How to grow tarragon at home?

Tarragon with wormwood belong to the same genus and the external structure emphasizes this relationship. Tarragon leaves are elongated-oblong, lanceolate, reminiscent of wormwood leaves. Unlike wormwood, the leaf tip of tarragon is forked, like the tongue of fairy dragons. Hence the Latin specific name of the plant "dragon" - dracunculus.

Tarragon wormwood, or tarragon, or tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Tarragon wormwood, or tarragon, or tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is a perennial herb, a species of the genus Wormwood of the Astrovye family.

The homeland of tarragon (tarragon) is called Asia, but the plant is widespread in the wild from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. It is ubiquitous in China, Pakistan, Mongolia, India. Tarragon has occupied a certain niche in many states of America. In Russia, tarragon occupies significant areas, both in the European and Asian parts.

Tarragon lives in open places on dry steppe slopes, sometimes like a weed in the fields.

Brief description of tarragon

Tarragon, or tarragon, is a bush-shaped perennial herb. In summer cottages, they are widely distributed in the wild and domesticated form.

Tarragon roots are tough with multiple lateral shoots. Over time - woody. For the bizarrely wriggling shape, the French call tarragon snake grass.

Tarragon stems are straight, glabrous, yellowish-brown, young ones are greenish, 30-150 cm high.

The type of leaves located at the base and in the upper part of the stems have a different marginal shape. Tarragon leaves without cuttings. The lower ones are slightly indented along the edge of the leaf blade, at the apex they are incised, as if bifurcated, like a serpentine tongue. Upper stem - entire, lanceolate, elongate-lanceolate, pointed at the end. The color range of tarragon leaves is green, often dark green, sometimes gray-silver.

Tarragon leaves are rich in essential oils with a slight anise scent. They are pleasant to the taste, do not have wormwood bitterness.

The tarragon peduncle is located at the top of the stem, narrowly paniculate in shape. The flowers are small, light yellow, greenish. Bloom in August-September.

At the end of October, the fruits ripen - an oblong achene (does not have a tuft). Tarragon seeds are very small, dark brown or brownish brown in color. Plants are able to self-propagate.

Varieties of tarragon for growing in the country

Tarragon is subdivided into several varieties. In some breeding works, experts consider them to be separate types:

• Russian tarragon - has a rich aroma. They are mainly used for fresh food. A distinctive feature - the flowers are pale green in color, and the stem and leaves are large.
• French tarragon - is used by culinary experts as a spicy-flavoring herb for a light, piquant aroma. It has a thin stem and small leaves.
• Common tarragon - has an unpleasant scent that repels insects. A large plant is characterized by an irregular shape of the leaf blades. Has a bitter taste.

Tarragon wormwood, or tarragon, or tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Growing tarragon

Tarragon environmental requirements

Tarragon belongs to the group of frost-resistant plants and easily tolerates frosts of -30 ° C. Photophilous. But it can grow in partial shade. Does not tolerate damp, low, dark places. For normal growth and development, it is demanding on the moisture content in the soil, but without prolonged flooding of the root system. The optimum temperature during the growing season is +18 .. + 25 ° С. In one place, tarragon grows up to 15 years, but for food use it is grown for 4-6 years in the form of a separate clump of 3-5 bushes.

Soil preparation

For normal growth and development, tarragon prefers light soils, well-drained, neutral reaction. Sandy loam soil is optimal; on heavy soil it grows very slowly. Acidic soils are neutralized with chalk or dolomite flour, and then a glass of ash is poured under the bush every year.

The area allotted for tarragon must be freed from rhizome weeds. Dig up by 25-30 cm. For autumn digging, add 1 sq. m 0.5 buckets of humus or compost and 30-35 g each of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. In the spring, before sowing seeds or seedlings, rooted vegetative parts of tarragon, no more than 10-15 g of ammonium nitrate is introduced into the planting holes. More nitrogen fertilization causes increased biomass growth, but with a loss of aroma.

