When to plant Tarragon in Cool Australia

Cool zone — applies to Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat, Orange, Armidale and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

French tarragon is not recommended for sowing in cool zones, and the calendar reflects that with no reliable sowing window here. True French tarragon rarely sets viable seed at all and is grown from divisions or cuttings, while seed sold as tarragon is usually the coarser, near-flavourless Russian type. In cool districts like Orange, Armidale and Canberra, the added problem is that this half-hardy perennial resents cold, wet winters and can rot at the crown. Rather than chasing a seed sowing that will not perform, buy a named French tarragon plant and grow it in a sharply drained, sheltered spot, lifting or protecting it through the coldest weeks.

Sowing calendar — cool zone

No sowing window in this zone.

Growing notes

The honest answer is that tarragon is a poor candidate for seed-sowing in cool gardens, which is why there is no recommended window. The prized culinary herb, French tarragon, is sterile in practice and does not come true from seed; the packets you find are almost always Russian tarragon, which germinates readily but tastes flat and weedy by comparison. If aniseed flavour is what you are after, seed will disappoint.

The cool-climate climate adds a second hurdle. Tarragon is only half hardy and dislikes cold, waterlogged soil. In frost-prone towns like Armidale and Orange, the crown is prone to rotting over a wet winter, and hard frosts can knock the plant back severely. Established plants can survive with care, but they are never as vigorous as they are in warmer, drier gardens.

The workaround is straightforward. Buy a named French tarragon plant in spring rather than sowing seed, and set it in the sharpest-draining, sunniest, most sheltered spot you have, ideally raised or in a pot. Keep it on the dry side over winter, mulch the crown, and in the coldest districts move potted plants under cover or into a cold frame. Divide healthy clumps in spring to keep the stock going. Treated this way, even a Canberra garden can hold a small, usable patch.

Tarragon at a glance

Common questions

can you grow tarragon from seed in a cool climate

Not usefully. True French tarragon is sterile and does not come from seed, and the seed sold is usually the near-flavourless Russian type. In cool zones you are far better buying a named French tarragon plant than sowing seed.

why is tarragon not recommended in cool zones

Two reasons: the good culinary type cannot be raised from seed, and tarragon is only half hardy and dislikes cold, wet winters. In frosty towns the crown tends to rot over a soggy winter. It performs far better in warmer, drier gardens.

how do I keep tarragon alive through a Canberra winter

Grow it in the sharpest-draining, most sheltered spot you have, ideally in a pot. Keep it dry over winter, mulch the crown, and move potted plants under cover or into a cold frame during the hardest frosts. Divide healthy clumps in spring to refresh the stock.

what is the difference between French and Russian tarragon

French tarragon has the fine aniseed flavour prized in cooking but is sterile and grown only from divisions or cuttings. Russian tarragon grows readily from seed but tastes flat and coarse. Almost all tarragon seed on sale is the Russian type.

Keep exploring