Kitchen Garden Forum

Hello,

This summer I brought back from France a nice looking plant of (French) tarragon which liked living in my herb raised planter. It had three nice looking branches and i harvested a reasonable amount for immediate consumption.
I thought I would be smart and bring it inside ahead of the fall and winter, planted it in a nice pot with good soil but it did not like it at all. Not at all. Poor thing. First in the conservatory and then on the kitchen window sill. It is now almost just three miserable dried branches. So i've just put it back out (still in its pot) in the corner of my garden I call hospital corner (whenever I've put stuff there it seemed to come back to life). here's one for hoping!

Any idea what could have gone wrong? I thought tarragon liked it warm and cosy, but maybe not... I do love tarragon and find it quite expensive to buy to be honest so any suggestions welcome please...

Thanks

O.

Hi Oscar,

I'm no expert but I've had my tarragon plant for maybe 5 years. I leave it outside in a pot. It's a bit like mint in that'll it'll all die back in winter but the roots stay alive and you see shoots come up in the spring. Apparently it also likes being split in the early spring.

It probably did like the change?? If it's still alive maybe leave I it in the pot on a patio? Fingers crossed it'll grow back in spring.

I harvest mine throughout the summer and add to a bottle of white wine viniger. Makes amazing bayonaise sauce.

Pawty

I've kept a French tarragon plant in a 'largish' pot for about four years now, and it continues to do well. A really good herb. They are supposed to be a bit tender so I move the pot into the greenhouse each autumn. But I agree with Pawty, the branches die right back each year, and then new shoots come up in the spring. The truth is, I also keep meaning to take cuttings each year to renew the plant, and keep forgetting to do it at the right time...