🪻 WITCH CHALLENGE - Powerful Plants

[BryWisteria]

Merry meet!

Thank you once again to all those who joined in for last week’s Witchy Challenge - Catch-Up

All previous challenges have returned to their rest and the challenge clock has started once again. Here comes challenge #231!

The theme for this week’s challenge is inspired by the season and is…

Powerful Plants
How do you use plants and herbs in your practice?

The world is waking up in the Northern Hemisphere while bounty is abundant for harvest season in the Southern Hemisphere. But regardless of the time of the year or where you call home, plants can be an important part of your practice. They can be used magically for a great number of purposes and can be used fresh or dried.

Whether you’re an avid gardener, like to cook with herbs and spices, cast plant magick, or simply enjoy learning about new things - this challenge calls on you to dig in and grow!

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This challenge is about plant magick - how you choose to take on this theme is up to you.

So are you ready? Because it’s…

CHALLENGE TIME!

From Spells8: Plant Magick & Spells

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Plants in Your Practice

This challenge is all about plant magick - as always, feel free to explore the theme in a way that aligns with you and your unique practice.

Still not sure where to begin? To help you get started, here are a few suggested spells and other ways in which a witch might approach this challenge.

Please make sure you are logged into your Spells8 Account so you can view all of the resources shared!

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Green Witchery

Green Magick is a type of magick that focuses on nature with an emphasis on plant and herbal spellwork. If it’s a new topic for you, consider learning more about it! And if Green Magick is an area that you enjoy or want to develop further, consider casting some Green Magick, working on your Herbal Grimoire, or working with plants in your practice.

The Green Witch: Herbal Witchcraft Course

Plant Magick Spells: A Simple Guide for Green Witches

Herbal Spell to Attract Money

Herbal Harmony: Spell for Friendship and Love

Herbal Cleansing Bath for Good Luck

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A Witch’s Garden

A garden is a collection of plants you tend. Gardens can be indoors or outdoors, in beds or in pots, big, small, or anything in between. There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to gardens so long as it brings you joy. Consider making or sharing about your garden as your entry.

Inspiration:

• Magick Gardens 2024
• Sharing Info - Best Crystals for Your Garden 🌿
• Magical Fairy Garden
• Growing Herbs in the house

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Dried Plants (Herbs & Spices)

Plants don’t have to be fresh to be powerful! Anyone with a pantry likely has a treasure trove of plant ingredients ready to use. Here are some ways you can tap into the mighty power of plants using dried herbs and spices.

Herbs & Spices for Protection

Creative Ways to Use Old Herbs & Spices in Your Craft

Simmer Pots: Aromatic Magick for Your Home

Witchy Crafts with Dried Lavender

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Grow Your Herbal Grimoire

Whether you keep notes, have a full Herbal Grimoire, have a section in your Book of Shadows for Green Magick, or want to start your own Materia Medica, consider developing your materials and growing your collection for your entry.

Printable Plant Pages for Your Herbal Grimoire

Make Your Own Materia Medica

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Learn About a New Plant

If you’re a confident Green Witch and often use plants in your practice, why not venture out onto a new branch? Or perhaps you’re not sure where to start and want to begin with the basics? Consider learning about a new plant and share what you learned as your entry!

Magickal Plants Every Witch Should Know

How to Use Seaweed in Your Craft

Ghost Pipes: Herbal Folklore Medicine & Magick

How to Use Calendula in Your Craft

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…And More!

The suggestions above are just a few ideas to help kickstart your creativity. If you feel called to explore the challenge theme in another way, you are welcome to do so.

From Spells8: Money Magick with Ginkgo

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How to Join the Challenge

In order for your entry to be counted, all you have to do is write/share about your experience and label it as your challenge entry. There is a lot of chatting here (which is awesome- chatting and discussion are very welcome!) so please clearly write that it is your entry so I know to count it!

Where Do I Share My Entry?

Click here to learn where to share your challenge entry

You are welcome to post it right here- just click “reply” to this post and write your experience in the text box that pops up!

Alternatively, you could create a new post in the forum (this is good for when you have a lot to share and/or would like to discuss aspects of your entry not related to the current theme)

Note : If you do choose to create a new thread, please add the “challenge-entry” tag and/or add a hyperlink back to this post so that it can be easily found- thank you!

