Cultivating and Sowing Tarragon

Tarragon is a plant in the Compositae or Asteraceae family. Tarragon is an herb that has been around for centuries. It was already used in the kitchen around the 13th century. It is also called 'snakeweed', this because the leaves looks like  snakes tongues. You can eat both the leaves and the flowers of this herb.

Tarragon in the vegetable garden

There are 2 types of tarragon : Russian tarragon and French tarragon. Russian tarragon is most used in our kitchens but the French tarragon is more aromatic and less pungent. The taste is a bit peppery and bitter. If you use too much of this herb it will overpower the dish.

When start sowing tarragon

You can sow tarragon from March to June. It is best to start in March or April in a seed tray  indoors or in a greenhouse. From May you can sow directly in the ground. You can grow tarragon indoors all year round if there is enough light and warmth.

How to sow tarragon seeds

Tarragon can be grown indoors all year round, but it is easier if you grow it outdoors. Especially because the plant can grow quite large. If you sow about 10 seeds in a container and cover them with a very thin layer of soil, the seeds can start to germinate. Later you can plant them out  in the right place ( or put the baby plants in a larger pot so they can grow further. ) 

When planting out : keep about 50 cm distance between the plants.  Also try to maintain a temperature around 15° to 20° for germination.

Where to sow tarragon

Dragon originates from the southern countries and prefers heat. You can plant tarragon in full sun with well-drained soil. For early cultivation it is of course best to pre-sow in a greenhouse or indoors. 

Tarragon seeds

In the webshop of Dutch Garden Seeds we have 2 types of Russian tarragon seeds, the normal tarragon seeds from buzzy and the organic tarragon seeds.

Buy Tarragon Seeds

Dragon cuttings

Propagating tarragon by cuttings is possible. But experience shows that many of these cuttings do not survive their first winter. So our advice is to grow from seeds.

Freeze tarragon

It is certainly possible to freeze tarragon. This allows you to use the tarragon that you have grown yourself for much longer. The process is actually more or less the same for all herbs. Here’s how to do it :

• Wash the dragon well
• Put it for 20 sec. in boiled water and then rinse with cold water
• Pat the leaves dry with kitchen paper
• Put the tarragon in a freezer bag and store it in the freezer. (use small portions)
• The tarragon can be stored in the freezer for 2 months and the taste is preserved. The tarragon does not need to be thawed before use.

Drying tarragon

It is also possible to dry the tarragon.

There are at least 3 ways to dry the tarragon:

 

• In an oven: Wash the tarragon and place it on a clean baking sheet. Set the oven to 40°. Then leave it in for 1 to 2 hours. Check it regularly so that the tarragon does not burn. After the tarragon has become crunchy, you can let it cool down and store it in an airtight glass jar. Note : after about half a year the taste will decrease slightly
• In a food dehydrator: basically the same description as above, only slightly shorter. Around 1 to 1.5 hours.
• Drying the dragon by hanging: Wash the dragon and then bundle it. You can put the bundles upside down in a paper bag and hang them up. Make some small incisions in the bag to allow the air to flow. Let the tarragon hang for about 2 weeks and then check if the tarragon is dry enough to store in a clean jar.

Make sure that you only dry the leaves, the stems are not tasty!

Is tarragon healthy?

Tarragon is full of vitamins and minerals. It also contains calcium and potassium and is also rich in fiber. Calcium is necessary for strong bones and teeth and normal clotting of your blood. Potassium helps maintain your blood pressure. It can also help with hiccups and menstrual problems.

Growing herbs and sowing herbs seeds

Growing herbs is a healthy activity. Besides the fact you are actively involved, it is also wonderful to always have fresh herbs around. Almost all herbs have a medicinal effect and health benefits. In the webshop of Dutch Garden Seeds we have more than 40 different types of herbs. Of these, there are about 15 Organic herb seeds.

Order Tarragon Seeds easy online