Sowing tarragon seeds

In open ground, tarragon seeds are sown in early spring. The plant is frost-resistant, so sowing can be carried out in the fall. For sowing, the soil is cut very carefully, since the seeds are small. So that the sowing is not heaped, the seeds are mixed with dry sand. The seeding pattern is ordinary, on wet soil, followed by sprinkling with soil. Tarragon shoots appear in 2-3 weeks. The optimum temperature for seedlings is +18 .. + 20 ° С. Seedlings in the phase of 2 leaves are thinned out to a distance of 10 cm. Growing tarragon with seeds is a long period and this method is not successful for all regions. Therefore, it is more often planted with seedlings.

Tarragon wormwood, or tarragon, or tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Planting tarragon seedlings

Despite the frost resistance, tarragon seeds do not germinate in the Non-Black Earth Zone. In these regions, tarragon is grown through seedlings.

For seedlings, sowing tarragon seeds is carried out in the first half of March in prepared pots or plastic containers. The soil should be light, permeable, constantly moist, but not wet. Therefore, the containers are best placed on trays and watered from below. When watering from above, it is more practical to use a spray bottle.

The seed containers are placed in the greenhouse or on cool windowsills. In the phase of 2 leaves, they break through dense seedlings, leaving the strongest seedlings with an interval of at least 6-8 cm. In June, tarragon seedlings are planted in open ground, 2 pcs can be used. in one hole. Seedlings are planted in moist fertilized soil in a wide-row pattern of 30x60-70 cm. For a family, 3-6 bushes are enough.

Tarragon care

Tarragon belongs to unpretentious plants and does not cause much trouble to the owners. The main care is to clean the area before sowing / planting from weeds, especially root-suckers, with loosening to better provide the roots with air.

Watering is moderate.Water the plants depending on weather conditions after 2-3 weeks. Top dressing of tarragon is carried out once in the spring after the first weeding or before flowering. They are fed with infusion of mullein, which is bred before introduction with a 5-6 fold ratio to mass, or infusion of ash.

You can feed it under watering with dry ash at the rate of 1-2 glasses under a bush, depending on its age. Tarragon responds well to feeding with microelements or a mixture of fertilizers - add a spoonful of superphosphate and potassium chloride to 10 liters of water. A glass of ash can be added to this mixture, especially on depleted soils.

The green mass of tarragon is harvested in different ways. It is possible to cut off the green mass as it grows throughout the growing season, leaving hemp 12-15 cm. But it is more practical after the first selective harvesting of the green mass, to cut off all the stems at once almost at the ground and water. Tarragon grows quickly and soon new young shoots with leaves that have retained their charming aroma are cut for use as food or for drying. Leaves are usually dried.

If the tarragon bushes for unknown reasons began to turn yellow and dry, it is necessary to cut off the entire above-ground mass and remove it from the site. Treat the place with any soil biological product (from diseases and pests). With natural aging, tarragon bushes lose their properties: the aroma of the leaves decreases, their taste worsens, the foliage coarsens. Therefore, after 4-5 years, the bushes are renewed, using cuttings, layering, and rhizome division for reproduction.

The best quality greens are obtained by cutting tarragon from the third decade of April to the third decade of June. A complete cut for drying can be carried out before flowering. The cut greens are dried in the shade to maintain the green color of the shoots. Dry tarragon leaves are separated from the stems by rubbing between the palms and stored like other spicy crops. After complete cutting, the bushes usually grow back in 30-40-50 days.

Tarragon wormwood, or tarragon, or tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Reproduction of tarragon cuttings

In the third decade of May, cuttings are cut 15 cm in length. The lower side is dipped into a root solution or other root former. The next day, the cuttings of tarragon are planted in a mixture of sand with soil and humus 1: 1: 1, deepening them by 3-5 cm. The planted cuttings are covered with a film, imitating a mini-greenhouse. The film is regularly lifted for airing. The soil is kept constantly moist. After a month, the rooted cuttings are planted in a permanent place.

Reproduction of tarragon by layering

A well-developed 1-2 year old stem of tarragon is pinned in spring, in a shallow groove or furrow dug, with a V-shaped wooden hairpin and sprinkled with soil. Several shallow cuts are made on the lower part of the stem facing the soil. During the growing season, the soil is kept moist. In the spring of next year, having cut off the rooted stem of the tarragon from the mother plant, transplanted to a permanent place.