Click here for a note for our lovely lurkers

Everyone is welcome to join the challenge. For those who would like the challenge prizes, please know that you will need to share your experience if you want to receive a prize and a public shout-out.

Don’t feel comfortable sharing? No fear! For lurkers and those who are shy, it is absolutely okay to follow along with the challenge on the sidelines. At the end of the day, these challenges are here to help you help yourself by expanding and enhancing your personal magickal practice. I hope they can be helpful for you!

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Deadline

This challenge will close in 13 DAYS

To join in, please share your experience by:

Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 AM EDT (Eastern US Time)
2025-04-08T11:00:00Z

(Note that the time zone is ET- if you don’t see your time displayed above, you can use this time zone calculator to check for your time zone!)

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Prizes

For their efforts, all participants will receive a special shout-out and a small prize!

Acknowledgments will be given in a Props and Presents Post that will appear in the forums the day the challenge closes.

After the challenge closes, you are still very welcome to post but please be aware that no additional prizes will be given. This discussion will remain open for about a week after the challenge finishes.

From Spells8: Rose & Lavender Spell Sachet

A warm reminder that the challenges are designed to be very open- everyone is encouraged to participate in a way that honors and reflects their unique practice

If you have any doubts about if something is acceptable to post or say, please double-check with the Forum FAQ and/or reach out to your friendly Moderator Team.

And for those new to challenges- welcome! Know that the goal of these activities is to help you further diversify and strengthen your abilities and to bring together the Spells8 forum family to inspire and support one another in creative ways

From Spells8: Earth Magick: Connect with the Earth

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Knowledge begins as a tiny seed,
Water it with love and watch it gain speed
Though sometimes fast and sometimes slow,
Your garden of power continues to grow!

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Blessed Be

[Artemisia]

What a perfect challenge for this time of year!

Random yet related - I’m going to admit out loud (print) here that the seeds I started in December? I wrote down what they were on a sheet of paper, but never labelled the seedlings and have no real idea what I have growing

That will be a goal for me today - identifying the seedlings as best I can!

[dan3]

I can’t imagine growing something. I just don’t have a green thumb… I would not need a list of what was in the pots because nothing would pop up to give me a hint.

I will have to think about doing something with dried herbs - with which I have been slightly successful.

[WrenEve]

I’m glad I’m not the only one .
I had that problem last year - I had some mislabeled, some of the labels fell off and others I just skipped labeling all together. It was a fun guessing game!

[jayne]

Challenge Entry: I think most people know I’ve been itching to get started on my Witch’s Garden. We already have some island beds that i’ve been growing pollinator plants in, but they have become completely overgrown with weeds and it’s taking a while for me to get them cleared out.

So in the meantime, I got some seeds started a couple of weeks ago and they are doing great (need to be thinned out)

There are calendula, broadleaf sage, hyssop, Purple Petra basil and lemon balm. (note, I took very detailed photos of the seed packets and which row those seeds are in, so I will be able to identify them later!)

I also bought some rosemary, basil, sage, chamomile starter plants and got those planted today.

So this is what I have going now, and the seedlings (which you can see are growing like wildfire in their tray) will be spread around in these beds and in the island beds in the back yard (once I get them cleared).

[Artemisia]

@dan3

I just don’t have a green thumb

I have to credit my mother and her mom for mine. They both were avid flower and vegetable gardeners. Many an hour spent weeding, planting, and harvesting as a child

@WrenEve

I’m glad I’m not the only one .

Nope, you are not alone I had the best of intentions. I was going to transfer the info to a chart and then label the seedlings, but kept putting it off.

Now I only have the herb list and lost the vegetable list - I’ve identified the Valerian, Fever Few, Marshmallow, Digitalis, Absinth, Chicory, and Mugwort seedlings growing.

[georgia]

Challenge Entry

Bladderwrack is an edible brown seaweed, currently known for its benefits to the thyroid and digestive system.

Bladderwrack: Benefits, Uses, and Side Effects

Health Benefits of Bladderwrack

It also has Spiritual meaning

7 Magical Properties Of Bladderwrack | Enchanted Aromatics

Bladderwrack Explained: A Comprehensive Q&A

When I first encountered bladderwrack, it was offered as a dieting aid. Taking it causes a coating on the tongue which takes away the flavor of food so one doesn’t eat as much.

