Planting tarragon: location, sowing & Co

If the tarragon is to be cultivated in your own garden as a herb, it is important to pay attention to the requirements and the suitable location when planting.

In every garden can be a suitable place for the perennial tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) Find. It is suitable for pot and bed planting - however, there are certain differences between the different varieties to be considered. You will find all important information below.

Plant tarragon: the right location

The tarragon prefers a sunny, but wind-protected location. It can also cope with partial shade and does not mind occasional drought as long as it does not dry out completely.

Basically, a moist but permeable and moderately nutrient-rich soil is ideal for the perennial herb. Waterlogging should be avoided in any case. A clayey soil that tends to do so may be loosened up with plenty of sand or other drainage material. Too nutrient-rich soil unfortunately leads to less aroma development, but also to more leaf growth. Fatty and less aromatic tarragon is well suited for use as a spring vegetable. If you suspect that the tarragon location in the garden may not be nutrient rich enough, occasional fertilization with a mostly organic fertilizer is a good idea. For example, use ours

Plantura organic indoor and green plant fertilizer. It is low in nitrogen and high in potassium to allow aroma formation and ensure good winter hardiness.

Tarragon can also be grown in containers on balconies and terraces, as we explain below.

What can you plant next to tarragon? Which plants are in the immediate vicinity of the tarragon can sometimes decide on the success of the cultivation of the daisy family. For example, are suitable lovage (Levisticum officinale) and marjoram (Origanum majorana) for use as a neighboring plant, with dill (anethumgraveolens) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum) on the other hand, he doesn't get along very well.

Sow and pull yourself

Only the Russian tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus var. inodora) multiply. The French (Artemisia dracunculus var. sativus) and the German tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus var. thuringiae), on the other hand, are propagated by vegetative propagation, for example by cuttings, layering or division.

In March, the seeds of the Russian tarragon harvested in autumn can already be sown indoors as a pre-cultivation and then the young seedlings can be planted outdoors from May. You should wait until the end of April before direct sowing outdoors because of the danger of frost.

Propagation via sinkers and runners is carried out in spring, preferably in May. The division of the plant, which should also take place in May, is generally recommended every two to three years. However, rooting tarragon cuttings in summer is not so easy.

Do you want yours multiply tarragon, then you will find more detailed information on how to proceed with generative and vegetative propagation in our special article.

Plant out tarragon

Depending on whether the tarragon is to be planted in a pot or in a bed, there are certain points to consider. We explain these below.

Tarragon in the pot

In general, a good time to plant the herb is from mid-April to early May. After the tarragon has a much smaller volume of soil in the pot than in the bed, a sufficiently large bucket should be chosen. This ensures that the substrate does not dry out too quickly and that nutrients are available for longer. So that the water does not accumulate, the pot should have a drain for excess water. In addition, a layer of gravel or crushed potsherds can be placed at the bottom of the pot.

The tarragon needs a humus and nutrient-rich substrate with a slightly alkaline to neutral pH value. Ours, for example, is suitable for these requirements Plantura organic universal soil ideal. It provides the herb with sufficient nutrients for about the first two months. It is best to add 30% structural material such as sand or expanded clay to the substrate.

Then the tarragon can be fed every four to six weeks with a liquid fertilizer like ours Plantura organic indoor and green plant fertilizer be supplied, which can be used easily with the irrigation water. The contained microorganisms ensure optimal phosphorus utilization of the substrate - an important contribution to the protection of the finite phosphorus deposits on earth. More details on Care of the tarragon see our related article.

Tip: If you fertilize the tarragon more frequently, it will develop more leaves but less aroma. While this is possible, it does change the usage and dosage a bit.

Tarragon in the garden

Planting directly in the bed should also take place from mid-April to early May. Tarragon prefers a sandy soil type such as loamy or humus-rich sand. As already mentioned, if the soil is not permeable enough, you can mix in some sand or other coarse material.

Two specimens of tarragon are more than sufficient for household needs. Before planting, you can put your young plants and the pot in a bucket full of water so that the root ball is soaked. The soil is then loosened at the intended planting site with a digging fork or garden hoe. Now you can dig the planting holes at a distance of 30 x 40 centimeters - the holes should be about twice as large as the root ball of the herb. When planting, the plant is not planted much deeper than it was in the pot. The excavation can then, to ensure a balanced supply of nutrients, with a high-quality soil like ours Plantura organic universal soil mixed and filled all around again and pressed on well. Our added substrate ensures a balanced ratio of air to water at the roots of your tarragon by adding organic material.

If your tarragon is now in the right place and continues to be cared for and cared for accordingly, it can soon be harvested regularly. How you the Harvest and store tarragon correctly, you can find out in our special article.