Cutting to harvest it
To the vermouth too to harvest, its individual parts of the plant should not be plucked off, but cut off. Either with the beginning of the growing season and until late summer, smaller quantities are cut off again and again, or once or twice larger quantities.
also read
- Vermouth: what types are there?
- Harvest wormwood: this is how it works!
- What ingredients can be found in wormwood?
The harvested leaves, twigs and inflorescences can be used fresh or after harvest dried will. Whether immediately or after drying, vermouth is ideal for seasoning fatty dishes as well as for:
- tea
- Anoint
- Tinctures
- Oils
- Bath additives
Cutting to stimulate new growth
After you have generously harvested the wormwood for the first time (usually the top and side shoot tips in July), you should prune it back vigorously. This pruning promotes its new growth.
Cutting after the autumn and winter time
Another reason to cut wormwood is to remove old shoots from the previous year and to encourage its budding in spring. It is best not to cut your vermouth in the fall. Its shoots serve, in a way, as protection from frost and snow.
Only in spring should you radically shorten the wormwood to 15 cm above the ground. Caution: Do not cut too deeply into the wood, otherwise the wormwood will not stick. You should use sharp and clean rose or wood shears for cutting.
Cutting: Not necessarily necessary
In principle, it is not absolutely necessary to cut the wormwood. However, tall-growing varieties and specimens that are ailing or have partially died should be pruned strongly.
Tips & Tricks
Warning: do not throw the cut off shoots of wormwood on the compost! The strong smell that emanates from it drives away living things that live and work in the compost.