NMR ISSUE 47

Activating Miraculous Success
Astrological Forecast 47
Editorial 47
Esoteric Symbology of the Tarot
Garden Rituals
Herbal Remedy for Summer Boredom
Herbal Sex
Isian Ceremony of Spiritual Renewal
Isis Play
Lazaris
Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram
Letters 47
Magickal Garden
Other Editorial 47
Peacock, Ass/Donkey & Beetle
Potted Herbs - In and Out
Prayer to Isis
Reviews of Unusual Books
Skhmet: The Fire Within
Summoning Hathor
Waking up
Witch's Tor

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Potted Herbs - In and Out

By Helen Morrison

Herbs are plants that offer special properties, such as taste, medicines, fresh scents, or psychic vibrations. Throughout the ages people have recognized the value of these easy to grow plants. Using herbs you've grown yourself adds extra power to your herbal formulas and spells. Herbs make ideal pot plants. They won't drop dead if you forget to water once.

For every rule there is an exception, unless you are talking about plants, and then the exceptions number at least ten. To keep the subject under control, we'll talk about the rules of thumb, only briefly noting important exceptions. Trees, mosses, and seaweeds can all be herbs, but for now we'll stick to ordinary plants.

Herbs can be dug from the wild (usually not recommended), grown from seeds or cuttings, or purchased as potted plants. Potted plants or rooted cuttings are available from nurseries, garden centers, herb farms, and even grocery stores. Herbs can be mail-ordered as long as outside temperatures are above freezing. You don't need to wait until spring to get started! Many garden centers offer reduced prices in midsummer and fall, after the flurry of spring planting has ended. An herb container can be brought indoors for the winter.

Herbs like sunshine. You can't go wrong putting your container in a sunny spot, if you check them daily, watering when necessary. Herbs can survive on a shaded porch, especially if they receive sun part of the day. Indoors, they like sunny windowsills, but check on them in sunny or cold weather. The temperature next to a bare pane of glass can be surprisingly higher or lower than room temperature.

You can use almost any kind of container but it must have a drainage hole. Strawberry jars (those tall, strange pots with holes along the sides) make ideal herb containers. Cover the bottom drainage hole with a broken bit of pottery or glass (don't cut yourself!).

Fill the container part way with any good all-purpose potting soil or soil-less mix. Soil-less mixes are composed of peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, and fiber. When wet, a pot of soil-less mix weighs far less than the same size pot filled with soil. Soil-less mixes dry out quickly, but herbs like dry feet, so that's not a problem. Most commercial brands of soil-less mix and potting soil are sterilized, but check the label to be sure. Unsterilized soil may harbor unpleasant pests. I like to pour about 8 cups of water into a wheelbarrow, then add 8 quarts of soil-less mix and 20 pounds of sterilized potting soil, and combine thoroughly. Store leftovers in a plastic bag.

Remove your herb plants from their pots or unwrap your rooted cuttings. Position them in the pot, and carefully fill in around the roots or root ball with potting mix. Tamp gently, and fill with soil or mix so that the soil is about 12" below the rim of the pot. Soak the soil by watering with a gentle spray. When the soil sinks, fill it back up and water again.

If you're planting in a strawberry jar, use one plant per side opening and two or three for the top. Push the plants through the lowest set of side holes or put them down the top and pull them out through the side. Then pack in enough soil to support and surround the root balls. Repeat for each layer. When you reach the top, position the top layer of plants, water gently, and place the whole container in a large pot of water to soak. Keep the water level below the lowest opening to prevent washout. Remove the pot, and water again from above.

Put the pot in a shady place for a day or two. Move the pot to its new home and keep the soil evenly moist. Think of a sponge. A dry sponge yields no water, no matter how hard it's squeezed. A soggy sponge drips water when barely touched. An evenly moist sponge feels damp to the touch, and yields a few drops of water when squeezed. When bringing a potted plant indoors for the winter, start by moving it to a shady place outside. Then bring it in at night and set it back out in the morning for a week, so the plant isn't shocked by the sudden change.

Culinary herbs, such as basil and parsley are old windowsill standbys. Some people like to mix plants such as lobelia or impatiens with the herbs. If you do this, be absolutely sure you know exactly what plant is what. Picking the wrong plant by mistake could prove disastrous! If you are going to be eating, making tea with, or otherwise consuming the herbs, you may want to keep the edibles in one container and the inedibles in another. Or plant the description tag next to the plant that it identifies, and check the label when harvesting.

Annual Herbs

To keep them going as long as possible, clip off the flower buds as they form. They should live through the winter if you bring them in. Or harvest what you need then allow them to bloom and go to seed. Some may reseed themselves, and come back year after year.

Basil (Oncimum, all varieties), Parsley (all varieties), Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum, also called Mexican or Chinese Parsley or Coriander), Chervil, Dill (Anethum graveolens), Borage (Borago officinalis), Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis), Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis, not the common bedding marigold), Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana).

Perennial Herbs

These herbs live happily outdoors for many years in most parts of the United States. Some, but not all, will do well when brought indoors and kept in a sunny window. Potted plants are more susceptible to cold than plants growing in the ground, so provide extra shelter if they must be left out all winter.

Sage (Salvia, all varieties), Mints (Menthe, all varieties), Oregano (Origanum vulgare), Thyme (Thymus, all varieties), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis, keep the blooms trimmed off, or this plant will fill your garden with seedlings), Yarrow (Achellea, all varieties), Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla, all varieties), Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), Mugwort (Artemisia vulgare), Sweet Woodruff (Galium Odoratum), Lavender (Lavendula, most varieties), Myrrh (Myrrhis odorata, or so I've heard. This one might be tender).

Tender Herbs

These cannot tolerate cold. Keep them in, or bring them in before frost.

Rosemary (Rosemarinus Officinalis), Bay (Laurus nobilis), Tarragon, Patchouli.