Tarragon: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar

Sow Russian tarragon under cover in spring. These instructions do not apply to French tarragon, which is normally propagated by division or cuttings. For French tarragon, obtain a correctly identified plant instead. Check the type stated on the seed packet before starting.

Use a small pot or module tray with drainage holes. Fill it with fine, light seed compost and moisten it before spreading a few seeds. Sow thinly on the surface and cover only with a very light sprinkling of compost, following the supplier’s instructions. Crowded sowing produces seedlings that are difficult to separate.

Water gently with a fine rose and allow excess water to drain away. Put the container somewhere warm and bright without overheating behind glass. Keep the compost slightly moist, without leaving the saucer full. If you add a cover, ventilate it and remove it after seedlings emerge. Germination may take a few weeks, depending on conditions and the seed lot.

Once seedlings have several true leaves, prick them out carefully into individual pots, protecting their roots. Let them develop strong roots and continue growing before gradually hardening them off. Plant outdoors after hard frosts, in a sunny, sheltered, well drained position. Allow at least about 30 cm between Russian tarragon plants, and more for vigorous growth. This distance does not apply to every seed.

Sow Russian tarragon outdoors in spring once the soil is warming and hard frosts are unlikely. In a cool climate or while the ground stays cold and wet, start under cover instead. For French tarragon, choose a plant raised by division or cuttings: sowing is not its usual method of propagation.

Choose a sunny, sheltered, well drained position or a container with drainage holes and suitable compost. Remove weeds and prepare a fine surface without unnecessarily digging deeply. Moisten dry soil before spreading a few seeds thinly on the surface. Cover very lightly with fine soil according to the packet, then water gently without moving the seeds.

Keep the surface layer slightly moist until seedlings emerge, without saturation or a dry crust. Mark the area so you can distinguish seedlings from weeds. Germination often takes a few weeks and varies with temperature and the seed lot. Avoid covering the sowing with thick mulch that would obstruct emergence.

Once young plants have several true leaves, thin by removing surplus seedlings. Keep at least about 30 cm between those you retain, allowing more for their vigour and available space. This distance applies to plants rather than every seed. Weed gently and let them establish before cutting any shoots. Do not routinely apply preventive treatments to healthy seedlings.

Plant your tarragon preferably in spring, in a sunny, sheltered, well-drained spot. Identify the type: French tarragon is propagated by division or cuttings and suffers in cold, wet conditions; a pot with drainage holes lets you move it in winter. Russian tarragon is tougher. Weed without requiring deep cultivation and adjust compost additions to soil fertility.

For a pot-grown plant, moisten the root ball and harden it off if raised under cover. Plant at its original depth, backfill, firm gently and water without soaking. Adjust spacing to type and vigour rather than one fixed distance.

To divide a healthy clump in spring, gently lift it and separate portions each carrying roots and live shoots or buds. Discard dead parts. Replant promptly at the original depth in well-drained soil, or pot up small divisions. Watch moisture while they establish and let them settle before picking leaves.

Harvest tarragon during active growth, from spring until late summer or early autumn depending on your climate. Wait until a young plant has developed enough before picking from it. Choose healthy, leafy shoots; their availability matters more than a date that supposedly suits every garden. French tarragon leaves generally have a stronger aroma than those of the Russian type.

For cooking, take a few young shoot tips with clean scissors, or pick a small number of leaves as needed. Leave foliage on the plant and spread your picking around instead of stripping an entire branch bare. A small, newly planted specimen can spare less growth than a vigorous established clump. Do not confuse this picking with cutting back dead stems while the plant is dormant.

Use the leaves promptly to enjoy their fragrance. If you need to keep them, refrigerate small amounts in a container that limits drying and check their condition before use. For longer storage, you can freeze the leaves or use them to flavour vinegar. Drying is possible too, but the resulting flavour differs from that of freshly picked leaves.