Follow this useful guide and you could be enjoying bundles of these flavourful leaves this season
The distinctive, elongated foliage of tarragon is easy to spot in the garden or on the allotment. Its peppery taste creates an extra-great depth of flavour to tomato and egg-based dishes. This plant originates from southern Russia and western Asia, but with the correct care it can also flourish in the UK.
French and Russian tarragon are the main types available to growers, with the former being the more popular due to its stronger flavour. However, this variety cannot be sown from seed like its milder cousin, and must be purchased as young plants from nurseries. Russian tarragon produces larger, more hardy leaves which are more likely to survive frost damage during winter, so your choice should be down to personal preference.
GETTING STARTED
This half-hardy perennial benefits from container growing as this method provides an opportunity to protect the leaves from harsh winter weather. Tarragon thrives in a warm, sheltered spot with well-drained soil, so be sure to add a thin layer of gravel to the bottom of the tub to improve conditions, or dig in some well-rotted organic matter to your veg bed before planting out.
French tarragon must either be purchased as a young plant or propagated from the cuttings of a mature crop, as the seeds are not viable for sowing. Plant your new herbs on the plot between March and May. If you plan on sowing Russian tarragon, do this indoors by filling a tray with good-quality compost between March and May. Sprinkle the seeds thinly over the surface and cover with more soil. Keep temperatures between 15-20°C and water regularly. Germination should occur within three weeks, and once seedlings reach around 5cm tall, pot them on into 8cm tubs, placing three plants in each one.
CONTINUED CARE
Crops you have sown indoors will need to be hardened off outside once the last frost has passed before they can be moved outdoors permanently. Do this by leaving your
