How to plant and care for Tarragon (French)

Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa

🌿 Herb 🔁 Perennial

The true culinary tarragon with a warm aniseed flavour, essential for béarnaise sauce and chicken. Only sold as plants — seed-grown "Russian" tarragon has little flavour.

At a glance: harvest from mid May.

When to plant and care for it

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Plant

Harvest

Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.

Growing Tarragon (French): what it needs

Light: Full sun · 6+ hours a day
Watering: Water until established; drought-tolerant after
Soil: Poor to moderate, very well-drained soil
Spacing: 45 cm
Height: 60 cm
In pots: Grows well in containers
Feeding: Little or no feeding
Hardiness: USDA zones 4–8

Step by step

Mid April – late May · around the last spring frost
Plant
Plant at the same depth as in its pot, 45 cm apart, in a sunny, sheltered spot. Firm in.
0–1 days after “Plant” · Mid April
Water In
Water well, then keep just moist while it settles in.
30–51 days after “Water In” · Mid May – early June
First Light Harvest
Once it is growing strongly, snip a few sprigs — never more than a third of the plant at once.

Every year

March
Divide
Every 3 years, lift and divide to keep the plant vigorous.
May
Start Picking
Pick young shoots from late spring onwards.
July
Pinch Out Flower Stems
Remove flower stems to keep the leaves coming.
November
Cut Down and Mulch
Cut stems to the ground and mulch the crown to protect it from frost.