Tag: garden

Herb of the Day for August 23 is ROSEHIPS

ROSEHIPS (Rosa canina)

To grow:
Try to plant where roses will receive full sun all day. Avoid planting where
other shrubs or trees will steal water from the roses. Plant in well drained
soil. Dig soil deep and incorporate organic matter such as ground bark, peat
moss, or compost. Add complete fertilizer to soil at the same time and dig
supplemental phosphorous and potash into planting holes. Before planting bare-
root roses, immerse them in water for several hours. Be sure to make holes large
enough so you will not have to bend the roots or cut them back. Before planting
cut broken canes and broken roots just below the break. Set plant in the hole so
that bud union (knob from which the canes grow) is just above soil level. After
the rose is planted and has been watered well, mound soil or damp peat moss
around the bud union and the canes. Remove gradually after the leaves begin to
expand. You must water regularly. Water deeply so that entire root system
receives water. Big, well established plants need more water than new plants.
Apply nutrients fairly regularly. Feed when a blooming cycle has just ended and
new cycle is beginning. Stop feeding about 6 weeks before first hard frost.
Regular pest and disease control should be followed. Begin to control
aphids as soon as they appear. To prune, use sharp pruning spears. Remove wood
that is obviously dead or wood that has no healthy growth coming from it. Also
prune branches that rub against the plants larger canes or branches that cut
through the center. Each spring, remove 1/3 1/2 inch of the previous season’s
growth. Cut flowers as a form of pruning. Cut enough stem to allow rose to stand
in a vase but do not cut to much foliage from the plant.

Uses:
A good source of vitamin C. They help in the bodies defense against colds and
flues. They help in cases of constipation and mild gall bladder problems as well
as conditions of the bladder and kidney.

Parts used:
Fruit (hips) and seeds of the dog rose. Collect the hips in the fall.

Decoction:
Put 2 1/2 tbs. of the cut hips in a cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for
10 minutes.

Tincture:
Take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

Lady A’s Spell Of The Day for 8/10: SPELL TO AVERT EVIL

SPELL TO AVERT EVIL


You will need:
* three small pine branches, a few feet in length (or three fern fronds)
The Spell:
To banish evil that has come, go into your garden at night.
Cut three small pine branches, a few feel long, or three fern fronds.
Circle your garden with these slowly and call forth all the powers and spirits of your garden
in whatever words feel good to you. Express your hurts and fears and ask for help from the
Earth Mother. Then “sweep” the house with these branches or fronds, pushing all the
dark energies out the front door forcefully, saying:
OUT! OUT! AVERT! AVERT! EVIL OUT IS– ALHIZ! ALHIZ!
Throw the branches away, off your property.

Herb of the Day for August 4th is Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal

Folk Names:  European Pennyroyal, Lurk-In-The-Ditch, Mosquito Plant, Organ Broth, Organs, Organ Tea, Piliolerian, Pudding Grass, Run-By-The-Ground, Squaw Mint, Tickweed

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Mars

Element: Fire

Deity: Demeter

Powers: Strength, Protection, Peace

Magickal Uses: Pennyroyal placed in the shoe prevents weariness during travel and strengthens the body in general.

Stomach problems can be alleviated by stuffing a green poppet with mint and annointing it with healing oils

When worn it acts against the evil eye and aids in making business deals.

To rid a place of evil, sprinkle salt water with a sprinkler made of fresh sprigs of mint, marjoram, and rosemary.

When given to quarreling couples it will cause them to cease their fighting, and so pennyroyal is a herb of peace. Pennyroyal is kept in the home (away from pets and children) for protection. It is also carried on board ships to prevent seasickness.

Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham

Herb of the Day for July 24 is Primrose

Herb of the Day

Primrose

Folk Names:  Butter rose, English cowslip, Password

Gender:  Feminine

Planet:  Venus

Element:  Earth

Deity  Freya

Powers:  Protection, love

Magickal Uses:  Blue and red primroses growing in the garden protect it from all adversities, and they also attract fairies.

Though primroses, to some, represent wantonness, women carry them to attract love.

Crystal of the Day for June 15th is Selenite Rose

Crystal of the Day

 

Selenite Rose – Desert Rose

Some minerals form rosette shapes, and selenite is one of these. The selenite rose rock is also called “the desert rose”, and is often confused with the barite rose. The edges of selenite rose are sharper and the crystalline structure is less hard than the barite rose.

Some desert rose metaphysical properties are:

  • Mental clarity
  • Increase awareness of self and environment
  • Allows one to see inner truth
  • Promotes success in business
  • Assists in accessing past lives

 

Selenite Gemstone meaning

Selenite is named for Selene, Greek goddess of the Moon because of its moon-like glow. Exchanged between lovers, it will bring about reconciliation.

  • Brings mental clarity
  • Helps one to access angelic guidance
  • Quickly unblocks stagnant energy
  • Instills a deep peace

 

It makes a wonderful protection stone. Place a selenite sphere at the corners of your home to create a peaceful, safe environment that will not be disturbed by outside influences.

Peach Selenite

In addition to the properties of white selenite, peach selenite is a transformation stone. It helps to heal old emotional wounds and transforms this negative energy to healing, forgiveness and accceptance. Use peach selenite to increase self awareness and travel a new path.