I have since learned that there are different reasons to eat and that one dieting solution doesn’t work for everyone. The reasons include, but are not limited to the following.

1. Feelings of hunger in the stomach.
2. Cravings.
3. Flavor satisfaction (most affected by bladderwrack or hibiscus).
4. Headaches.
5. Waning energy (most affected by judicious use of caffeine).
6. Dehydration.
7. Watching the clock.
8. Emotional issues.
9. Feelings of being cold.
10. Lack of sleep.
11. Some foods actually cause hunger.
12. Multiples of any or all of those mentioned. This version is often caused by abuse.

Other means of gaining weight which are not easy to remove include but are not limited to

1. Reactions to medication.
2. Thyroid problems.
3. Genetic issues.
4. Food allergies.
5. Sensitivities to certain foods.
6. Lack of proper exercize.
7. Overindulging.
8. Other forms of disease.
9. Muscle weakness or other disabilities.
10. Heart problems.
11. Liver weakness.
12. Thyroid issues.
13. Heavy metal poisoning.
14. Too many vitamins.
15. Inability to lie down flat to sleep.
16. Some foods cause water retention.
17. Multiples of the above.

Many people have issues with other people who look overweight or unhealthy. Some attribute all weight gain to one source. Others think that one body reacts the same as any other as though we are machines. Unfortunately, some of those with mistaken ideas are in the medical field. I feel the world would be a better place if some of these mistaken ideas were educated away so those with issues can find assistance.

[MeganB]

I’ve been thinking a lot about wheat and the correspondences associated with it. Wheat is the main ingredient in the bread I bake. While I had always considered baking a sacred act when coupled with magical means, I had never stopped to think about the correspondences of the wheat itself The interesting thing, though, is that I can’t find a lot of noted correspondences for wheat.

I have found two things so far. The first is from Scott Cunningham’s book that says wheat is associated with fertility, conception, and attracting abundance.

The second is from a website called Flying The Hedge where wheat is given the following properties and correspondences.

Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Earth
Powers: Abundance, Fertility, Money, Rebirth
Magical Uses and History: Wheat is the most sacred of the Seven Sacred Grains as it represented fruitfulness, bounty, and rebirth in its ability to replenish itself and its golden color. In ancient Egypt and Babylonia, wheat was often used in funeral rites to represent the rebirth of the deceased in the afterlife.

In ancient Greece, crowns of wheat were placed on the heads of brides and grooms as a symbol of fertility. Carried or eaten it is thought to increase fertility and conception.

Sheaves of wheat placed in the home attract money and abundance.

Wheat can be used in a number of spells including:

• Fertility Magic
• Money Spells

However, wheat is often used as the grain of choice for breads baked on Lammas or “loaf mass.” Having a successful wheat harvest meant our ancestors could bake and store bread through the cold winter months. The lore surrounding bread magic is vast and best explained in another post.

– Flying the Hedge: Magical and Medicinal Uses of Wheat

I think I’ll have to explore this a bit more. Some of this resonates with me and some of it just doesn’t.

[sara6]

Entry challenge

This is my peach tree and it has sprouted beautiful flowers that I’m so enjoying right now but now can’t wait for the peaches to grow and come in so my kids and I can dig in.

This is the tree in front of my place that the owner of the property says is sick and it’s dying and I can tell u it’s not dying and not sick. They r just chopping out good trees for no reason which is messed up but nothing I can do it’s some kind of plum tree is the name of it pink flowers and then leaves that r a very dark reddish purple and I love this tree. I’m gonna gather some of the flowers and dry them out and keep them. These 2 r very beautiful

My beautiful tulips. The place I moved in has a little small garden area and a good size one and I didn’t know a lot of what was planted minus the peach tree which I will collet seeds dry them out so I can properly store some home grown peach seeds so I can grow more if I end up having to move.

Most of the garden here will stay if I have to move but I will also be collecting seeds and ones that I can’t get seeds from will be dug up and put in a pot and transported any place I moved to. The garden I have I ver beautiful and I enjoy it cuz I am now the new owner to care for these plants cuz the owner that did plant the whole garden passed away and I ended up moving in after it was ready.
But in the future if I have to move some of the garden will be dug up and put in pots to go with me cuz I already kno if anyone else moves in if I move out they will rip everything out so I will take some with me to add to my inside plant collection I have and I love it so much.

