HERB-201 Lessons

Year Two, Lesson Four
Hands-on Herbology

Introduction
Come in, and take a seat, Second Years. We have much to do today, and it is, as always, quite important. The purpose of this lesson is to go over the process of harvesting and what considerations need to be made for that stage of a plant’s life. We will briefly touch on the importance of the lunar cycle, though this is something that could span an entire year, so it will only be just the barest of introductions! We will then take a look at a plant with some very unique considerations for harvesting before you attempt to work with them for your practical assignment.

Harvesting
In essence, harvesting is just cutting off one piece of a plant for use. For example, removing the leaves off of belladonna is harvesting the belladonna leaves. Harvesting is an important time for your plants, and in ancient times, it was celebrated by festivals (and indeed, in some places still is). At the very least, it is the culmination of the effort put into growing your plant, and in many -- though not all -- cases, it is the end of the plant’s life cycle.

When harvesting, you will use either your bare hands, the Severing Charm, or some mixture of both. As with pruning, it depends on the kind of plant. If the plant is venomous, likely to strangle you, potentially going to eat your hand, or in some other way feisty, it is usually wise to use a Severing Charm. However, there are some cases where nothing short of a hands-on approach will work. If you need dragonhide gloves to do so, so be it! An additional concern when it comes to harvesting is potentially fragile specimens. Some fruit, flowers, or leaves are very fragile for various reasons and need special care. You may need to levitate the product down, particularly if harvested from the top boughs of a tree, or you may have to have special containers on hand. Lastly, if harvesting plants out in the wild, you must make sure there are no animals or other living things that will be disturbed by your actions, either in the long term or the short term. It absolutely would not do to take away the only food source for the fairies in the area, and you also wouldn’t want an irate herd of Erumpents on your hands.

Before we move on, a few final notes on the picking of fruits. First, if the plant is being picked to be stored for a long time, you may harvest while it is less mature, as it will continue to ripen slightly once picked. However if you pick it too early, the fruit may be too small, as the plant does not actually grow once picked, only becomes more ripe. If the fruit will be used soon, on the other hand, pick one that is more mature, but don’t wait too long! If you pick the fruit too late, it will be over mature and possibly have started decaying already, a process that will continue as it sits on your shelf. In order to delay and halt this eventually inexorable decay, there is a spell to store fruits (as well as some of the more delicate flowers, leaves, and roots) in a cool environment to maintain their optimal freshness. The spell’s details are as follows, and it may be used on things other than plants that you wish to keep cool. Although, the spell difficulty may rise accordingly.

Lastly, while it may seem obvious, you will want to make sure what you are harvesting is ready or, in the case of fruits, ripe. Flowers are quite easy to tell, as they blossom when they are ready, but fruits can be more difficult. They may change color, soften, or even change smells when ripe. Sometimes, there aren’t any signs at all. To aid us in knowing when to harvest both magical and non-magical fruit, the Maturation Charm is a useful tool. Once cast, the spell will cause a tiny little firework coming from the fruit in a color corresponding to its level of ripeness. The spellcasting details and a chart to make sense of the various colors can be found below. It is also worth noting that this spell and the chart can also be applied to vegetables, but is used less commonly in that respect.

Red: You just started growing this plant. Why are you checking for ripe fruits?

Orange: Fruit is growing, but very small and not ready.

Yellow: Fruit has finished growing and is still ripening (pick now if intending to store long-term).

Green: Perfectly ripe!

Blue: Fruit is starting to get overripe, some may be salvageable.

Purple: Your fruit has died on the inside and started to decay.

White: Your fruit is home to a family of bugs.

If you are colour blind, fear not! There is an equivalent charm that you can use: Maturio Revelio Lumen (the last word pronounced “LOO-men”). It is more difficult because you have to judge the ripeness based on the level of brightness of the explosion of light. The brighter, the riper! When it is too bright for your eyes to look at, it is too late to harvest the fruit.

Harvest Moon
Now, either the topic you’ve been eagerly awaiting or avidly avoiding: the effects of the moon on harvesting. In the past, the passage of time, planting seasons, as well as other important markers, were measured by the moon’s various stages. While this is no longer necessary, the moon is still inexorably tied to the planting, growth, and harvesting of herbs. As stated earlier,  a course fully covering all the nuances and specifics of harvest time for each individual plant -- or even groups of plants -- could last a year on its own. Therefore, only very broad strokes and basic trends will be covered here.

Full Moon
When picked under a full moon, plants’ main properties -- the uses that it is best known for and are strongest -- are at their peak. Therefore, if the potion you are making has an emphasis on transformation, you will want to pick your fluxweed under the light of a full moon to emphasize its transformative powers. Interestingly, the full moon also seems to have some positive effect on plants that are intended to be used in love potions. Flowers and fruits, specifically, are best harvested under the light of a full moon, as it seems to enhance the properties of those parts. As an additional note, harvesting under the full moon means you will be able to see better and less likely to mistake a chrysanthemum for chamomile, or to accidentally grab hold of a thorn bush!

