Having a private house or a dacha, the owners must grow spicy crops on their plot. Some are content with two or three types of names, but real connoisseurs of spicy dishes prefer to sow herbs.
In cooking, even a variety of wormwood is used - tarragon (it is also called tarragon). Due to the pleasant odor of the plant, housewives add spice to marinades when pickling cucumbers and other vegetables, as well as to spicy dishes. What is tarragon grass planting and caring for it is described in this article.
About culture
Tarragon - perennial capable of propagating by self-seeding. It arrived to the West from Asian countries and immediately gained popularity with its piquancy.
It can develop in one place for 10-15 years. But summer residents try to keep the spice in cultural circulation for no more than five years - with age, tarragon produces less useful green mass.
Tarragon grass in the garden
Since the grass is indifferent to the mechanical composition of the soil and is able to grow in the wild, farmers will not have problems growing tarragon. But acidity is important for the quality of the spice obtained from the garden.
Note! It is better if the pH is neutral - on too fertile soils, tarragon grows well and actively gains green mass, but loses the amount of essential oils (and, therefore, its odor). Wood ash will help reduce acidity.
If the cottage is on heavy, clay soils, it is recommended to “fluff” them with sand and organic fertilizers in combination with superphosphates. Supplements are added in the fall, in the process of digging the site.
The grass develops well in shady places, but if tarragon is truly cultivated, then it is better to allocate a sunny area for a spicy garden. Waterlogged soils should also be avoided.
When sowing tarragon in a new place, it is desirable to take into account the crop rotation. You can not sow spice on the beds after Jerusalem artichokes, chicory and lettuce. After legumes, tarragon will feel comfortable - they have excellent compatibility.
Tarragon is a cold-resistant plant, so it is often sown before winter, just before snow falls. But many summer residents prefer to start beds in early spring, under a small layer of earth.
Tarragon Monarch
When propagating tarragon, cultivation is carried out taking into account the specifics of the variety. The most popular in terms of spicy qualities are those varieties that grow in the Caucasus. IN national cuisine of these peoples, tarragon occupies a place of honor (as with the French).
Russian housewives have their own preferences. Each variety described below is worth making homemade preparations.
Popular varieties of tarragon
| Name | Peculiarities |
|---|---|
| Volkovsky | Very old variety, characterized by matte leaves. The plant is odorless, but is actively used in cooking. |
| Gribovsky 31 | Fits well in middle lane Russia. The bush can be recognized by its bright green leaves and strong aroma. |
| Zhulebinsky | Counts universal variety, which is good not only in dishes, but also served fresh to the table. The tarragon bush is compact, with good agricultural technology it reaches a height of 150 cm. The shade of whole matte leaves is green, and in small flowers it is yellow. The spicy aroma has an interesting sharp zest. In one place, it develops well up to 7 years, without losing grade |
| Russian | Grows in strong tall bushes. The aroma is very spicy, but barely noticeable. |
| French | The variety has a delicate spicy aroma with a touch of light spiciness. The bush barely reaches medium height and is decorated with rich green foliage. Beautiful fragrant flowers do not give seeds, so the variety must be propagated vegetatively |
It is often practiced to grow Monarch from tarragon seeds, which Caucasians rightly call the “king of cooking”. But the seed of the variety is too small, so it is more reasonable to grow it in seedlings, sowing in boxes in February-March. Seedlings are transferred to the garden in late April - early May. The Monarch has a well-pronounced sharp refreshing taste and a spicy aroma pleasantly teasing the sense of smell.
Goodwin tarragon, which is also grown in seedlings, has a strong spice aroma, but there is bitterness in the taste. Therefore, this weed is only for an amateur. Although summer residents are attracted by the fact that the leaves on the bush do not coarsen until autumn.
Agricultural technology
culture propagation
Inexperienced gardeners often wonder how to grow tarragon so that it takes root faster on the site, filling the garden with a spicy aroma. Some believe that the seed method is the most accessible. In fact, it turns out to be more laborious, because the gardener does not get the results immediately.
