Every spring someone asks me whether it is possible to be a green witch in an apartment with no garden. It is. I grew my first herbs on a kitchen windowsill above a sink, and I learned more from those seven pots than from any book.
Growing a plant from a seed or a cutting, tending it daily, and then using it in your practice is a different thing altogether from opening a jar. The plant knows you by then, or at least you know the plant.
The seven
| Herb | Needs | In your practice | Growing tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | Warmth and plenty of light. Keep the soil moist. | Prosperity and harmony in the home | Pinch off the tips to keep it bushy, and do not let it flower. |
| Mint | Light or part shade. It likes water. | Clarity, energy, and prosperity | Give it a pot of its own. It will overrun any neighbors. |
| Thyme | Full sun. Let the soil dry between waterings. | Courage and cleansing | It hates wet roots. Water sparingly. |
| Rosemary | Full sun and good drainage | Protection, cleansing, and memory | Slow from seed. Buy a small plant or take a cutting from a friend. |
| Sage | Full sun. Fairly dry soil. | Wisdom and cleansing | Trim it after flowering to keep it from becoming woody. |
| Lemon balm | Light or part shade. Regular water. | Calm, joy, and affection | Very forgiving. A good first plant. |
| Calendula | As much sun as you can give it | The sun, joy, and comfort | Pick the flowers often, and it will keep making more. |
Getting started
- Find your brightest window. In the Northern Hemisphere that is one facing south or west. In the Southern Hemisphere it faces north.
- Use pots with holes in the bottom, and stand them on saucers. Herbs that sit in water will rot.
- Use a peat-free potting mix. Peat is dug from bogs that take thousands of years to form.
- Start simply. A pot of supermarket basil or mint can be divided into three or four smaller plants and repotted. It is the cheapest way to begin.
- Water in the morning, and only when the top of the soil feels dry.
Planting with intention
Spring is the natural time to begin, and Ostara is the traditional festival for planting. Before I sow anything, I hold the seeds in my hand for a moment and say what I hope for them and what I hope to learn from them. Folk tradition says to sow leafy plants while the moon is waxing, so that they grow with the light. I cannot promise that it makes a difference to the basil. It makes a difference to me.
Harvesting
Take no more than a third of a plant at a time, cut just above a pair of leaves, and say thank you. Use the herbs fresh, or tie them in small bunches and hang them to dry. Our guide to herbal magick explains how to dry and store them, and the herb correspondences table lists their uses.
If you have pets
Some common herbs can upset cats and dogs if they are eaten in quantity. Check each plant before you bring it home, and keep pots out of reach of animals that like to chew.
The daily visit
The real magick of a windowsill garden is the minute you spend with it each morning. You check the soil, turn the pots toward the light, and rub a leaf between your fingers. It is a small act of care that is repeated every day, and that is as good a definition of a practice as I know.