Planting Tarragon (French)
Tarragon (French) is a warm season herb in the Asteraceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
Transplant young plants outdoors 0–2 weeks after your last frost, once the danger of frost has passed.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Tarragon (French) room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 18 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 24 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 0.33 |
| Planting depth | 0 inches |
| Sun requirement | Full sun |
Days to Maturity
Tarragon (French) reaches maturity in 80–100 days from sowing.
Tarragon (French) is ready to harvest after about 90 days. Harvest before the first fall frost, which will end the plant's productive season.
Conditions and Care
As a warm-season herb, Tarragon (French) needs warm soil and settled weather to thrive, and is set back or killed by frost. It is half-hardy — it withstands light frost but should be protected from a hard freeze.
Tarragon (French) needs full sun — give it at least six hours of direct light a day for the best growth and flavor. Sow seed about 0 inches deep — small seed is sown shallow and barely covered, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Tarragon (French) belongs to the Asteraceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Tarragon (French) is generally grown as a single planting each season rather than succession sown.
Growing Notes
Perennial; French tarragon is grown from divisions, not seed.