Important! When deciding how to grow tarragon from seeds, one should take into account such a nuance - with this method of reproduction, the grass loses its spicy aroma.
Despite the winter hardiness of the plant, the seeds of tarragon do not ripen in the Non-Black Earth zone and the northern regions. If a gardener wants to grow tarragon from seeds, then he will have to use imported material and try to propagate the grass in seedlings.
When planting a plant with seeds, tarragon will bloom only next year. And the first fruits may appear no earlier than in 3-4 years, if the summer is hot enough.
The most convenient (and giving quick result) method of breeding spices - vegetative:
- dividing the bush - the plant is completely dug out in early spring, cut into divisions with such a condition that each part has a good root and 3-5 shoots;
- root offspring - here they only dig the earth in order to cut off part of the root with the stems grown on it;
- cuttings - at a distance of 15 cm from the top, an oblique cut is made, trying to leave a couple of leaves in 3 centimeters from the bottom edge; having processed the cut with Korovin, the cuttings are added dropwise in greenhouses or on high beds under cover; after a month and a half, seedlings can be transferred to permanent place V open ground- By this time, the cuttings will give strong roots.
Such methods vegetative propagation spend in the spring, so that by the fall you can already use green spice. With the seedling method, it is better not to touch the tarragon in the first year so that the plant does not weaken and can take root well.
Sowing seeds
When propagating tarragon, growing from seeds is best practiced in the southern regions of Russia - the seed will germinate for a long time (at least 3 weeks). In the northern regions, during spring sowing, the plant will not have time to fully develop into an adult bush. Some summer residents sow before winter, but most prefer the seedling method.
Growing seedlings
The nursery can be small, easily fitting on the windowsill. But real farmers prefer greenhouse film beds in the garden. The soil in the nursery is fertilized with a standard set of mineral water with organic matter, if necessary, humus can be added.
Note! In the central and northern regions, seedlings are grown in 2 runs. First, sowing is carried out in heated rooms (greenhouse, living room). Closer to summer, the seedlings are transferred to film greenhouses in the beds, continuing to grow them there.
Growing seedlings begin in the spring. In heated nurseries, sowing is done in the first half of April, in ridge greenhouses - in early May.
Soil preparation
A special greenhouse mixture is taken, consisting of soddy land, rotted manure, lowland peat, and sawdust. To obtain the desired acidity, liming is carried out. It is also necessary to apply mineral fertilizers: magnesium, potassium and ammonium sulfate, as well as superphosphate.
Seed preparation
If the seed material is collected by hand, it must be soaked for a couple of hours in weak potassium permanganate before sowing. Purchased branded seeds have already passed the disinfection procedure. Due to the too small size of the seeds, soaking is difficult without special tools. Most best option, which gardeners like to use, is a snail.
Sowing
Tarragon cultivation
It is necessary to sow tarragon in a nursery on the surface of the soil, without embedding, but only crushing a thin layer of earth on top. An ordinary method is used with a distance of 15-20 cm. As soon as shoots appear, they should be thinned out, maintaining a gap between sprouts of 10-12 cm.
This year, the seedlings are not planted on the beds, but develop in the nursery until next spring. If tarragon grows in a greenhouse in winter, it should be covered with insulating material. In the absence of greenhouses, seedlings are brought into the house for a period of cold weather.
Compliance with the regimes
To obtain quality seedlings, it must be grown under certain conditions:
- water frequently, but in small portions, creating moderate humidity; spraying of tarragon is not practiced by farmers;
- tarragon has enough natural light, so additional lighting is not needed;
- seedlings calmly withstand the air temperature, several degrees higher than that in open ground; the main thing is to prevent freezing;
- when grown in a film nursery for the summer, it is recommended to open a greenhouse.
