Mugwort in Zone 3a & 3b

Artemisia vulgaris

When to plant mugwort in zone 3b

Zones 3a and 3b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. Mugwort doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.

Start indoors	Not typically started indoors
Direct sow / transplant outside	May 30–Jun 6
Estimated harvest	May 29 '28–Jun 5 '28 (First real harvest the season after planting)

Spacing: about 4 square feet per plant (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 2-4 ft.

Mugwort has a long history in cooking and herbal medicine, and it is one of the more difficult plants to have in a garden.

How mugwort fits zone 3's season

Zone 3b's frost-free window runs about 98 days, from May 30 to September 5. Mugwort takes about 1 growing season to reach first worthwhile harvest, so what matters here is how many of these seasons it gets, not whether one is long enough.

Mugwort is hardy in zones 3-8, so in zone 3b it stays in the ground through winter and comes back rather than being replanted. Allow about 4 ft of spread at maturity.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Mugwort.

Where to buy mugwort seeds

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