Reproduction of tarragon by rhizome

Tarragon can grow in one place, as already noted, up to 15 years, but in practice the bush grows well and develops for the first 4-5 years, and then the rhizome with roots grows and interferes with other plants, the leaves become smaller and lose their aroma. To free the site, a tarragon bush is dug up, old, crooked, diseased roots are cut off. The rhizome is divided into several parts so that each has 2-4 vegetative buds. Delenki are planted in a pre-prepared place.

Tarragon can be propagated very quickly by root suckers. At the mother bush of tarragon, in spring or autumn, they dig in several shoots with roots. The root system is trimmed neatly and planted in a new place. When planting, the root collar is deepened by 4-5 cm, watered abundantly and mulched. After planting, the aerial part is shortened to 15-20 cm.

The use and useful properties of tarragon

Crispy cucumbers, unusually fragrant tomatoes will be desirable dishes on the table throughout the winter, if fresh tarragon leaves are added to them during winter harvesting. As a spicy-aromatic seasoning, tarragon is used in sauerkraut, making marinades, and soaking apples. The slightly spicy aroma gives the salads an exquisite note of freshness. In Ukraine, Moldova, Transcaucasia, Central Asia, special salad varieties of tarragon have been bred. In Germany, fresh tarragon leaves were rubbed on meat from flies.

Properly dried (but not black twigs and leaves) tarragon is constantly used for teas and drinks that are refreshing and healthy. The leaves and young shoots of tarragon are rich in vitamins, trace elements and other substances useful for the body that have a beneficial effect on the work of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, are used as an antihelminthic, in various salt-free diets and scurvy.

Tarragon wormwood, or tarragon, or tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Tarragon varieties for growing in the country

Breeders recommend tarragon varieties for home cultivation in the open field Monarch, Dobrynya, Aztec... All of these varieties have different properties. Aztec is more suitable for use in cooking, and Dobrynya is more suitable for making refreshing drinks.

Less grown, but quite interesting varieties for home cultivation:

• Tarhun Gribovchanin (the freshness and juiciness of the leaves remains for a long time),
• Tarhun Herbal (good ether carrier),
• Tarhun Tarhun Clove (recommended for cooking and as a spice for winter preparations),
• Green dale (characterized by a long period of preservation of leaves without coarsening of the leaf blade),
• Tarhun Zhulebinsky Semko (frost-resistant with a specific delicate aroma).

For certain regions of Russia and countries, their own types and varieties of tarragon are characteristic, which have distinctive features in the structure of the bush, its shape, aroma of greenery, etc. Tarragon Transcaucasian, Georgian, Armenian, French, Gribovsky 31 (based on English varietal material) and others.

Tarragon protection from pests and diseases

Tarragon is rare, but still damaged mainly by aphids, wireworms, bedbugs, and spider mites. There are no epiphytotic lesions, since the tarragon itself is a good insecticide plant.

When growing tarragon in small quantities in the country, it is better to use bioinsecticides against pests that can be used to treat soil and plants (Aktofit, Bicol, Bitoxibacillin, Nembakt, Aversectin-S and others).

Affected plants are sprayed with infusions and decoctions of herbal insecticides (yarrow, chamomile, calendula). They can also be pollinated with a mixture of tobacco and ash, or simply tansy powder. Chemical treatments are not recommended.

Tarragon is one of the crops widely used in cooking, has a very pleasant smell, contains essential oils, and grows in all regions of our country.

Tarragon

There are several types of the spice plant, but they hardly reproduce by seeds for two reasons.

1. First, they rarely ripen. The plant can bloom once every few years, and the likelihood of harvesting quality seed is even lower.
2. Secondly, the highest quality plants produce sterile seeds, these are hybrids that are not intended for this propagation method.

But there are times when seed reproduction is the only way to get this spicy plant in your garden. What to do?

How to grow tarragon in shifts

Tarragon seeds

As we have already warned, you need to be prepared for the fact that as a result of all efforts in the garden, instead of a useful cultivated plant, an ordinary wormwood weed will grow. Purchase seeds only from trusted distributors, they must guarantee the quality of their products. But this is not enough for complete peace of mind.Do not be lazy to search the Internet for real reviews about the company, not custom ones, which they often write about themselves, but real ones. And prepare yourself that it will not have that pleasant smell, and the leaves will be rough and sparse. Further, the cultivation of tarragon (tarragon) must be done according to the algorithm.