[Nikki-Phoenix]

CHALLENGE ENTRY

I am not green-fingered in the slightest, plants come to me to live out their last days lately though, I’ve thought more and more about willow trees, and where it all started…and it all began with a point-and-click game called Conquest of the Longbow.

Basically, in the game you are Robin Hood, trying to raise money to free King Richard with your Merry Men. This is the game which taught me about trees and their Druid names:

You have to step into a grove and spell out the druid name of the tree with the druid hand code to gain their protection

Crystals:

You have to solve riddles by answering with the correct stone.

The Green Man, whose riddles you have to answer to gain His protection, and this is still my favorite place in the whole game:

The Willow Grove which may have inspired a life-long love with Willow trees. There is an unmistakable peace and serenity I experience near willow trees, and they feel sacred in some way. The Druid name is Saille, for those who wondered, and if anyone wants to see the manual (where the pictures came from), it’s Conquests of the Longbow Manual : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

x Blessed Be x

[Artemisia]

Challenge Entry - Powerful Plants

I took advantage of good weather and got a few herb, flower and vegetable plants as well as summer crop seeds and garden soil.

I spent time cleaning out the old plants, leaves, and acorns then started work on the herb garden. One of the things I wanted to do was have pollinating plants, as last year none of my squash blooms produced fruit. I bought two salvia plants and a dianthus plant. I also bought butterfly weed seeds and a perennial wildflower seed mix. I found a lovely Thai basil for my herb garden.

On the herb side, I planted another salvia and dianthus as well as beet seedlings, black cherry tomatoes, super sweet 100 cherry tomatoes, and Baby Beets. I planted seeds for Clemson Spinesless Oakra, Sweet California bell peppers, early jalapenos, Blue Lake bush beans, and garden bush pickling cucumbers.

I refreshed the soil in my balcony herb planters and added a new spearmint plant to my entry plant container.

I need to get a couple more bags of garden soil and some hardware for the pest gates on the vegetable garden before I’m ready to transplant my seedlings early next week.

[dan3]

@Nikki-Phoenix

plants come to me to live out their last days

Oh, yes! So true for me, too. I’ve got lots of stories about how bad I am at nurturing a plant. If I do this challenge it will be with store bought dry herbs… and salt.

I love willow trees. We used to have a lot of them… there is a symbology of some sort. I stare at them all the time.

[georgia]

@sara6

some kind of plum tree

This looks like the plum trees around us when I first moved into the complex. They have since died off, but that’s been 17 years, now. Check for plums. They will be small. I used to collect the fruit and freeze some. When it thaws, it is mush, but dig the seeds out and use it as fruit spread on bagels or toast- especially good in winter when fresh fruit is harder to get. Mom used to make a peach, plum, apricot, lemon preserve which tasted wonderful!

@Nikki-Phoenix The game looks fun. I’ll try it. There were willows at Grandma’s we used to play under and pitch a tent to spend the night. We’d strip a twig of its outer bark and suck on the inner until we were floating.

[Nikki-Phoenix]

@dan3

I’ve got lots of stories about how bad I am at nurturing a plant

Soooo glad it’s not just me @dan3! I do try but the green-finger gene passed me by

@georgia I would love to camp under a willow tree!! Well, in theory lol…it’s a fun little game, one of a bunch I played obsessively as a child, and I still play them now and again. Depending on your computer setup, you might need an emulator, or something you can play Dos games on. I use ScummVM:

It looks like this when it’s up and running:

You don’t need a social media account, or money to buy upgrades, it’s totally old school, and perfect for disappearing into something which only needs a little brainpower. Have fun!

x Blessed Be x

[Jeannie1]

@dan3

can’t imagine growing something. I just don’t have a green thumb…

I don’t have a green thumb, but I have a thumb so ha ha ha ha!
My advice to you is to start with garlic it can be bought at the store and you can actually grow garlic with a clove of garlic. My garlic started to grow a stemy and you Pack with dirt in ground. Potatoes are really easy to start with too as well, and I’m not no expert, but start with something. Germinate a seed in a ziplock bag with paper towel. Get the paper towel really wet and every day moisturize it with water.
I’ve been thinking about growing so I decided to get some seeds for beginners

