French Tarragon – The Only Variety To Grow
Tarragon plants and seeds for home vegetable and herb garden are popular, but remember the one you want is the French Tarragon.
Fresh tarragon (see picture right) is a wonderful addition to many dishes and plants can be grown in the herb garden from seeds or seedlings. The French variety can’t readily be grown from seed, so why is this variety the best one?
Tarragon Varieties.
With 4 types of this herb offered for sale Spanish, Mexican, Russian and the one you are looking for is the fourth type.
French Tarragon with its finer leaves, and the real peppery or aniseed ‘Tarragon’ taste is it so difficult to find.
This is a variety that rarely flowers, and therefore does not set seeds, it has to be propagated by cuttings, so its a little more difficult to grow in bulk. However once you have it in the garden it is easy to grow and it is happy in a container.
How to Grow French Tarragon Plants
We grow out plants in a container, they have been long lived and require little care other than some added fertiliser each year. We only use the leaves, however the plants can be divided every few years.
Tarragon needs a moist but very well drained soil, we suggest growing in a pot with plenty of gravel in the bottom.
Make sure drainage is good, especially in winter, and protect from frosts. regular watering with seaweed fertilizer seems to be adequate as a fertilise.
Plants will reach around 40 cm in height and spread to around 40cm as they form a clump.
Propagation
Growing from seed is possible, however the seeds are very difficult to find. Usually the French variety is propagated form cuttings or by division and sold as tubestock.
Uses
This is a herb that is widely used with chicken and fish. It is also used in sauces, to make tarragon butter and it also pairs well with mushrooms and eggs.
The best taste is when the herb is picked and used immediately, and this is why yo would want to grow your own French Tarragon.
Tarragon Plants (ask for the French variety) are often available in spring from the following nurseries.
KALLINYALLA NURSERY – Phone: 0428822725.
Shaen St Port Lincoln, SA, 5606
KLEMZIG GARDEN CENTRE – Phone: 08 8369 0338
32 O G Rd Klemzig, SA, 5087
In Victoria try
MT EVELYN GARDEN CENTRE - Phone: (03) 9736 1162
126 York Rd, Mount Evelyn VIC 3796
Excellent range of herbs and vegetables, full range of general nursery lines, pots and garden statues
AJS BULLOCK NURSERY – Phone: 03 9890 3162
48 Cosier Dr Noble Park, VIC, 3174
ACORN NURSERY – Phone: 03 5141 1900 673
Canterbury Rd Surrey Hills, VIC, 3127
AUSSIE GOLD PLANT NURSERY – Phone: 03 5428 7929
126 Amess Rd Riddells Creek, VIC, 3431
In New South Wales Try
BERRIMA COTTAGE NURSERY – Phone: 02 4877 2929
28 Old Hume Hwy Berrima, NSW, 2577
BALCONY IN BLOOM – Phone: 02 9905 2462
10 Green St Brookvale, NSW, 2100
ANNANDALE GARDEN CENTRE – Phone: 02 9660 0874
36 Booth St Annandale, NSW, 2038
BONNYRIGG GARDEN CENTRE – Phone: 02 9610
5366 Elizabeth Dr Bonnyrigg Heights, NSW, 2177