1. Soak the seeds in room temperature water. Tarragon seeds can sprout up to two weeks, soaking will speed up this process somewhat. If you start planting plants indoors, then you can do this in February. It should be soaked for 3-4 days. You can use special solutions to accelerate germination, there are quite a few of them in the implementation, follow the instructions of the manufacturer's instructions.

   Seeds need to be soaked

2. Prepare the land for seedlings. The soil should be light, neutral in acidity. There is no need to specially prepare and disinfect it, tarragon is very undemanding, it grows almost everywhere, like other weeds of the wormwood family. The only caveat is that it reacts negatively to excess moisture. To avoid the risks of root system disease, drain the containers. At the bottom you need to pour small pebbles about 1-2 centimeters thick. Make holes in the bottom of the containers to drain excess water.

   Drainage in a pot

3. Sowing must be done on the surface of the earth.

   Sowing seeds to the soil surface

Important. Never cover them, this will greatly impair germination. Water the soil carefully, make sure that the seeds do not sink into the soil.

After sowing, cover the cups with plastic wrap or plastic bags to retain moisture. This will prevent the soil from drying out.

Important. Seeds should be on a lighted window, light stimulates germination processes.

1. As soon as the first shoots have appeared, remove the film. Germination temperature is within + 15-18 ° C.

   Peel off the film when the seeds sprout

2. If the crops are very thickened, then they need to be thinned. But in practice, such situations rarely happen, as a rule, up to ten sprouts will appear from the whole bag.
3. In the phase of the second true leaflet, you can dive. Growing plants is done under normal conditions.

   Growing Tarragon - Picked Up Sprouts

4. The open ground transplant is performed after warm weather. Short-term frosts do not harm the plants.

Practical advice. Never flood plants - root rot will appear, and it is almost impossible to get rid of it. Plants are likely to die. Experienced summer residents recommend adding vermiculite or perlite to the soil. These components loosen the ground perfectly, which the plant loves. And, besides this, they absorb excess moisture from the ground and gradually give it back as it dries.

Moderate watering

Growing tarragon in the garden

Sowing seeds in open ground

Routine sowing in open ground

Sowing seeds in the ground

You can sit tarragon in any part of the garden, but it is better on the most fertile soils. The plant calmly tolerates winter temperatures down to -30 ° C, and is one of the first to wake up in the spring. The first young leaves and stems can be used already in the month of April (for the middle zone of our country).

Seeds are sown in shallow parallel grooves, the ground must be moistened before sowing. The distance between the furrows is about 70 centimeters, if it grows very densely, which happens very rarely, then they should be thinned out. You do not need to cover the seeds with earth. The distance between adult plants is about 15 centimeters.

In the first year, you need to water 3-4 times, in the future, watering is done only in very dry seasons. Tarragon has a very strong root system and does not need much maintenance. Weeding is not done, the overgrown plants themselves very successfully inhibit the growth of various weeds.

Tarragon in the garden has been growing for several years, the main thing is not to let him take liberties, capturing the whole place

Practical advice. Remember that tarragon's closest relative is wormwood. And this is a vicious weed, it is very difficult to fight it. Wormwood propagates both by roots and vegetatively. In a few years, the cultivated tarragon planted by you can "multiply" in all the beds. To prevent such uncontrolled reproduction, special measures must be taken.

Tarragon (tarragon)

There are two very effective ways to control plant reproduction:

• plant it directly in insulated containers. Old buckets, wooden crates, etc. can be used;
• along the perimeter of the tarragon bed, dig in pieces of slate or sheet steel to a depth of 25-30 centimeters. Such a barrier will become an obstacle to reproduction by root shoots, the plant will grow in a strictly limited area.

Plant care

According to its biological characteristics, tarragon is characterized by high indicators of vitality. The plant is not damaged by pests, does not suffer from diseases common among cultivated plants. Due to such features, it is almost not required to care for it. In addition to the above, it allows you to limit the growing area.

Tarragon can be kept in one place for up to fifteen years, after this period it is recommended to change the location. It can be updated more often, some experienced growers do this operation every five years.

Seedlings of tarragon

How it's done?