Color:

 white – beige

Element:

 Wind element

Chakra:

 Third Eye, Crown

Energies:

 Healing, Power, Love, Protection

 

Happy and Glorious Saturday to All!

I hope everyone is having a beautiful Saturday so far.  I fell asleep in the floor last night and woke up this morning at 3:00 a.m., to Hitler invading Russia.  Great to wake up to early, early on your Saturday morning. I got up when to wash dishes and here comes hubby wanting to know if there is any coffee made. Of course, seeing all the violence on TV, I wanted to pop him on the head with the coffee pot. Then I got to thinking coffee, not a bad idea. So I made us a pot, rather me a pot. He had one cup and went back to bed. Dawn was beginning to crack, so I did what I love to do. Take my coffee outside, curl up on my bench and watch the beautiful Sun come up. Curling up wasn’t in the picture this morning. Two of the wildcats were already outside waiting on me. The biggest one and the  smallest one and would you believe they were occupying my bench, lol! They wanted to play and love. But out of all of them, the big one is the most hostile. It took me forever to befriend him. Now if there is any of the others out there, forget they don’t come close to me. We played and loved a little bit, then I broke up fights, then I went and got their food. I figured that was the only way I was going to get any peace.

I had noticed when I came back in the house, I had wasted an hour and a half playing with the cats. The sky was beginning to lighten up, so I figured it was a great time to water the garden (since I forgot to last night).  I gathered up my pitchers and flashlight. Now remember I said it was just starting to lighten up, you still couldn’t see that great. I put the garden on the back side of the porch. Turns out it was a pretty smart move. I can stand on the porch and water the garden in cast it is super muddy. I forgot to mention, when I was digging this spot up the ground was just so soft and it took no strength what so ever to dig it up. This is very, very unusual for the ground around here. I didn’t think anything about it, I was just thrilled I didn’t have to kill myself. The day I dug up the garden, I went into to get a glass of ice water. When I came back I found out why the ground was so easy to dig, I was digging in a wolf spider’s nest. It was almost down right funny, I went to observe my handy work and there in the middle of the dirt had to be the grandpa of all wolf spiders. He was huge. I figured after I watered the ground some more, they would leave. I brought the hose around the house and started watering. Oh brother, did I get a reaction out of that spider. He jumped at me. Needless to say, I had forgotten they could jump and it scared the crap out of me. Now back to this morning, I had my flashlight and was up on the porch. I noticed one of my plants had been moved. Miss Perfectionist couldn’t stand that. She had to go and put it back in its place. I had totally forgot about the spiders. I pulled the plant up and move it over just a little bit. I wasn’t paying attention but I had opened the spider’s hole back up. I had just stood up and the evil spider jumped on my foot. I am sure I woke up every neighbor in a five-mile radius. I screamed a dirty word while dancing around on one foot. I never did think I was going to get that damn spider off of my foot. Finally after throwing my foot out-of-place, I got the spider off of me. Thank the Goddess he didn’t bite me. I can do some of the stupidest things at times. Please use this as a what not to guide when gardening.

Beware of soft dirty. (It is a mean, cruel joke played on you by some creature or critter)

If your plants get up and move on their own. (Leave them alone, the plant will be happier and so will you)

Never garden by flashlight. ( This should be a no boner)

If you find a spider of any kind in your garden, leave him be and maybe he will do the same. (If not, just give him a good drink of water and a shower. Hopefully the shower will do him in, lol!)

Florida Water with Water and Raw Herbs

Fill a one-quart Mason jar with the following:

      Spring water

2    slices orange

2    slices lemon

2    slices lime

      Fresh mint from the garden

      Fresh lemon balm from the garden

      Fresh hyssop from the garden

1     fresh rosemary sprig

1     fresh basil sprig

Pack jar with the herbs as full as you like. Boil spring water (enough to fill the jar). Pour into Mason jar (note: please use a canning jar or Pyrex brand glass container as these can withstand the boiling water). Make sure the jar is warm before pouring in the boiling water. Allow mixture to cool completely. Strain. Pour Liquid into a sterilized jar or bottle. Keep in refrigerator. Potent for three days.

Casting Spells Using Dried Herbs

The most prevalent ingredient of magick spells are processed herbs, especially dried plants and oils. Drying plants preserves them for extended use, allowing you to work with  plants out of season and those that cannot be grown in your personal region. Dried herbs from all over the world, representing many magical traditions, may be purchased from herbal suppliers.

Dried herbs are frequently sold already chopped up, cut or powdered. As this frequently needs to be done before spellcasting purchasing herbs in this form can be a real-time and effort saver–with one caveat. Leaves and blossoms, even chopped, other remain easily distinguishable. Peppermint doesn’t smell like vervain or hibiscus, for instance. Roots on the other hand,  other the most magickally potent part of a plant,  once chopped or powdered, are fairly indistinguishable from  each other. It is not uncommon for unethical or ignorant vendors to substitute one  root for another. If you are looking for a distinct root, say High John the Conqueror, for whom this is a common problem, buy the whole root and ground and powder it yourself, even though this can be difficult.  It is the only way to guarantee that you are receiving what you want, the only way to maintain control over what may be a pivotal ingredient. Familiarize yourself with herbs. Know what they should look like and what they should smell like, and you will be less likely to be fooled.

If you grow plants or have access to fresh plants, it’s extremely easy, virtually child’s play, to dry them yourself.