Whether found on the side of the road, deliberately sown in your own garden or discovered by accident, mugwort grows and thrives without much effort. But how should it be harvested in order to later have good quality for seasoning dishes?
When and how should you harvest mugwort?
Mugwort should be harvested shortly before flowering, when the flower buds on the shoot ends are still closed. It is best to harvest the 15-20 cm long shoot tips using scissors and then dry them in a shady place or in a dehydrator.
When is the best harvest time?
Mugwort should be harvested shortly before it begins to flower. It's best to take a close look at the plant: Are the flower buds at the ends of the shoots still closed? If they have already opened, harvesting is less recommended.
After the flowers have opened, the leaves of the plant taste unpleasantly bitter and can spoil the taste of food. The reason: The plant thereby protects itself from predators. After all, it wants to reproduce. Flowering usually begins between the end of June and July.
Harvesting Mugwort: Where and How?
If you have mugwort in your own garden, you know where to find it. It likes to spread there so that the plants multiply over the years. Otherwise, you can often find sagebrush on roadsides, roadsides and rubble sites with rocky debris.
Mugwort can be harvested without gloves and simply armed with scissors. Although it is not poisonous, allergy sufferers should be careful. The abundant pollen of mugwort quickly triggers allergic reactions.
The shoot tips, which are usually richly covered with flower buds, are cut off with scissors. They should be around 15 – 20 cm long. Then the cut shoots are tied together and taken home
What happens after the harvest?
The mugwort can be used fresh. However, it is usually unrealistic to consume such large quantities immediately, as mugwort has a strong flavoring power. Therefore, it is best if you dry the mugwort.
How to do it:
- tie into small bouquets
- hang in a shady place
- alternatively, dry in the dehydrator at low temperatures
- after drying, store in lockable containers
- can be used for fatty and heavy foods, tea, smoking and medicinal purposes
Tips & Tricks
The root of mugwort can also be harvested. This should preferably be done in late autumn.