1. Planting renewal by dividing the bush. A very simple and common method, subject to basic rules, gives one hundred percent survival rate. In autumn or early spring, you need to carefully dig out the bush, divide it into two or three parts. Try to minimize injury to the horse system, slowly separate even small roots. In order to facilitate the separation process, it is recommended to wet them (but do not rinse them!). It is advisable to soak each new tarragon bush in a growth stimulator for several hours. There are a lot of them in stores today, you can buy any, it does not matter much, they all cope very effectively with their tasks. Soak according to package directions. Plant the bush in a new location and water liberally.
2. Update by cuttings. The method is more complicated, the survival rate is lower. The operation is performed at the beginning of May, adjusted for the climatic zone of residence. Cut off healthy, but not old, stems 10-15 centimeters long, the bottom cut must be at an angle of 45 degrees. For 24 hours, hold the lower end in the growth biostimulator, dig it into damp ground, cover the planting site with a film to maintain moisture. The appearance of the first roots will have to wait at least a month, after which the plants can be transferred to the place of constant growth. One developed plant can produce several dozen cuttings, the optimum temperature for cuttings is + 18 ° C.

Reproduction of tarragon by dividing the bush and cuttings

How to harvest plants

Tarragon wormwood (Tarhun)

At first, the bad news is that drying tarragon is useless. During drying, essential oils are lost and, accordingly, the pleasant aroma and healing properties disappear. And for the sake of these qualities, a plant is grown in the beds, you should not harvest ordinary hay for the winter. If you want to have fresh leaves all year round, then tarragon can be grown in the room. The potting technology is the same as for all crops. There is only one difference - the plant requires much less maintenance. It is not damaged by pests and almost does not get sick. You only need to monitor the intensity of watering, the root system can rot.

Some housewives make various infusions from fresh leaves, for this they use vinegar or vegetable oil. Most summer residents do not advise preserving the leaves in this way: there is little sense, but there are many problems and hopes.

What varieties to choose

Tarragon variety selection

The plant compensates for the external unremarkableness and a certain "incontinence" in spontaneous reproduction in the beds with an excellent aroma and a complex of useful medicinal substances. Three varieties have the highest characteristics: French, Russian, Gribovsky-21. They have delicate and fragrant shoots, they grow quickly, and can produce up to two kilograms of greenery per square meter. But there is one nuisance - these varieties do not reproduce by seeds. The way out is to buy ready-made plants in specialized stores and plant them in your beds.

Practical tips for growing

Tarragon: growing

Tarragon is a very unpretentious plant, according to all indicators of vitality, it looks more like weeds, rather than cultivated crops. But to increase yields, you need to adhere to several rules.

1. The plant can grow well in shaded areas of the garden, but most of all the mass grows in the sun. The intensity of the growing season directly depends on the amount of direct sunlight.
2. Tarragon develops very poorly on waterlogged soils. Even if they have normal moisture at first glance, plants can grow slowly. Why? The reason is the close location of groundwater. The roots are very long, get to wet layers and get affected by root rot. And the disease itself is already having a negative impact on development.
3. Avoid acidic soils. There are suspicions - add fluff lime, ground chalk or wood ash to the ground. Keep in mind that acidic soils will have to be deoxidized constantly, over time they will be acidified again by the natural method.

   Tarragon shoots

4. Soil fertility plays a much smaller role than growing conditions; there is no need to specially feed the soil. Unless you are going to transplant tarragon to another bed next year, and use the old one for other more demanding crops.
5. As for the predecessors, here is complete freedom. Don't waste time searching the internet for compatibility tables. Scientific agronomy does not give such recommendations, and one should not heed the various advice “sow only after cucumbers or black radish”. Remember that this is a weed, it grows everywhere and for the most part out of control. We have already described how to limit the growth zones.
6. Landing dates. If you don't bury the plants in frozen ground or completely dry sand, then it will live and feel good. That's all the recommendations for the timing of sowing seeds or planting plants.

   Early sowing of tarragon in the ground

7. Don't set aside a lot of space for it. This should be done for several reasons. Firstly, it is a very productive plant. If you are not going to breed it for sale, then one bush is quite enough for personal use. Secondly, the taste of the plant is therefore called original, that not everyone will like it. This culture is not considered common in our country. As practice shows, after the first tests, many summer residents lose the desire to use the plant as the main spice or component for pickling.

