Trickster

How and when did you become interested in plants and herbs?
Since I was a kid, so I don’t know the exact time. My friendship with flora has always been there. Forests and fields were my playground, so talking to plants, to oneself, and to anything or anyone invisible to the eye—it was, and still is, a normal part of life.

How should we store herbs properly?
Keep them away from light, in a dry place, and in an airtight container. Herbs quickly lose their color, taste, and other qualities if you leave them in a transparent container exposed to light. Aesthetically, I get the urge to show off your herb collection, but if you do, that’s about all they’ll be good for! I wouldn’t recommend using plastic containers; always prefer glass. Paper bags are also okay, but they leave herbs more exposed to air humidity.

Top three remedies for cold and darkness?
I think you’d need to pick at least one from each category, but I recommend them all:

Good music, real conversations, good books

Plenty of sleep, daily active movement, hot herbal baths

Good food, excellent tea, lots of water

Most powerful anti-winter plants/herbs?
St. John’s wort, for sure. I prefer it as a tincture, but tea or pills (available at most pharmacies) work well too. It’s a known over-the-counter antidepressant, perfect for dark times, in every sense. Fun fact: St. John’s wort can make your skin overly sensitive to sunlight, so you can and should use it only during winter.

If you’ve already gotten sick, what’s the best way to get well fast?
Lots of zinc and vitamin C, paired with strong yarrow and meadowsweet tea. And most importantly—drop everything, get into bed ASAP, and cover yourself with a heavy load of blankets. I love how Kunksmoor would prep her tea and bed in the coziest way when she got sick. She’d plan to “properly enjoy the illness and be sick for a long time.” It’s a good reminder that if we don’t take time for ourselves, illness will force us to anyway.

Plants and magic?
Absolutely. Every plant, like all living beings, has its own energy. Their alchemy can be used for almost anything.

Combining herbal teas and candles?
Makes perfect sense in every way. Candlelight is more natural. Actually, I spend all my evenings mostly in candlelight to calm my nervous system before bed. Some people worry about their electricity bill, but for me, my candle budget is a bigger concern!

How should we care for houseplants in winter?
Most importantly—don’t overwater them. If some of your green friends seem upset about the reduced light, you can move them closer to windows or provide extra light. Regular hardware stores sell light bulbs designed for plants, but you do need to manage the timing carefully; I wouldn’t recommend using extra light irregularly or in the middle of the night. But if you’re a bit weird like me, you can just talk to them and remind them that the dark times won’t last forever. They actually know that better than we do, so the consolation goes both ways!

When did you come up with your brand?
Even now, I’m not sure if it’s a brand—argimaagia is a lifestyle to me. As a little nerdy girl, Roald Dahl’s Matilda was my favorite book. I’ve always believed there’s magic in our daily lives. You just have to notice it. As Dahl put it: “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

What should we look for on labels when shopping for herbs, teas, candles, and related products?
Herbs and teas should be as natural as possible, and I’d prefer local plants when available. I’d recommend finding your local “Kunksmoor” or a relative who forages extra herbs. In Estonia, I think almost all local herbs sold in stores and pharmacies are good quality. Personally, I avoid herbs and teas in plastic packaging—I feel like the plants are “choking in plastic.”

With candles, look for alternatives to paraffin, which is a gasoline by-product. Sure, you can tolerate some extra air pollution (along with increased cancer and asthma risk) in your home, but there are so many better alternatives, like soy, beeswax, or other plant-based waxes. For scented candles, I’d choose those with natural essential oils over synthetic fragrances, whose long-term effects are uncertain.

ABC of preparing herbal tea/drinks: What are common mistakes?
There aren’t many mistakes—you can prepare your drink however you like, just let the plant guide you. If you steep it too long, it becomes more of a brew than a tea. Brewed tea may not taste as pleasant but is better for medicinal use. Herbal tea is best hot or warm. Above all, I recommend using good-quality water. If you don’t have access to a natural spring, store-bought spring water is fine.

How else can you use herbs besides tea?
I like to make a schnapps called sahmakas. Soak your favorite herbs, berries, and spices in alcohol for at least two weeks, then strain and optionally add honey or sugar as a sweetener. Not promoting alcohol in general, but an occasional small dose of sahmakas is definitely a mood-lifter in these dark times!

A herbal bath is also a great idea. You can bind herbs and burn them as incense to chase away unwanted vibes. Some people even grind them, roll them into cigarettes (sometimes mixed with tobacco), and smoke them, though it’s not something I do personally.