How to grow Artemesia

How to grow Artemesia from cuttings

Artemesia Afra(wilde als) grows in most regions throughout Africa. It likes the sunand grows well in poor soil for a few years at a time with littlewatering.

1 )Take slips from woody stems where pruning tookplace 1 or 2 months beforehand. The tiny buds and shoots that form onthe woody stick will take best.

2 )Poke these slips into welldrained soil. A seed tray or in the nursery is best or in a pot in ashady area. You can use milk cartons cut in half and place 4 stems ineach one with soil. Make drainage holes underneath.

3 )Water the cuttings and do not allow them to dry out. After a fewweeks, they begin to root and the leaves get bigger. Plant out into thegarden. For large quantities, make long trenches. Each plant needs 50cmspace around it. Now water and wait!

4 )After 2 or 3 months, itis time to prune the young stems. When they are 20cm long, cut off thetop half. Do this regardless of how thin the stem is. Make tea ortinctures from the off cuts. Ideally everybody needs the tea made from10 grams of fresh leaf or 5 grams of dried leaf a day to preventMalaria.

5 )The stem will now branch out to form a cluster of new stems. If youdo not cut the stems on the baby plants, they will not bush out. Insteadyou get a long wispy stem with few leaves and then it goes to seed.

6)The bushes last for many years and will produce big thick stems fullof leaves. When buds appear, do not allow them to branch into flowers.Cut off the whole stem, right down to the bottom again and harvest theleaves. Dry them on newspaper to keep for tea or to give to people fortheir personal use.