How to grow tarragon
Family Asteraceae. Hardy to USDA hardiness zone 4a+ (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Full sun to part shade. Ready in Yr 2 best flavor (perennial).
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Spacing
18-24 in
Days to harvest
Yr 2 best flavor (perennial)
Hardiness
Zone 4a+
What growers actually recorded
Loading zone 7b results…
When to plant tarragon
- Transplant out: ~2 weeks after last frost.
Companion plants for tarragon
Plant with: Eggplant, Tomato, Pepper, Squash.
Avoid near: Wet, heavy clay.
Common pests & problems
Rarely bothered. Watch for root rot and powdery mildew in crowded shade.
Feeding & fertilizer
N-P-K ratio: Balanced 5-5-5 with steady N
Organic options: Compost tea every 2 wks · Fish emulsion between cuttings · Aged manure in bed prep
When to feed: Light and steady. Lettuce wants constant slow N to stay tender and mild.
Watch for: Bitter greens = heat or under-water, not fertilizer.
N = nitrogen (leaves), P = phosphorus (roots and flowers), K = potassium (fruit and disease resistance). How to read a fertilizer label →
Grower's tip
Buy French tarragon as a plant, never seed: true French tarragon rarely sets viable seed, and seed sold as tarragon is usually the near-flavorless Russian type. Divide the crown every 3 years.
When to plant tarragon in your zone
Free month-by-month sowing and transplanting lists, built from frost dates for your USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hardiness zone.
Soil & water for tarragon
Soil & pH
6.0-7.5
Well-drained, moderately fertile soil.
Light compost at planting; avoid heavy, wet soil which encourages root rot.
Watering
1-1.5 in / week; more in heat
Morning overhead is fine; keep foliage dry by nightfall to prevent bottom rot.
Taste-test a leaf mid-morning. If it's bitter and the weather is hot, harvest before 7 AM and provide shade. If it's bitter and the weather is cool, the soil is too dry or too old for the plant.
Knowing when to harvest
- Snip leaves and stem tips through the growing season once the plant is established; flavor is milder than French tarragon but still usable fresh and dried.
- Cut back by a third mid-season to encourage bushier regrowth.
Storing & keeping
Air-dry or freeze in oil for best flavor retention; store dried leaf in a sealed jar out of light for up to 6 months. Flavor fades faster and is generally weaker than French tarragon even fresh.
What to expect
Per plant: Regular small cuttings through the season from an established plant
Troubleshooting tarragon
Tarragon has a flat, grassy, almost anise-less flavor
Likely cause: This is Russian tarragon, a seed-grown, easy-to-establish species with genuinely weaker flavor, not a growing mistake
What to do: If strong anise flavor is the goal, replace with French tarragon (propagated by division or cuttings, not sold as seed) rather than trying to fix a Russian tarragon plant.
Plant declines after a couple of years
Likely cause: Overcrowded, exhausted clump, common in perennial tarragon plantings left undivided
What to do: Divide the clump every 3 years in spring to renew vigor.
Varieties worth growing
Russian tarragon (Artemisia dracunculoides)
Easy to grow from seed and more cold-hardy, but distinctly milder and less aromatic than French tarragon; this is the tarragon most seed packets and nursery six-packs actually sell.
Growing tarragon in containers
Grows well in a 12+ in pot; divide and repot every couple of years as the clump fills the container.
Nutrition
Vitamin K, folate, lutein. Most calories in the leaves come from water.
Common questions
Why doesn't my tarragon taste like the tarragon in recipes?
It's very likely Russian tarragon, which is what most seed-grown plants sold as simply 'tarragon' actually are. It is easier to start and more cold-hardy than French tarragon, but noticeably weaker in anise flavor. For culinary-grade flavor, look specifically for French tarragon sold as a rooted division or plant, never as seed.
Can I grow this tarragon from seed?
Yes: Russian tarragon sets viable seed and is the type commonly found in seed catalogs. This is the main practical way to distinguish it from French tarragon, which does not produce viable seed at all.
Where these numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Zone assignment and the 30-year normals behind every cold-hardiness figure.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals. Frost dates, growing-season length, and the probability bands on both.
- Cornell, UMN, and UC Davis Cooperative Extension crop guides. Spacing, days to maturity, soil pH targets, and per-plant yield ranges.
- USDA FSIS / FDA Produce Safety guidance. Wash, cure, and cold-storage handling numbers.
Ranges are regional guidance, not a promise for your yard. Your own logged results always override the published range.