A few words must be said about the healing properties. We must say right away that traditional medicine does not use the plant for medicinal purposes. As for the folk, she recommends the use of infusions and decoctions of tarragon as diuretics and antihelminthic agents. The infusion should be done with rubbing alcohol and applied no more than 30 ml three times a day. Fresh leaves are said to relieve toothache by chewing them for about 15-20 minutes, if the toothache allows you to chew them for that long. There are also restrictions on admission, you need to pay attention to them. It should not be consumed by pregnant women and children under five years of age. Considering the above in the article, it is recommended that before taking up a lot of space for tarragon in the beds, try to grow it in a pot on the window.

How to grow tarragon

Check the taste on your own and only after that make the final decision on the feasibility and amount of growing tarragon.

Video - How to grow tarragon

The aroma of tarragon, or as it is commonly called tarragon, cannot be confused with anything. The herb, which has a sweet, spicy taste, is actively used in cooking. Tarragon can be used to make a refreshing lemonade, a delicious marinade for fish, or marinate fresh cheese with it. And in order for the spice to always be at hand, it can be grown at home. This article will talk about growing tarragon from seeds and caring for it at home.

Tarragon: features of cultivation

The main feature when growing tarragon is the choice of really high-quality planting material. Tarragon is quite capricious and has the ability to rebirth with poor care, and since a distant relative of the spice is wormwood, you can get a lush-flowering branch of this plant along with cultural tarragon. So it is better to buy seeds from trusted suppliers.

The following varieties are suitable for home cultivation:

• Gribovsky-31;
• Russian;
• French.

Further, it should be remembered that in order to obtain delicate and fragrant greens, tarragon requires a certain microclimate, which must be created, otherwise the foliage will grow rough and lose its taste.

Planting tarragon seeds in a pot

Only those plants that have enough light will have good germination; in the case of tarragon, supplementary lighting with phyto-lamps is mandatory!

Further, in order for the plant to develop properly, you need to follow all the recommendations below.

Preparing tarragon seeds for planting

Germination of tarragon seeds occurs for a rather long period, at least - this is the appearance of sprouts two weeks after planting. But for this you need to try.

1. The seed is tested for buoyancy and only seeds that will sink are allowed to plant. To do this, the glass is filled with half warm water, the seeds are poured there and left for 3-4 hours at room temperature.
2. Further, the seeds are dipped in a disinfecting solution for 8 hours.
3. After that, the inoculum should be immersed in a solution with growth stimulants for 4 hours.

After such active water procedures, the seeds are ready for planting.

It is important to keep the water warm all the time! To do this, you can place the container above the central heating battery, but also overheating of the water must not be allowed.

Sowing technology

Tarragon should be planted under the following conditions:

1. Tarragon is planted in spring.
2. The soil should be loose, containing water-absorbing impurities such as vermiculite.
3. Since tarragon does not like stagnant water in the landing container, you need to lay a sufficient drainage layer and make sure that there is no water in the drain tray.
4. The seeds are neatly distributed over the surface of the soil; they should not be sprinkled on top.
5. Watering is done from a spray bottle.
6. Further, the landing box is covered with a film and placed in the sunniest place or under a special lamp. Airing is obligatory, 10 minutes - 2 times a day.
7. The temperature for germination must be at least + 15 C.
8. After the first shoots appear, the film should be removed for 30 minutes, increasing the interval every day. After a week, the film should be left only overnight, and then removed altogether.

Optimal growing conditions

The statement that tarragon feels great, like any wormwood in different conditions, is true. But there are nuances, since if the tarragon has to survive, then the taste qualities will also be hardly distinguishable from wormwood.

Therefore, in order for tarragon to grow well, you will need:

• a lot of light, because the bulk of the green mass grows in the light;
• water for irrigation must be soft;
• drafts cannot be created;
• periodically take it outside and walk it in partial shade, and even better, if there is an opportunity to let the plant live on the street in the summer.

It is important not to leave it in the sun, otherwise the plant will get burns.

Tarragon care at home

Taking care of tarragon when grown properly is not difficult.

1. Thinning the plant, because due to the growth of the green mass, it may lack air.
2. It can be sprayed periodically in the evening.
3. Gently loosen the soil a few hours after watering.

