How to grow Tarragon

Artemisia dracunculus · French tarragon

A perennial culinary herb with slender, aromatic leaves with a hint of liquorice, used in sauces and dressings. True French tarragon sets no viable seed, so it is grown from cuttings or division.

Quick facts

Type	Herb
Family	Asteraceae
Light	Full sun
Soil pH	6–7.5
Frost	tolerates light frost
Soil for sowing	from 10 °C
Germination	14 days
Sowing to harvest	60 days
Where it grows	Open ground, At home

When to plant

It tolerates light frost: sow straight into the bed about three weeks before your last spring frost.

The first harvest comes about 60 days after the shoots appear.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	—
Harvest	every 7 days	—	—

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 5 days	—	—
Harvest	every 5 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

A sheltered spot in full sun, at least 6 hours a day; it also tolerates partial shade.

Soil

Well-drained soil of average fertility; wet, poorly drained soil rots the roots and crown, and very rich soil gives lush leaves with less flavour.

Care

Water new plants in dry spells during the first year; established plants are drought tolerant and dislike damp soil. Pick shoot tips regularly from spring to autumn and pinch out flower buds to prolong the leaf harvest. Cut back last year's growth in spring. French tarragon suffers in cold, wet winters, so grow it in a pot and keep it dry and sheltered, or cover it. Divide clumps every 3–4 years in spring.

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.