How to Grow a Wormwood Plant
Wormwood, (Artemisia wormwood) also known as "mugwort," is a summer-blooming perennial grown mostly for its attractive silvery foliage and pale yellow flowers. Once planted, wormwood requires very little care and will continue to add color and interest to the landscape for many years. Wormwood is especially attractive planted along walkways or garden paths or in a rock garden. Plant wormwood in the spring after the last frost of the season. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Purchase young wormwood plants at a greenhouse or nursery. Choose healthy, compact plants with even, bright color. Avoid tall, spindly plants or plants with browning foliage.
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Prepare the soil in a sunny area in your garden. Use a hoe or garden fork to cultivate the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches, then improve the soil by working in 2 to 4 inches of manure or compost.
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Use a trowel or shovel to dig a hole for each wormwood plant. The hole should be equal to the depth of the plant's rootball, as planting any deeper can cause the plant to rot. Remove the wormwood plant from its container and place it in the hole. Fill the hole with the same soil, tamping lightly around the roots.
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Keep the soil moist until the wormwood plants are established and showing healthy new growth. After that time, water occasionally during hot, dry weather.
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Fertilize wormwood every spring, using a general purpose granular or liquid fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer strictly according to the directions on the back of the package.
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Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch in autumn. Mulch such as straw or dry, chopped leaves will moderate the soil temperature and retain moisture.
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Divide wormwood plants every three to five years, or when the middle of the plant begins to look old and unproductive. Dig the entire plant with a spade or garden fork. Divide the plant into smaller sections, and discard any old, woody, or non-productive areas. Replant the smaller sections.
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