begonias like light and consistent fertilization throughout the growing season. Either a diluted inorganic fertilizer or a full-strength organic fertilizer can be used with every other watering as long as the plant is growing. If your begonia isn't blooming, switch to a bloom-focused fertilizer.

Flowering

Most cane begonias flower regularly and require no additional assistance. You will find that your begonia has a schedule that it will follow after living in your growing conditions for a while. If it's no longer flowering on that schedule (for example, mine flowers from November-April/May) or is not flowering at all, check that you are meeting its basic growing conditions. Is your plant getting enough light? Enough humidity? Enough Water? When was the last time you fertilized?

Propogation

Cane Begonias are among some of the easiest plants to propagate! Cut one of the canes and put it into water. In a few weeks, it will grow roots, at which point you can transfer it to your preferred substrate.

I have had success propagating begonia without even having any leaves on the canes; it is that infallible.

Putting it All Together: How I Grow My Cane Begonias

I have had three cane begonias in my collections over the years: my Begonia maculata "Flamingo Queen", a Begonia ancontifolia x coccinea, and recently a propagation of Begonia 'Don Miller' (technically a cane/rhizomatous hybrid). I ended up giving away the ancontifolia x coccinea because it was...way too prolific. It outgrew my house!

I've had my 'Flamingo Queen' for three years, and I absolutely adore this plant! It lives on my end table under grow lights all winter and outside on the corner of my covered porch all summer. It blooms reliably within a month and a half of me bringing it inside in the Autumn, and keeps producing blooms until mid-spring.

As mentioned above, I root rooted it earlier this summer because I was in a rush during the death of my father, and I left water in its cache pot for...more than a week. That was entirely my fault and not at all a problem with this wonderful plant.

Year-round, I water it when it gets dry, most often by bottom watering (placing it in a pot of water to soak up what it needs, then letting it drain in the sink). I give it regular light fertilizer year-round (because it grows constantly for me) and try to wash it off in the shower every month or so to clean its leaves.

I keep it upright with three large (4') bamboo stakes that I attach to the canes with floral tape. At its maturity, my plant seems to stop at about 3' tall.

I'm truly in love with this plant. Not only are its polka-dotted leaves beautiful and whimsical, but its flowers brighten the room during the dead of winter. Although it is more effort than a golden pothos, it is MUCH more rewarding.

Do you like my work? You can tip me over on Ko-Fi.

Other plants in this series: African Violets, Holiday Cactus, Pothos, Snake Plants

[shoebillsorcerer]

A long over due mint repotting!! Look at these beasts! Mint tea whenever I want forever now ^-^

[decafanddivination]

This past week was a well needed rest and recharge. Went on a trip, found my first pendulum - crafted from beautiful green aventurine; and finally found a statue of Cernunnos when exploring at a local metaphysical and green witch shop ❤️🦌🌱

[feathersandfae]

just repotted my little rosemary, sage, and lavender plants.

🪴🪴🪴

[luigiviazzo]

Acqua di San Giovanni: Ricetta, Tradizione e Segreti della Notte Magica | Blog di luigialfonsoviazzo -

Scopri la leggenda e la ricetta tradizionale dell'Acqua di San Giovanni. Come preparare il magico infuso di fiori ed erbe nella notte tra il

🌿✨ Acqua di San Giovanni: Il Rituale della Notte più Corta dell'Anno ✨🌙

Esiste una notte magica in cui il confine tra il mondo reale e quello ancestrale si assottiglia, una notte in cui la natura si carica di un'energia curativa straordinaria. È la notte tra il 23 e il 24 giugno, legata indissolubilmente al Solstizio d'Estate e alle celebrazioni di San Giovanni.

In questo momento di passaggio, la tradizione popolare custodisce un rituale antico, profumato e accessibile a tutti: la preparazione dell'Acqua di San Giovanni. Si dice che questo infuso fiorito, lasciato tutta la notte ad assorbire la rugiada e la luce della luna, porti fortuna, salute, bellezza e tenga lontane le avversità.

Se volete connettervi con i ritmi della terra e riscoprire questo piccolo miracolo stagionale, trovate la ricetta tradizionale con tutte le erbe da raccogliere (come l'iperico, la lavanda e la menta) nell'articolo completo sul blog:

👉 Leggi la ricetta e la storia dell'Acqua di San Giovanni

Avete già preparato la vostra bacinella di fiori sul balcone o in giardino per questa notte? 🌱🌸