There is no need to provide seedlings with additional nutrition - they have enough of those nutrients that have already been introduced into the soil. Having finished growing seedlings, they move on to the question of how to plant tarragon in the garden.
disembarkation
With the beginning of the new season, before planting the tarragon in a permanent place, the seedlings are watered. The transfer is carried out at the end of May, trying to plant the plant according to the scheme - leave a gap of 30-40 cm between the bushes, 70 cm between the rows. After that, it remains only to properly care for the beds.
culture care
Tarragon develops well in abandoned areas. But, knowing how to grow tarragon, you can get better products.
Tarragon needs care
Proper care includes the following:
- the first abundant watering is carried out immediately after the tarragon is planted in the ground; the rest are held as needed - it all depends on the amount of precipitation in the season;
- in the first year, tarragon can not be fed (especially on fertile soil); from the second season in the spring, a complex mineral water with 3 main components is introduced into the ground (slurry can also be used); in subsequent fertilizers, the percentage of nitrogen decreases;
Important! To grow tarragon plants, there should be a lot of nitrogen, but an excess of the mineral component worsens the tasting qualities of the culture.
- if the bush is high, it is advisable to tie it on a peg so that the stems are not damaged in strong winds;
- the remaining moments are typical for all garden plants: regular loosening, weeding and pest control.
Tarragon has no specific diseases - grass can be affected by any infection common in the country. Tarragon and insects visit, but they do not cause much harm to plantations. To provide comfortable condition for development, during the spring preventive treatment of the garden plot, spraying spicy beds will not interfere.
For the winter, all shoots can be cut and dried, or left until spring. But after the snow melts, the deadwood must be removed.
Harvest
In the planting season, it is better not to disturb the tarragon, but to allow it to gain a foothold on the site. From next year, you can cut the green mass as needed. The main harvest is carried out in the summer, when the bush grows enough.
Although many summer residents prefer the May period, tarragon collected before flowering has a more delicate aroma. In order not to weaken the plant, only a small number of shoots that have reached 15-20 cm in height should be cut from the bush.
Note! If in the spring you take only the tops with large leaves, then the plant will become more powerful, in the fall you can already safely cut off the shoots completely.
The collected grass is washed, crushed and dried in the shade, distributed on trays. Toward evening, the raw materials are brought into the room so that it is not saturated with night dew, and in the morning they are again taken out under a canopy.
When the tarragon is completely dry, it is packed in sealed containers and stored without access to light. If tarragon planting and care were carried out correctly, then dried grass can be stored in kitchen cabinet several years without harm to spicy qualities.
Gentle and fragrant plant tarragon, very easy to grow, is widely known for its spicy smell and beneficial properties.
Under natural conditions, it can be found in Eastern Europe, Asia, Far East and even in North America.
People have long paid attention to this fragrant herb and learned how to cultivate it and grow it on their own. summer cottages and even at home, in flower pots.
How to properly plant tarragon (second name), how to care for it, will be discussed in our article.
Description
Surprisingly, tarragon is one of the varieties of wormwood. This is the only kind of her that does not contain bitterness at all. Outwardly, it looks like a herbal bush with a small number of stems.
It grows up to one and a half meters in height. The leaves are oblong, slightly pointed. The roots are powerful woody, as in nature it grows mainly on dry slopes and fields, or even on pebbles.
It blooms with light yellow "panicles" at the very end of summer. Fruits - oblong achenes - ripen in October. According to the strength of the spicy aroma, tarragon is more or less odorous.
Varieties
Among the variety of varieties, there are those that have won special love and popularity. Here are some of them.
Russian - its bushes are tall, with strong stems. The spicy aroma is weak, barely perceptible.
French - has a subtle smell with "pepper". The bush is small, with dark green leafy plates. The peculiarity of the variety is that it does not bear fruit, although it gives a lot of flowers.
Volkovsky is an old, well-known variety. Its matte leaves do not give a strong aroma.
