The cold grip of winter may still linger in the air, but February is a powerful time for setting intentions and preparing for the season of growth ahead. Whether your land is still blanketed in snow, rain-soaked, or just beginning to thaw, this is a magical month to start working with the earth in preparation for spring.

Planting has always been sacred to me. My Gramma (Or Lady as many of you may know her as) doesn’t know it, but I call her the OG green witch. She’s spent her whole life tending to gardens, coaxing life from the soil, and working with the earth in ways that feel effortless and natural. Growing up, I watched her and my granddad cultivate lush gardens in our backyard, planting, weeding, and harvesting. 

My Granddad grew up on a chicken farm in a small town in Virginia, and he has carried those roots with him throughout his life. Some of my sweetest childhood memories are of shelling corn with my granddad and his sister, Elin, or biting into fresh cantaloupe still warm from the sun with my Meme.

My Meme (my Gramma’s mother) was often out there with us, maybe her hands weren’t always in the dirt, but she was still part of the garden. She’d sit nearby, watching and offering stories.

It has been several years since my grandparents had a true garden, but their land still breathes with life. Even as the rows they once carefully tended sit empty, wild things bloom in their place, flowers pushing through the cracks, birds still gathering in the trees, and the soil still holding the echoes of their touch. As their health fades, their garden has changed, but my memories remain. One day, when my husband and I are toiling away in our own garden, gods willing, with our children and someday, our grandchildren, I will remember these moments. 

Now, my husband is carrying on that tradition in his own way, cultivating a vegetable and herb garden in our front window. Every time he tells me about something new popping up or budding, it tugs at my heart. There’s something deeply magical about watching life unfold, about witnessing tiny green shoots breaking through the soil, about knowing that in just a few weeks or months, they’ll be full, thriving plants offering their gifts to us.

Planting with Purpose: Choosing Your Magical Herbs

Planting is an act of manifestation. Each seed carries an intention, each sprout represents a new beginning, and every harvest is a culmination of both magic and mundane care. Whether you’re blessed with a sprawling garden or just a single sunny windowsill, you can start infusing your herbal practice with magic right now.

Here are some witchy herbs I love for February planting:

🌿 Basil – Attracts abundance, love, and protection. Great for kitchen witches! Start indoors in a warm, sunny spot.

🌱 Lavender – Brings peace, sleep, and purification. Best started from seed in February if you have access to indoor grow lights.

🍃 Rosemary – Boosts memory, protection, and clarity. You can propagate rosemary from cuttings or start fresh seeds indoors.

🌿 Mugwort – Enhances intuition and dream magic. Start indoors in February for a strong root system before spring planting.

🌿 Chamomile – Brings relaxation, luck, and love. Start seeds now for an early summer bloom that can be used in teas and spells.

🌱 Thyme – A herb of courage and protection, also great for respiratory health. February is the perfect time to start thyme indoors.

If you’re in a warmer climate (zones 8-10), you may already be able to plant these directly outside. For colder climates, indoor seed starting is your best bet until the frost fades.

Preparing the Ground: Rituals for Soil & Seed Blessings

Even if you’re not ready to plant outdoors yet, February is a wonderful time to bless your soil and prepare your planting space. My Gramma never called it a ritual, but she always spoke to her plants, whispered encouragement as she watered them, and moved through the garden with the same quiet reverence I now recognize as magic.

Here are some ways to infuse your own gardening practice with intention:

New Moon Seed Blessing – On the new moon, charge your seeds with intention by placing them in a small bowl and whispering your desires for the year ahead. You can leave them overnight under moonlight or next to a crystal that aligns with your goal (e.g., citrine for abundance, amethyst for intuition).

Garden Cleansing – If you have an outdoor garden, sprinkle crushed eggshells or an herb mixture over the soil to cleanse and protect it for the coming season. Sweep or rake the space to remove old energy.

Hands in the Earth Ritual – Even if the ground is frozen, take a moment to touch the soil. Whisper gratitude to the land, and if possible, place an offering (like dried herbs or a small crystal) to welcome new growth.

Moon Water Spritz – Use a spray bottle filled with charged moon water to mist your plant starts. This infuses them with lunar energy and helps with healthy growth.

Indoor Witchy Gardening: Growing a Sacred Space

If you don’t have outdoor space, an indoor witch’s garden is just as powerful. My husband’s windowsill garden reminds me daily that magic isn’t just about what we do. It’s about what we nurture, what we care for, what we give our love and energy to.

Create a Windowsill Altar Garden – Arrange small pots of herbs on your altar or windowsill, placing crystals, sigils, or candles nearby to enhance their energy.

Use Planters as Spell Jars – Layer soil with protective herbs like cinnamon or crushed bay leaves before planting to amplify your magic.

Track Your Plant’s Growth in a Grimoire or Book of Shadows – Write down observations, dreams, and spell work tied to your plants.

Incense & Smoke Magic – Burn dried herbs from last year’s harvest to cleanse your space before planting new ones.

Think of February as the Seed of Your Intentions

While it may not seem like the most obvious month for gardening, February is a month of quiet power. It teaches us patience, preparation, and the beauty of small beginnings.

I think about my grandparents. I think about my husband’s hands in the soil, the same way theirs once were. I think about how this practice connects us—not just to the earth, but to the ones who came before us and the ones who will come after.

So whether you’re planting seeds, tending to indoor plants, or simply sitting with the energy of nature, know that this is a time of intention-setting and quiet manifestation. Growth starts long before we see it happen.

Are you starting a witchy garden this year? Tell us what you’re growing in the comments!