From Harvest Moons to homegrown Jack-o'-lanterns, there’s something about October that makes even the most practical gardener feel… well, a little witchy. So when someone urges us to make like Sandra Bullock in Practical Magic and burn a few herbs, you’d better believe we’re reaching for the matches.
Oh yes, you’re not alone if the herb garden you’ve lovingly tended to all summer suddenly feels like more than simply ingredients for a humble pot roast. Aromatic and steeped in centuries of folklore, in fact, you can elevate your rosemary, sage, and lavender to new heights by carefully clipping and burning them.
It’s a trend that’s captivated people on social media, with many trimming their herbs so that they can either toss their sprigs into a fire, or carefully bundle them up and set a match to them. But why? Let’s find out.
Garden Herbs Steeped In History
Rosemary, sage, and lavender have all been grown in cottage gardens and on windowsills for generations, prized for their fragrance, resilience, and medicinal uses. But these garden herbs also come laden with a long tradition of ritual.
In ancient Greece and Rome, rosemary was burned to purify the air and protect against illness. In folk practices across Europe, lavender smoke has long been believed to cleanse both body and space. And Native Americans have long used sacred herbs like sage in their smudging rituals to invite positive energy.
That connection between the practical and the mystical is what makes burning these garden herbs feel so right in October. It’s part garden ritual, part seasonal self-care… but there’s more to it than just that.
A Sensory Approach to Pest Control
Experts note that the essential oils of these garden herbs are released when they are burned, filling the air with a sharp, invigorating scent. Research suggests this can help to improve air quality; rosemary, lavender, and sage all have antimicrobial properties, and burning them may reduce bacteria in the air.
Burning these garden herbs in October is also a great way to banish garden pests. Mosquitoes, moths, and flies dislike their scent at the best of times, and they positively hate smoke, making it a natural alternative to pesticides.
Finally, this little ritual can boost wellbeing. Yes, really; studies link the aromas of all three of these garden herbs to reduced stress and improved memory – which isn’t bad for a sprig plucked straight from your own backyard.
How to Do it Safely
It’s worth noting that you don’t need to create a bonfire if you decide to burn these garden herbs in October. A small bundle of dried rosemary, lavender, sage, or a mixture of all three tied with cotton string, burns slowly and releases just enough smoke to scent a room or patio.
Using something like Fiskars' Herb Garden Scissors, available on Amazon, then, clip a few sprigs from a mature plant in your herb garden. If you’re cutting fresh, let them dry in a warm place for a week.
Then, you can either toss these sprigs straight into your fireplace, barbecue, or firepit, or you can transform it into an atmospheric fall ritual by tying the stems with cotton string, like this, to make a bundle.
Finally, light the tip, let it smoulder, and waft the smoke gently with a fireproof bowl, such as this traditional clay design on Amazon, or dish beneath. Take care to extinguish in sand or water when finished, and then open a window if you’re indoors to let fresh air circulate.
It’s not surprising that rosemary, sage, and lavender have all been associated with witchcraft at one point or another; the first is believed to bring happiness and love, the second wisdom and protection, the third grace and serenity. All of which feel like wonderful things to welcome into our lives and homes as we head into the darker months.
That’s not to say that burning these three garden herbs in October is a magic spell for a better life. It is, though, a ritual that combines the practical with the symbolic: you’re repelling pests, freshening the air, and giving your mind a sensory reset, all while taking part in something people have done for centuries.
Don’t just let your garden herbs sit in the garden, then. Instead, harvest them, light them, and enjoy the crackle of a tradition that’s equal parts gardening, wellness, and witchcraft.