Gribovsky 31 - has green foliage of bright color with a pronounced aroma of spices. According to gardeners, it has proven itself well in the gardens of central Russia.
Zhulebinsky Semko - For a long time, up to 7 years, it can grow in one place. The bushes are usually not wide, compact. The aroma is strong, slightly spicy. The variety is resistant to low temperatures.
Where to grow
The best soil for growing sandy loam soil. Excessively wet and clayey are not suitable. In the case when the soil is heavy, it can be diluted with organic matter and sand.
Ideally, the site should be fertile. The culture normally grows on sandy, not rich in organic matter, lands. If it is possible to feed the soil with mineral fertilizers, this should be done in the fall, when digging the site.
The acidity of the soil should be within the normal range. Excess can be corrected by adding wood ash just before landing.
It is important that when planning a tarragon bed, it is better to choose the most open, sunny area.
It is able to grow in one place for several years, but over time the leaves become stiffer. Experienced gardeners advise updating the garden every 3-4 years.
How to care
Care is easy. The main thing is to periodically loosen the soil and ensure adequate watering.
It is especially important to maintain a normal level of soil moisture during the rooting period and during dry summers.
How to breed
Tarragon can be propagated:
- using seeds;
- cutting cuttings;
- digging up root suckers.
It is important to know: if you plan to breed tarragon from seeds, keep in mind that planted directly in open ground, they have poor germination, and may not sprout at all.
It is better to use them for growing seedlings. Sow in late winter - early spring, in pots with normal soil, to a depth of no more than 3 mm. Moisten the earth a little first.
Grow seedlings, covered with a film, in a warm place; water gently with a spray bottle. In the event of the appearance of large condensate, open the polyethylene for a while. A month later, when the first shoots become visible, put the pots in a very bright place, and after another 30 days, the plants can dive. Growing seedlings takes place in a greenhouse, after which it can be transferred to open ground.
Note: before planting in a greenhouse, it is advisable to break off the very tips of the plant a little so that the rhizome grows well.
When forming beds on the site, please note that you can plant no closer than 20-30 cm from each other. The aisle should be 40 cm wide. It is important to know that in the middle field of Russia, tarragon blooms in the second year, but does not bear fruit every year. You can count on the appearance of seeds to a greater extent if the summer was too hot.
Cuttings as a method of propagation are carried out in the first weeks of spring or in August. The cuttings are cut into 15 cm so that the lower cut is beveled and located 3 cm below a pair of leaves. Then they are added dropwise in a greenhouse for a month, then transplanted. By this time, the root system of the cutting will be sufficiently developed.
For reproduction by offspring, by separating them from the rhizome, it is allowed to use only an "adult" 4-5 year old plant. This is done in early autumn or early spring. The root offspring is dug up, gets rid of the parental root and is planted in a new place. Experts consider this breeding method to be the best.
About diseases and pests
With insufficient attention from the gardener, the culture runs the risk of suffering from diseases and garden pests.
Rust is one of the most common misfortunes from which the plant dies. Under the influence of harmful spores, the leaves first wither and then dry.
The reason may be too dense planting or overfeeding the soil with nitrogen fertilizers. The disease is manifested by brown pads with spores on the leaves.
Advice: if infected plants are found on the bed, they must be removed and burned, since spores carried by the wind infect neighboring plants.
Insect pests are wireworm, aphids and leafhoppers. You can get rid of them with proven folk ways, sprinkling the bed with infusions of onion peel, tobacco or potato tops. Damaged tarragon leaves - cut off.
So that pests do not settle on the site, it is necessary to weed out the weeds in time, carry out deep loosening and liming of the soil.
- Tarragon is very sensitive to excessive soil moisture, so no matter where and how you grow it, you need to take care of drainage.
- seeds the best varieties tarragon can be sterile, that is, not sprout if the variety is hybrid. Consider this when choosing a plant propagation method.
