Woodruff is an aromatic and medicinal plant that has been collected and preserved for use in the kitchen for centuries. With proper care, the plant can also be grown as a groundcover in the garden.

How often should woodruff be watered?

In its wild locations in the forest, the woodruff is often only indirectly reached by the rain via the moisture-storing forest floor. The plants should not get waterlogged even when growing in a pot or under a tree in the garden. However, they thrive particularly well if you keep the soil evenly moist and thus mitigate extended dry periods.

Can you transplant woodruff?

The roots of the woodruff are relatively delicate and sensitive, so it should only be transplanted with great care and in mild weather conditions. Preparing the seeds and then planting them out is usually not worthwhile for the woodruff. As a frost germ, it is usually sown directly on the spot between September and December. If the woodruff spreads too much in one place in the garden, it can best be transplanted in autumn.

When do you cut and harvest the woodruff?

For optical reasons, woodruff hardly needs to be pruned, as it can reach a maximum height of about 30 centimeters even with good care. Therefore, the cut is actually only made to use the stems and leaves as a flavoring for the following products:

  • Berliner Weisse
  • May punch
  • woodruff lemonade
  • woodruff ice cream

You should be particularly careful with children, since the coumarin contained in woodruff can be harmful to health if overdosed. Since the coumarin content increases sharply from the flowering period in April and May, it should be harvested and dried or frozen beforehand if possible.

What to do if the woodruff is not thriving?

The plant is not very susceptible to diseases and pests, so growth problems are usually due to site factors such as solar radiation, water supply or soil conditions.

Do you have to fertilize woodruff?

Woodruff does not require any special fertilization, piling up leaves around the plants is sufficient as a nutrient supply.

How do you care for the woodruff in winter?

In most locations, the woodruff is hardy without any problems, but in exposed or higher altitudes winter cover with some foliage can have a positive effect on growth in spring.

tips and tricks

In the first year after sowing, the woodruff should not be harvested if possible, so that the fine root system can develop undisturbed.

WK

Category:

Herbs