Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

92 Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

ment of herbs for magick, healing, and cooking. The

center pentagon makes a perfect spot for your garden

altar, and this is where I recommend you set it up.

All herbs should ideally be planted during the 1st

quarter of the Moon (-
). Thin them ruthlessly.

Select the hardiest seedlings, and give them room to

mature. Keep the beds weeded, the soil moist, and

cultivate the ground regularly to ensure good drain-

age. Above all, talk to your herbs, and let them know

you love them. Harvest herbs when the blossoms ap-

pear and just before the flowers open. Magickal herbs

are believed most potent if harvested on Midsummer’s

Day. When the morning dew is gone, cut the stalks

and gently rinse the plants. Bind them in bunches and

hang them in a dark, airy place. As they dry, the oil in

stalk and stems drains into the leaves. After two weeks,

strip off the leaves and flowers and store them in air-

tight jars with decorative labels.

Here’s a selection of perennial herbs with a vari-

ety of uses; choose five—one for each section of your

pentagram. I’ve included their Latin names and how

tall they will grow, as well as some of their uses. These

are best planted from starts, and you should consult

with your nursery to determine which ones will work

best for your garden, and in your climate.

Chamomile (Anthemis) (3’): Chamomile makes a

popular tea for frayed nerves, helps you sleep, and

is a good all-purpose incense. In the bath, it re-

laxes and soothes the skin. Carry chamomile in

your mojo bag to positively influence others.

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) (2’): Hyssop has pro-

tective properties, and repels evil. Hang a sprig at

the window to ward off demons. The leaves and

flowers soothe and refresh the body when added

to bath water. Hyssop leaf tea excites passion.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) (2’): Called the

“Honey Plant,” for bees love it. It is often worn in

a mojo bag as a love charm. The leaves make ex-

cellent tea. Crushed leaves in a muslin bag can be

added to a soothing bath.

Mint (Mentha) (3’): Includes peppermint and spear-

mint. A good addition to teas and sweet things,

mint dries and preserves very easily for later use

in astringents and bath additives. Chewed fresh, it

gives you the gift of beautiful speech.

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) (3 1/2’): Mugwort is

used in divination and prophetic dreams, for its

aroma heightens awareness. It also promotes pas-

sion and friendship. Stuffing mugwort leaves into

your shoes on a long hike prevents fatigue.

Rue (Ruta graveolens) (2 1/2’): Called the “Herb of

Grace” for its protective qualities, burning the

dried leaves of rue will dispel evil and ill will. Rue

is good for vision, both physical and spiritual.

Sage (Salvia) (2’): The Latin name for sage means

“to be saved” because the herb has so many uses.

It’s good in salads and to flavor turkey. Sage tea

helps dry up moist coughs, lung congestion, ton-

sillitis, and sore throats. Sage also helps with bad

breath, bleeding gums, and mouth sores. Crush the

fresh leaves and apply to insect bites. And tied sage

bundles make great smudge sticks!

Lesson 6: Nurturing Your

Garden

Preparing the Soil

Start working on your garden long before you

wish to actually begin planting; most experienced

gardeners prepare the soil in the Fall and let it weather

over the Winter. The first thing you will need to do

(and by far the most work!) is to get rid of whatever’s

already growing there. If there are tall weeds, just go

in with gloves and pull them out. Heap all the debris

into a mulch pile to the side of your garden area. Then

you can go over the area with a lawnmower, adding

the grass clippings to the mulch.

As soon as the soil is dry,

turn the sod with your

shovel, and break it up even

more with your spading

fork, hoe, and rake. This is

great exercise and much

more fun if you can get

some friends to help! As

you work, walk backwards

so as not to trample the dirt

you’ve already loosened. If

you’ve been composting your organic garbage (see

following), spread the compost over the area and work

it in as you go. Also spread animal manure (horse and

turkey manure are excellent—and you can often find

a stable or farm happy to sell it or even give it away

free for the shoveling).

When you’ve gotten the whole area dug up and

turned, our favorite technique is to cover it all with a

large sheet of black plastic (available from any hard-

ware store). The Sun will bake the soil under the plas-

tic, and kill all the roots, weed seeds, and most of the

bug pests. Check after a week or so to make sure there

is nothing still green under the plastic. When the soil

seems sufficiently cooked and you can see no remain-

ing greenery, remove the plastic and finish breaking

up the clumps of sod. Then rake it all smooth, clear

your paths, and make trenches, rows, and craters for

setting your seeds and starts.

Sprouting Seeds

In our garden these days, we plant almost every-

thing from starts, which you can buy just about every-

where in the Spring. This is the easy way, and I highly

recommend it for your first garden. However, several

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