- It tends to grow rapidly, capturing new territories.
- Like others spices, well repels various pests, but unlike many, it is not a dangerous neighbor for garden crops.
Growing tarragon is not troublesome and exciting. If desired, you can separate this fragrant spice not only in the garden or in the country, but also in your favorite kitchen, right in flower pots.
How to grow tarragon, see the following video:
Experts have more than a hundred types of tarragon that can be grown from seed. Below we list the most popular ones.
Aztec
This variety of tarragon looks like a strongly branched bush with dense foliage, the average height is one and a half meters. In one place, it can grow up to seven years. The first cutting of greenery occurs in the second year. Has a spicy aroma with anise notes. It is best used as a condiment for preservation.
Walkowski
A characteristic feature is a mild aroma and matte leaves. From the moment of planting to the first cut, an average of one month passes. The leaves of the plant are used in cooking, and essential oils in perfumery.
Gribovsky
This variety is frost resistant. Its leaves are dark green, with a pronounced aroma. In one place grows up to fifteen years. Mainly used in traditional medicine as well as culinary.
Dobrynya
The height of the plant is about a meter. The first cut is 25–30 days after regrowth (from the second year). The second - in three months. It is used both fresh and dried. It is used in cooking and folk medicine, due to the content a large number vitamin C and carotene.
Zhulebinsky Semko
The height of the bush of this variety of tarragon reaches one and a half meters, the flowers are yellowish. Cutting takes place in a month. The plant is frost-resistant, lives well in central Russia. It has a characteristic spicy aroma and sweet taste. 
King of Herbs
A non-capricious plant that can tolerate both cold and short-term drought. The first cut occurs after a month and a half, the second after three. Used in cooking. The smell is dominated by notes of anise. 
Goodwin
This tarragon has a characteristic strong taste with a hint of bitterness. It grows very quickly, for the second year after planting, you can get up to 0.5 kg of grass. It grows not only in the ground, but also in the apartment. 
When is the right time to plant outdoors in spring and autumn?
Usually, tarragon seeds are planted in open ground in early spring (March). However, given that the plant belongs to the category of frost-resistant (can withstand temperatures down to minus 30), then it can be planted in the fall (September-October).
Depending on the variety, this time may vary. Frost-resistant tarragon can be planted almost immediately after the snow melts., but with more heat-loving species it is better to wait until mid-April. Sowing can be carried out already at a temperature of 7-10 degrees. But for seedlings, the optimum temperature is 18-20 degrees.
Sowing time
For seedlings, sowing of tarragon seeds is carried out in the first half of March in prepared pots or plastic containers. But seedlings are planted only by mid-June.
Choosing a place for a plant in the country
Tarragon feels best in sunny, brightly lit areas.. Although, due to its unpretentiousness, it can grow in the shade. The soil should consist of sandy loam, be air and water permeable. But tarragon does not like acidic soils. Increased acidity should be reduced to normal values using wood ash, ground chalk, fluff lime or dolomite flour.
It is also not recommended to plant tarragon in lowlands and places with a close occurrence of groundwater. Strong and lush grass will grow on fertile and chernozem soils rich in mineral salts and organic matter. In order to enrich the land, add manure or humus during autumn digging.
Requirements for seed
Healthy tarragon seeds from which a plant can be grown are as follows: small (one gram contains about five thousand seeds), dark brown or brown-brown in color.
How to collect material yourself?
We offer you step by step instructions.:
- Wait for the seeds to appear on the tarragon. This usually happens in late September-October.
- Cut them off and collect the seeds.
- Dry the seeds and store them in a dry place.
Where to buy it?
You can buy seeds in the market, or in special gardening stores. However, be careful. Buy seeds only from well-known manufacturers, otherwise, instead of tarragon, you may grow an ordinary weed. Before buying, refer to reviews on the Internet, read what is written not on sites, but on special forums. You can also ask friends for advice.
