The right harvest time
It is best to harvest wormwood when it is in bloom. During this time the content is effective Ingredients in wormwood the highest. Flowering usually begins in June and continues through August / September. But be careful: In general, it is advisable to harvest the plant only from the second year onwards.
also read
- Planting wormwood - what should be considered?
- Do you have to cut vermouth?
- Drying wormwood: procedure and subsequent use
Harvest the leaves, inflorescences and seeds
It is customary to harvest the leaves and inflorescences of wormwood. They represent the parts of the plant that are used for tea and co. If you want to propagate the herb in the following year, cut off some seed heads in late summer. The seeds contained are capable of germinating well.
The leaves can be plucked off and the inflorescences should be cut off. The easiest and fastest way is to use scissors or Secateurs the upper parts of the stem or Cut off the tips of the branches. Be careful not to get lignified stems cut !
Dry and use the crop
Once the leaves and flowers are harvested, if not used immediately, they should be spread out and dried will. When you've cut entire stems off, you can tie them together and hang them up to dry. Otherwise, the plant parts are spread out, for example on newspaper, a baking sheet or in a dehydrator and dried.
Since the leaves and flowers do not contain much water, they do not lose their quality or quality during the drying process. Aroma. Whether fresh or dried, they can be used, among other things, for and for the production of:
- tea
- Seasoning for fatty dishes
- Tinctures
- oil
- Envelopes
Tips & Tricks
Even before the flowering period, individual tender or young leaves of wormwood are harvested. Then their taste is less bitter and more pleasant.