New Moon
A new moon, on the other hand, can be used for more gentle brews. This is often useful in potions or other concoctions to be used with children, the elderly, or pregnant and breastfeeding women. Seemingly opposite to these uses, poisons are also more effective and potent under a new moon, which makes this a good time for gathering toxic plants. Lastly, because the main effects and properties of a plant are deemphasized, the secondary uses (often listed as side-effects) of harvested specimens are able to stand out more.

Waxing Moon
Under a waxing moon, or a moon that is growing larger, is when you will want to pick plants for potions, teas, or tinctures that intend to improve one’s strength, endurance, growth, or intelligence. However, there are often many specific considerations as to exactly when a plant should be plucked within this stage, such as the sixth day of the waxing moon.

Waning Moon
A waning moon is best for gathering the leaves or stems of various herbs, though the reasons why are not entirely clear, even to the keenest herbological and inquiring minds. Ingredients to be used in sleeping potions, or plants to be used alongside divinatory practices are also best plucked at this time.

It is useful to note here that just because the moon’s phases have a great effect on plants does not mean that the plants must be harvested at night. After all, the moon is frequently out during the day! Instead, if you wish to harvest a plant under the full moon, you technically have the entire time between when the moon rises and when it sets in which to pluck the parts of the plant. It’s just a matter of knowing when that happens, as it changes based on what stage the moon is in, as well as other factors. As you know from Astronomy, the moon may rise at any point, even during the day, so be sure to consult your charts! Also, other planets can have joint effects on plants and their harvesting, but this is rapidly becoming far too complicated for an introductory look at the effects of celestial bodies! Knowledge of the moon is quite enough, as it is the singular most powerful body acting on the plants at any given time, other than the sun, of course.

Puffapods
Now onto our plant-specific discussion for the day. Puffapods, W.H.I.P.S. Class F plant, grow in the form of a bush, with pinkish, bean pod-like growths on its limbs, each one roughly the size of a fist. Inside these pods are the beans that Puffapods are so famous for. These beans vary in colour, though they are always shiny. I keep Puffapods which produce silver beans, though this is merely personal preference. The beans contained within the pod are highly reactive, and if they are allowed to touch any arable ground, they will immediately bloom. Prolonged contact with other solid surfaces can also trigger their growth, and though it is not guaranteed, the chance goes up with the length of time they are  in contact with the object in question. The Puffapod very much prefers alkaline soil and is most comfortable in soils that range from 8.0 to 8.5. These plants need well-drained soil, as they can be easily overwatered, and prefer areas that provide full sun.

Puffapod plants are useful in several capacities. When allowed to bloom, the flower is edible. It can be a lovely addition to salads and a sweetener in bitter teas. The bean, on the other hand, adds a revitalizing component to potions as it is considered to be a very life-giving plant. It is also used in many potions prescribed to pregnant women. This creates a high demand for Puffapod beans, as you may have already noticed between this class and your Potions lectures just how many plants and potions are not to be consumed by pregnant women. If eaten alone, it can also cause strange hallucinations. As an interesting aside, trolls are allergic to Puffapod leaves, so witches and wizards have been known to plant Puffapod bushes around the fences of their homes to discourage trolls from visiting.

Puffapod beans, once removed from their pod, must be treated with great care. Ideally, they should be transported only with magic, and not touched by hands or gloves or any solid substance for more than a few, brief seconds. The Levitation Charm is an appropriate spell to use in order to transport this plant without setting it off. Fortunately, you have covered this spell in your First Year of Charms and therefore should be very adept at it. No pressure, of course, but a mistake here will create a jolly big mess; you cannot undo the sprouting of a plant! 

As far as storage is concerned, since the beans run the risk of sprouting after long periods (which is the entire point of storage), you have two options. Firstly, you can apply (and continue to reapply) the Anti-Germination Charm. This will keep the seedpod from triggering instant growth even if the seed touches the edge of the jar. Secondly, you can put a Repelling Charm on both the jar and the seeds. The simplest one would be Minium, which creates an electric charge -- like static -- that makes the beans hover away from the jar’s edge, as well as away from each other. Furthermore, it is best to use jars with an Unbreakable Charm on them (as all your hard work will be undone if the jar is to fall to the ground and break). However, an Unbreakable Charm is a bit too difficult for Second Years, so I have provided you with the jars needed for this lesson with this enchantment already on them. The details for the simpler Repelling Charm can be found on the board.

No one is amused when students throw these jars at the ground to test the theory. I know the giggling from your peers suggests otherwise, but I am quite serious. There are some dangerous plants in here, and it is best not to disturb them any more than necessary. In terms of harvesting the Puffapod, you will want to check for maturity not only with the Maturation Charm, but also by verifying that you can see glimpses of iridescent silver veins through the thin, pink pod. Once you have determined your pods are mature, it is time to make the cut. Hold the wand steadily, but be ready with your second hand, holding the Puffapod seedpod so it will not fall. When you are prepared, cast the Severing Charm. Once you have your Puffapod seeds extracted, you may levitate them gently into the prepared vial or container.

Closing
Our lesson was a little shorter than the last, but it was no less informative than usual. Should you have questions on the material packed into this lesson, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or the PAs. Your assignments for this week include a practical demonstration and harvesting on the Puffapod plants in front of you and a quiz. Until next time!

Original lesson written by Professor Lily Tudor
Additional portions written by Professor Venita Wessex
Image credits here, and here