Tarragon

Plant family

Daisy family (Asteraceae)

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Semi-shaded

Water requirement

Moist

Soil

Light (sandy)

Nutrient requirement

Low

Light germinator

Plant distance

15 cm

Row spacing

10 cm

Seeding depth

0Not specified

Instructions

End of February

Transplanting

Beginning of March

Harden

Mid of March

Planting

Description

Tarragon is a perennial, shallow-rooted herb of the composite family. Different varieties of the culinary and medicinal herb with yellow-greenish flowers differ mainly in taste: German tarragon tastes rather sweet, Russian rather spicy and French rather sweet.

Growing tips

Tarragon can be sown directly or grown in seed trays. It is a light germinator, so the seeds should only be lightly covered with soil. It thrives best in humus-rich, moist soil. Regular weed control is necessary as tarragon reacts sensitively to weed pressure. German and French tarragon are propagated by cuttings, while Russian tarragon is propagated by seed. The shoot tips can be harvested throughout the summer, which prevents flowering. In the first year of cultivation, the shoot tips can be harvested continuously; from the second year onwards, the entire stems can also be harvested. Tarragon should always be kept moist in the root zone.