Floral Besom: How to Make a Witch's Broom

Those gorgeous besoms you see in the occult shop are beautiful and easy to make.

And while we always encourage you to support local artisans, these brooms can be super expensive ($150!! or more).

So, if you have the time and inclination, but not the cash, this floral besom tutorial is for you.

Contents

What is a besom?
Choosing a broom handle
Materials
Sources & References

What is a besom?

how to make a beautiful floral witch's broom

A besom is a round brush typically used for ritual in modern witchcraft. It’s usually made from twigs & bound together with a natural rope.

Modern practitioners most often use it to “sweep” the ritual space and cleanse it of negative energy.

But it also makes a lovely entryway decoration! You can swap out the flowers for seasonal items (like fall leaves, robin’s eggs for spring, & wildflowers for the Summer Solstice, ect) to honor the natural changes of the landscape. Or, you can decorate with a particular intention (rosemary for protection of the home, lavender for domestic peace, and so on).

This ritual tool is most often associated with the Element of Water because of its cleansing properties.

Choosing a broom handle

While any stick roughly an inch thick will do, I love taking special care to select a stick for my broom handle that is unique and beautiful.

Twisty sticks and vines make especially beautiful broom handles and give your project character/uniqueness.

We have wisteria vines all over the backyard. So, I selected a somewhat straight section of dead vine and I think it looks just gorgeous on a broom!

A WORD OF CAUTION: Remember, a besom is literally a bundle of kindling. Exercise extreme caution when near open flames, as is common in the ritual space. Keep it away from anything that might ignite it, because boy oh boy will it go up.

Materials

You can get really intentional with the materials you use. For example, you can select branches from a tree associated with your local folklore, or pick a tree that has special meaning to you (like from your childhood backyard, or a sacred place in the forest).

Wherever you gather your materials, select them respectfully and with intention.

-large stick (at least 1 inch in thickness)

-lots of smaller sticks (thin and flexible are best)

-rope or sturdy ribbon (I like nautical rope, twine or jute rope)

-hot glue

-optional: Decorative items like flowers, charms, moss, ect

–optional: essential oils

Step 1

Arrange the smaller sticks around your larger stick in a way that is pleasing to you. Make sure at least 10 inches of the large stick is below the bundle of smaller sticks to ensure they are firmly secured. Here is a photo of how I did this one:

Step 2

Using twine, jute rope, nautical rope, or another sturdy rope of your choice, tie a firm knot around your bundle of sticks to secure it to the broom handle.

Leave a little room (about a finger’s width) so that you can add flowers and decorations if you plan to do that. Otherwise, tie that knot super tight, especially if the branches are not dried out, because they will shrink!

Step 3

Wind the rope around the broom, securing it with hot glue as you go.

Step 4

Now comes the fun part! Add embellishments. You can tuck flowers in the rope (fresh or fake), add moss to the handle, herbs, ect.

I like to add an old charm or piece of jewelry to finish it off.

Step 5

Pro tip: Add a couple of drops of essential oil. This is my favorite secret and when I give a broom away to a friend, everyone always remarks on how good it smells! You can periodically add a few drops here and there.

Here’s the Floral Besom: How to Make a Witch’s Broom article with sources and references:

Sources & References

Contributors

Article Author: Lumina Indigo (Moody Moons)

Over 20 years of experience with the modern pagan community
Professional tarot reader and kitchen witch culinary wizard
Founder of Moody Moons (established 2012)
Specializes in in-depth research and reporting on modern spirituality topics

Article Reviewed by: Tina Caro

10+ years of professional spellcasting experience
Certified yoga instructor and astrologer
Works with 1000+ clients worldwide
Founder and owner of Magickal Spot

Claims with Published Sources

Besom as round brush typically used for ritual in modern witchcraft: Contemporary Wiccan and pagan practice documentation.
Besom traditionally made from twigs and bound with natural rope: Contemporary besom craft and modern pagan practice.
Besom most often associated with Element of Water due to cleansing properties: Cunningham, Scott. Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (1988). Llewellyn Publications.
Besoms used to sweep ritual space and cleanse negative energy: Contemporary Wiccan ritual practice and ceremonial documentation.
Rosemary for home protection: Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (1985). Llewellyn Publications.
Lavender for domestic peace and harmony: Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (1985). Llewellyn Publications.
Seasonal decorations for marking natural landscape changes: Contemporary pagan altar and seasonal decoration practices.

Claims Based on Personal Practice & Experience

Selecting special and unique broom handles from natural materials (Lumina Indigo, 20+ years practitioner experience)
Using wisteria vines as decorative and functional broom handles (personal practitioner experience)
Hot glue as securing method for rope wrapping (hands-on craft experience)
Leaving finger-width space for flower and decoration placement (craft technique developed through practice)
Tightening rope knots to account for branch shrinkage over time (experience-based observation)
Adding essential oils to besoms for aromatic effect (personal practitioner tip and tested technique)
Periodic reapplication of essential oils for lasting scent (professional maker experience)
Using old charms and jewelry pieces as besom embellishments (personal aesthetic and craft choice)
Selecting materials respectfully and with intention from natural settings (practitioner approach to foraging and material gathering)
Besom use as entryway decoration with seasonal and intentional adaptations (home witchcraft practice)
Observations on dried versus fresh branch assembly and durability (experienced besom maker knowledge)

Note

This article combines published herb magic correspondences and contemporary Wiccan ritual practice documentation with Lumina Indigo’s 20+ years of professional pagan community experience as founder of Moody Moons. Claims grounded in published ritual practice and herb magic reference sources are cited as documented sources; besom handle selection, rope securing techniques, embellishment choices, essential oil application, craft assembly observations, and intentional material gathering practices are labeled as contributor (Lumina Indigo) professional craftsperson experience for transparency. Safety considerations regarding besom flammability are included as practical caution language. Readers are encouraged to source materials respectfully and adapt designs based on personal tradition and available local materials.

What is a besom?

Choosing a broom handle