Lets turn our thumbs green and start planting medicinal plants to be healthy and be grounded!!
My garden will have
This is from Amazon

• Medicinal Herb Seeds Starter Pack - Includes Alfalfa, Angelica, Anise, Holy Basil, Bergamot, Black Cumin, Borage, Calendula, Catnip, Cayenne, German Chamomile, Curled Chervil, Clary Sage, Dandelion, Echinacea (Purple Coneflower), Elecampane, Evening Primrose, Fennel, Fenugreek, Feverfew, Horehound, Hyssop, Lamb’s Ear, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Lovage, Marsh Mallow, Motherwort, Oats, Oregano, Peppermint, Red Clover, White Smudging Sage, Stinging Nettle, Toothache Plant, and Yarrow Seeds.
• Grow Natural Remedies - Our heirloom herb seed vault provides 36 packets of herb seeds for planting a medicinal herb garden outdoors. This multipack variety kit contains annual, biennial, and perennial herb plants that can be used for medicinal, culinary, and ornamental purposes. Use the raw ingredients of leaf, flower, seeds, and roots to extract your own essential oil or create herbal teas, tinctures, infusions, salves, lotions, balms, and ointments.
• Herbalist Essentials Collection - This ultimate herb seed mix is a must-have for any homesteader, prepper, naturalist, or survivalist who wants to become more self-reliant! Sow your own organic, wholesome garden to create your home apothecary and herbal treatments right in your own backyard or indoors. Many of these plants are ideal for container gardening, in hydroponic systems or growing indoors.
• The Info You Need to Grow - These non-perishable medicinal herb seeds are packed in a beautiful paper packet with instructions for successful growing and germination in your home garden. Each package also has instructions for saving seeds after harvest. Getting started is simple for both beginner and experienced gardeners.
• Small American Family-Owned Business - We’re committed to always providing fresh, high-quality fruit, herb, flower, and vegetable seeds for you to plant in your garden now or to store for future growing seasons. We pledge to sell only safe, non-hybrid non-GMO heirloom seeds that are always open-pollinated, untreated, and tested to ensure the best germination rates. They will remain viable for years if stored properly in a cool dry location.
• 30 herbal Seeds

@Artemisia
I think I need to go outside and check on my mug work your garden looks awesome though Artemis! I am so envious right now I want a garden so bad!

@WrenEve

r - I had some mislabeled, some of the labels fell off

I did the same thing and I got these little tags and I wrote on them and the tag got wet and all of the ink bled. I’m not sure what to do!
@jayne
wow, Jane that’s very impressive. Very great work.! Well, done!
@MeganB Beautiful!!

I’m making some Lavander wands I’ll let you know when they’re all done

I took A cleansing bath today and I use 2 cups of salt with some rosemary and threw some lavender in there! I feel refreshed!!
last night for the solar eclipse, I did a boundary spell here it goes

so weird I used a jar and I put the black candle on top of the jar and lit it and watch the candle for a little bit and I was waiting for the candle to drip onto the jar and it never did it dissipated. Has anybody ever had this happen to them? This is so bizarre.!!

I’m sorry if this is to long guess I had a lot to share!
Jeannie

[dan3]

@Jeannie1

This is from Amazon

Wow. That is a cool idea. We do have an area we could use. OMG… another obsession is on the horizon!

[veronica1]

Or you could just put them in the ground and have fun surprises when each plant reaches maturity.

[veronica1]

I am SO jealous that you can get your hands in the dirt and plant stuff already. In Maine it seems Winter has decided to fight on. I have the worst case of Spring fever which led to me ordering so many new plants for my garden, and an arbor that I have to assemble so I can get my kiwi vine. Garden art, plant supports, soil. You name it it’s piled in my kitchen just waiting…

[jayne]

Ooooh - I saw your post about willows and it reminded me of when I visited my friend Katie, who lives in Taunton, Somerset. At the time, she lived right next to a place called Longrun Meadow and they have the most amazing willow cathedral planted there. You would love it! It was magical to walk around there and see it growing

Taunton's Willow Cathedral

[Nikki-Phoenix]

@jayne well bless my cards, that is stunning! I’m saving this to practice visualising my own willow tree palace - thank you!

x Blessed Be x