It is used in sachets to keep moths away and is planted in gardens to discourage pests such as black flea beetles, cabbageworm butterfly, and slugs. Tea made of it will repel aphids. In making a sachet with it, you can add mint, tansy, thyme, cinnamon sticks and cloves to improve the effectiveness and the odor. Wormwood can be grown in any garden, even in one with poor soil. Routine care can be limited to weeding thoroughly and adding compost occasionally.
Seed is small but easy to germinate.
It can be sown in the garden in the fall or started in flats in late winter. When transplanting, it can be set 15 inches apart the first year, then thinned to 30 inches apart in later years to allow for spreading. Wormwood is not a good companion in the garden, however. It contains large amounts of absinthin, a substance toxic to other plants. Absinthin is water-soluble and will wash off the leaves and into the soil.