Watering and feeding

If there is an opportunity when planting to add organic fertilizers and compost to the soil, as well as garden soil, then this will be a good starting ground. If there is no garden plot, then you can use the purchased land for plants of this group.

It should be remembered that tarragon does not like acidic soil, you can lower the acidity by adding ash or special preparations, and you can also add ground chalk.

Collection and preparation of grass

Collect herbs by cutting just before use.

Planting tarragon is the only way to get fresh herbs to the table, because it is pointless to dry or freeze it, since all the taste and useful qualities are lost. Sometimes it is also practiced to add tarragon to oil or vinegar infusions.

The use of tarragon in cooking

In conclusion, I would like to give some tips for using tarragon in cooking.

• you should not subject the leaves to heat treatment, they lose their taste. Add greens to ready-made dishes before serving;
• if you add a bunch of fresh tarragon to vodka, then in a few weeks the taste of the drink will be original;
• to flavor the oils, it is necessary to pour a few fresh branches of the plant with warm oil and insist in a dark place for several weeks;
• to make homemade lemonade, beat lime, lemon, honey, mint and tarragon in a blender, strain the resulting juice through a sieve, add sparkling water and ice;
• to make the fish marinade especially tasty, you can add tarragon;
• when salting red fish varieties, the addition of pre-chopped greens is also encouraged;
• if you cook Dijon mustard at home, then tarragon will come in handy.

So, given the taste characteristics of tarragon, it is worth starting such a spice in your home garden.

Growing tarragon (tarragon) on your windowsill, you can fully enjoy the spicy spicy taste of green leaves. This perennial vegetable crop will stay with you for a long time - the average life of a plant is 10-12 years.

Creation of optimal conditions

How to grow tarragon on a windowsill

Tarragon (tarragon) loves the sun - plant it on a southern or eastern windowsill. Remember that the more sunlight the plant receives, the brighter and richer its aroma. At home, the bushes have a small height - about 50 cm (in the open air, tarragon grows up to a meter). Since tarragon has a compact root system, it does not need large planting containers.

The plant does not make high demands on the soil - it should be moderately nutritious and sufficiently loose. With an excess of humus, plants actively increase their green mass, while the taste and aroma of the leaves are greatly affected. At home, you can prepare a mixture of sand, humus and turf (1: 1: 1). The normal temperature for tarragon (tarragon) is within +17 ° С ... +20 ° С. If these values ​​are exceeded, the greens will be lethargic and non-aromatic.

Despite the fact that tarragon can grow for 10-12 years, it is recommended to renew the planting periodically - the old plant loses its taste and aroma properties (the maximum age is 5-6 years).

Tarragon on the windowsill: growing

It has been noticed that plants grown from seeds are less aromatic. If possible, use a vegetative method - plant a part of a bush with 1-3 buds in a pot.To help the plant get better, you can place the rootlet in a root stimulator.

You can get hold of planting material by grafting. Optimum length of cuttings: 10 cm. It is better to harvest them in May or June. You need to root the cuttings in a moistened mixture of peat and sand (under the film).

When choosing a seed method, be prepared for the fact that the harvest of greens will have to wait longer. Sow the seeds in a pot or box with a drainage layer on the bottom. Add perlite or vermiculite to a mixture of sand, turf and humus - this will maintain optimal soil moisture (tarragon does not like waterlogging). Before sowing, the seeds can be mixed with sand. It is not recommended to deeply deepen them - it is enough to spread them out on the surface, sprinkle them a little with soil (no more than 5 mm) and moisten them with a spray bottle.

To create a greenhouse effect, it is worth covering the sowing with a film - due to this, the temperature will slightly increase (optimal level: +23 ° C). The first shoots should hatch in about 20 days.

Tarragon (tarragon) on the windowsill: caring for plants

To grow tarragon on a windowsill, you need to provide it with optimal care. However, it is completely uncomplicated. Plants need to be watered (moderately) and supplemented in the autumn-winter period. Top dressing can be applied in the second year of the plant's life - a complex mineral fertilizer in a low concentration is suitable. The soil must be loosened regularly to avoid crusting.

Tarragon (tarragon) grows well in a pot on a windowsill - the plant will delight you with a harvest of fragrant healthy greens.