By Chris, January 29, 2020

When I went to make my morning tea this morning, I looked over at my counter. A basket filled with bags of loose dried herbs, a variety of teas, spices , metal tea balls, a few ramekins of used herbs and spiceswhich I used for tea, drying away in them. Then it caught my eye! My big mason jar filled with all of those dried ,used herbs, spices and orange peels . I dry out thoroughly, and tear up and throw in the jar. This amazing jar filled with herbs, spices and dried citrus is something I’ve been using and adding to, for about two years now. Believe it or not, It has many uses and I want to share them with you today.

Over the years, I’ve grown more connected to nature. If that’s even possible . lol. But it’s true, and I’ve never been happier. We all want to do our part to help Mother Earth and be mindful of our carbon footprint. What I want to share with you is not a recipe in the traditional sense, but a method. A method you can adapt to your lifestyle to uplift your mood, enhance your garden and feel good about.

Let’s get started.

Here is a handful of orange peels i tore up in variuos sizes . I set them out on the counter to dry out. It takes a few days . Once they are completely dried, I add them to a clean dry mason jar with a tight fitting lid. Lemon and lime peel would be great too. I usually stick to orange peels since I tend to gravitate towards earthy, spicy flavors.
I often use loose herbs to make my teas. I enjoy making my own concoctions . That’s the Kitchen Witch in me. From dried herbs that you can buy at any supermarket , such as : dried rosemary, Thyme, oregano, basil, eucalyptus, star anise , and fennel . To name a few. I also like use whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and bay leaves. I have such a wide variety of other herbs i use as well such as : blue vervain, raspberry leaf, mugwort, liquorice root, dandelion root and the list goes on. I sometimes use my mortar and pestal to grind up the herbs and spices . It all depends on what i’m using it for.

What do you do with all of hese dried herbs and spices? well I enjoy mixing and matching to make my own tea blends. It’s usually what im drawn to. That’s usually a sign from your body telling you it is craving the nutrients you may need. Choose a few different herbs and spices and give it a try. Experiment and have fun. Take your desired blend and add a pinch of each to your tea ball and set it in your cup . Pour hot water over it and allow it to steep for about 5 minutes. Drink and enjoy. When you are done, don’t throw the herbs out! scoop them out of the tea ball and set in a bowl or ramekin uncovered on the counter. Let them dry out really well for a few days to a week. Stir them around every other day, and make sure they are completely dry before adding to the big glass mason jar. You don’t want mold to form. You will find that over time, as you layer your used herbs and spices into the mason jar, it builds aroma. Beautiful , earthy, spicy aroma. Especially if you use dried orange peel and cloves and cinnamon sticks. I usually crumble or break my cinnamon sticks into shards. They are more manageable that way.

This here is my current jar. It is a 16 ounce mason jar. Every time I open it , I just can’t help but take a deep sniff. The smell is intoxicating!!!!

Here are a few ways to use your aromatic homemade blend of repurposed herbs and spices……..

  • In the garden: Not only will it add nutrients to your soil, it will keep away pesky critters and insects that feed off plants .
  • Potpouri: This makes a beautifully aromatic potpouri. Set out in a pretty dish or bowl to add intoxicating aroma to your home.
  • Sachets: Add them to mesh bags and keep in your clothing drawers, armiore. or in your closet to keep your clothes smelling fresh.
  • Pillow sachet: i sometimes make little pillow sachets. They are perfect to put under your pillow. Set an intention and let the aroma send you off to sleep as you focus on your goal. Single herbs are great for this. Lavender would be perfect for this to help you relax and get a good night sleep. I’ve even used chamomile.
  • Incense: I use this blend as loose incense. I sometimes leave it chunky and burn on charcoal disks, or I grind it up into a powder and sprinkle it on my charcoal.
  • Bath: Why not take a handful of your aromatic blend and put in a cotton herb bag, you know the kind you can buy at the grocery store? tie it up and add to the running water and take a bath. It will infuse the water with wonderful fragrance. To uplift, invigorate , calm or relax . All depending on the combination you choose to use.
  • An offering: for all you witchy guys and gals out there and spiritualists alike, this is a perfect item to offer to your diety of choice. I usually keep a small bowl near my altar to use as an offering . With a mutitude of herbs and spices, one can say its multipurpose. I sometimes take a bit and scatter around a candle when doing a spell. I may grind some and dress a candle with it after anointing it with my oil of choice as well.

The options and combinations of using repurposed herbs and spices are endless. As mentioned before, all the herbs and spices i’ve mentioned are what I use. You can use one, two, a few or many. It’s totally up to you and what you like.

I hope you enjoyed this method I’ve shared with you today. If you have any questions, or any ideas, information or combinations you would like to share, please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!

Blessings,

Chris