Tarragon
French Tarragon, Dragon Herb, Estragon
French tarragon (the culinary type) must be propagated from cuttings or division — it rarely sets viable seed. Russian tarragon is seed-grown but has inferior flavor. Plant in well-drained soil in full sun. Divide every 3 years to maintain vigor. Goes dormant in winter; mulch crowns in cold zones. Harvest regularly to keep plants bushy; flavor strongest before flowering.
- Germination
- 14–21 days
- Harvest after planting
- 60–90 days
- Spacing
- 45–60 cm
When to plant tarragon
Plant from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last spring frost.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow tarragon
- 1
Buy the right plant
French tarragon, the culinary kind, rarely sets seed and is grown from cuttings or divisions. Seed-grown Russian tarragon has much less flavour; look for Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa.
- 2
Plant
Plant in spring in full sun and lean, free-draining soil.
- 3
Overwinter and divide
It dies back in winter; mulch the crown in cold areas. Divide every three years to keep it vigorous.
- 4
Harvest
Pick regularly to keep plants bushy, from about 60 days after planting. Flavour is strongest before flowering.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water
Temperature
-20–30 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-hardy — tolerates frost
Days to maturity
60–90 days
How Tomatograph watches your tarragon
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- First frost within 14 daysReminder to mulch the roots before winter.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for root rot, which thrives in those conditions.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Tarragon questions
- When should I plant tarragon?
- Plant from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last spring frost.
- How long until I can harvest tarragon?
- About 60–90 days after planting out, depending on variety and weather.
- How far apart should I plant tarragon?
- Allow 45–60 cm between plants.
- What grows well with tarragon?
- Good neighbours include basil, dill, eggplant.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from openplantdb (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).