How to Grow Wormwood

Sow wormwood seeds directly in the garden in early spring after danger of frost has passed. Wormwood seeds are extremely small, so it is best to barely cover them soil. A good method is to sprinkle them on the ground and just lightly walk over the area to press them into the ground.

Thin plants out to 18 inches once they have sprouted. Because the seeds are small, you'll likely need to plant more seeds than you need plants. Just pull up plants which are growing too close together.

Give wormwood a separate space in the garden. A chemical in wormwood, absinthin, can be toxic to other plants. For this reason, grow it several feet away from other plants and do not plant other plants where you had wormwood the previous season. Wormwood can also be grown in containers, which eliminates this problem.

Plant the herb in partial shade. Wormwood can tolerate some direct sun, but thrives in an area which receives only a few hours of direct sun each day. If growing in a pot, a shady porch is perfect for wormwood.

Water as necessary to keep the soil from completely drying out. Wormwood is easy to grow and adaptable, but like most herbs, it needs water during hot, dry weather. Water once a week or more as the soil dries out.

Cut wormwood back in the spring. Wormwood does survive the winter, but you must cut back the old, dead foliage to energize the plant and give it a fresh start.