The price of a bag of tarragon seeds in Moscow is 19 rubles per package (Goodwin variety), and in St. Petersburg similar seeds will cost 16 rubles.
Photo
Below you can see how the seeds for seedlings and seedlings look in the photo:
Soaking seeds
Soaking the seeds is not necessary at all, but it will help speed up the growth of the plant.. Seeds should be soaked for three days before planting in a seed box. It's very easy to do this:
- Take a container, fill it up warm water(can be replaced with a special soaking solution from a gardening store).
- Add top dressing.
- "Pickle" the seeds for three days, then proceed to plant them.
Rooting in open ground
Planting tarragon seeds in open ground is quite simple. Seeds do not even require instillation, if you do not want to bother, then it is enough just to scatter them over the area allocated for these purposes. To plant tarragon in the ground, you need to perform the following steps:
- Prepare the soil, it is advisable to do this in the fall. Dig it, clean it of weeds, fertilize with superphosphate, potassium salt and humus.
- You can soak the seeds before planting to make them grow faster.
- Sow the seeds in shallow parallel grooves, while the earth must be moistened without fail. The distance between the grooves should be approximately seventy centimeters.
- Do not cover seeds with soil.
- Water the future plant, repeat watering in a month.
For seedlings
How to care for grass?
Tarragon is one of the most unpretentious plants, so caring for him will not cause any problems.
- The only thing that needs to be done is to clean the area from weeds and loosen the ground to better provide the roots with air.
- Watering is moderate. Focus on weather conditions, in dry weather it is better to do it once every two weeks, and if it rains often, then you can limit yourself to watering once every two weeks. Top dressing in the form of mullein infusion is done once after the first weeding.
- You can also feed the plant with dry ash or a mixture of fertilizers (add a spoonful of superphosphate and potassium chloride per 10 liters of water).
- Tarragon loves the light, however, it can grow in the shade, but in this case it is hardly possible to wait good harvest. The ideal temperature for it is about 20 degrees.
Harvesting
Harvest tarragon leaves before flowering. In general, from one bush you can get about five hundred grams, depending on the variety. The leaves can then be dried for the winter or used fresh in cooking or preserving.
Diseases and pests
The main pests of tarragon are aphids, leafhoppers, wireworms. To get rid of them, spray the bush with an infusion of onion peel or tobacco.
Among the diseases that tarragon is susceptible to, the most common is rust. It appears in the form of pillows. Brown. It causes the leaves to wilt and dry out. To prevent its occurrence, cut off the greens in time, and also burn the plant residues.
Tarragon is one of the most fragrant spices that anyone can grow.. Its application is extensive: seaming, cooking, traditional medicine. Now, following the recommendations above, you can start growing tarragon yourself.
Tarragon is a perennial plant that has another name - tarragon. This herb belongs to the genus Wormwood.
For many people, the word "wormwood" evokes images with a taste of bitterness. Specialists who grow such grass call this plant a weed. One type of this herb is not characterized by a bitter taste, and this type is tarragon.
Almost throughout the globe, including in our country, tarragon tarragon grows. In most cases, the plant can be seen in the field, on pebbles and dry slopes.
Characteristic features of this plant are;
- Tarragon grows up to 150 cm in height.
- Tarragon stems are yellow-brown in color.
- Tarragon stems have leaves, they are oblong in shape and pointed at the ends.
- This type of grass has fruits, they are presented in the form of an achene without a tuft.
- Tarragon also has a woody root system.
The use of the plant and its medicinal properties
In most cases, people use young shoots and their leaves. In the last month of summer and the first of autumn, flowers appear on the tarragon, and fruits ripen closer to October.
This herb can be used as a spice in cooking for conservation and how medicine in medicine. Fresh tarragon has an essential oil (0.1%-0.5%), so it gives off a spicy aroma. Use fresh and dried tarragon.
Tarragon is used in folk medicine as a remedy for scurvy. It also increases appetite, normalizes digestion, and serves as a blood cleanser.
