Winter Reflections of an Herbalist

Winter strips everything down.

The beds are quiet.
The jars are full.
The work turns inward.

Winter is when I remember why I chose this life.

There’s a misconception that herbalism is about constant harvesting, green abundance, and nonstop productivity. But real herbalism—deep herbalism—honors the dormant seasons too.

Winter is when I sit with the plants I’ve already gathered and make products and medicine from them..
When I take inventory of what I didn’t have enough of.
When I notice what worked and what didn’t.

I walk through the greenhouse slower in winter. I don’t rush. I notice which plants endured and which struggled. Plants are honest teachers—they show you your blind spots without words.

This is also the season when I take stock of myself.

What am I carrying that no longer serves me?
What knowledge needs refining?
What rhythms do I want to protect this coming year?

Herbalism has never just been about remedies for me. It’s been about learning how to live in relationship with time—with seasons, bodies, and limits.

Winter reminds me that rest is good for me as well as the plants.
Stillness is learning just like the busy-ness.
And preparation is sacred work as well as fun and fulfilling.

The plants are resting.
So am I.
And that, too, is medicine.

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Getting Ready to Plant Medicinal Plants

There’s a moment every winter when I feel it shift.

The light changes.
My mind starts arranging seed trays.
I begin planning not just what I’ll plant—but why.

Getting ready to plant medicinal plants is about much more than ordering seeds.

It starts with asking better questions:

• What do I actually use?

• What grew well here—not just in theory, but in my soil?

• What do I want on hand a year from now?
  

I always tell students: don’t grow everything. Grow what you’ll work with. Grow what you understand. Grow what your body, your family, or your community truly needs.

Practical Winter Prep

This is the season for:

• Cleaning and organizing pots

• Mixing soil (and keeping it simple)

• Checking grow lights

• Taking notes from last year

• Deciding what gets grown from seed vs. divisions
  

I also look honestly at my energy. Medicinal gardens should support your life—not overwhelm it.

Planning With Purpose

Some plants ask for patience—roots that won’t be harvested for a year or more. Others offer medicine quickly. A good medicinal garden has both.

I plan for:

• Immediate medicine

• Future medicine

• Teaching plants

• Personal favorites (because joy matters)
  

Winter planning is quiet work, but it shapes everything that comes next.

When spring arrives I want to have everything ready to go!

And that starts now.

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