Features of growing at home
Growing tarragon is a simple matter. It copes well with frost in spring and winter.
Soil preparation
As already known, tarragon is a perennial plant, which focuses on one place and grows there for 4-5 years. To grow this herb, you need to choose a separate place where there are no weeds. Land for tarragon is more suitable with neutral acidity. If the soil is highly fertile, then the essential oil contained in the plant decreases, but the green mass of tarragon increases. The soil for growing tarragon should not be overfertilized with nitrogen substances, but still it should be fertile.
Before growing tarragon, you need work the soil under the beds. This procedure includes the following operations:
- autumn digging of the soil;
- spring loosening;
- digging for half a bayonet of a shovel.
If it so happened that the soil is not optimally fertile and it has not been fertilized with organic substances before, then fertilizer must be applied to this area, the calculation is as follows: 3-4 kg of fertilizer per 1 m2. In the spring, mineral-based top dressing is applied: ammonium sulfate (15-20 grams), potassium salt (10-20 grams) and superphosphate (30-40 grams), all this is also calculated per 1 m2.
Rules for effective reproduction
There are two ways to propagate tarragon: seed and vegetative.
The main element of seed propagation of tarragon is seedlings. From the second half of spring, you need to plant the seeds in an ordinary way in the garden, the distance between the rows should be 15-20 centimeters. Tarragon seeds are very small. That is why, after you sow them, you need to lightly cover them with soil. After about two weeks, the seeds will germinate and shoots will be visible in the row, the height of which is 10-15 centimeters. Then just take care of the grass, loosen, water, weed.
If tarragon grows in a nursery, then it can be left for the winter. Only with the advent of spring these plants move to open area.
The vegetative method involves dividing the bush, stem cuttings and layering. If the tarragon is old, about 4-5 years old, then it is bred by dividing the bush.
Tarragon bushes are planted in early spring and divided into parts. Each part should have about 4 shoots. These shoots are often planted in a new site. In theory, tarragon grows in one place for 12-15 years, but in practice it can be seen that the lifespan does not exceed 4-5 years. This is directly related to the age of the site. The older the plot with the plant, the lower the yield of green mass.
From the second half of spring, tarragon is planted, which is bred division of rhizomes or with seedlings. Tarragon is planted in rows, between them there should be a distance of 60-70 cm, and plants in these rows should be 30-40 cm. Do not forget that watering is required when planting.
Features of plant care
When growing tarragon don't forget to take care of. It includes:
- loosening row spacing;
- weeding;
- grass fertilizers;
- fight against diseases.
The year you plant tarragon, you don't need to feed it. Then in all subsequent years it is recommended to feed with mineral fertilizer: superphosphate (10-20 gr), urea (10 gr) and potassium salt (10 gr) per 1 m2. Weed and loosen if necessary, the soil should be in a loose state, and the aisles should be free of weeds.
Harvesting
Harvest tarragon harvested in autumn in the year of planting, while cutting off the green part of the grass. From the following year, the greens are cut throughout the summer. The final harvest takes place in August, just at the time when the tarragon blooms. The yield of tarragon is approximately 1.5-2 kg per 1 m2.
tarragon, spicy plant, which is often used as a seasoning for vegetable dishes, pickles and for preparing refreshing drinks.
The tarragon plant, also known as tarragon, reaches a meter in height, has narrow leaves, blooms with yellow-green and white panicle inflorescences, of small size. Due to the high content of essential oils, tarragon has a deep spicy aroma. This spice can be grown on your own. personal plot from seeds or seedlings.
Properties of tarragon and its use
In the common people, tarragon is usually called dragon wormwood, this should not be surprising, because tarragon belongs to the type of wormwood.
The herb is rich in esters that have soothing, diuretic, regenerative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anthelmintic effects.
Tarragon is used in folk medicine as an antitumor and heart remedy. Homeopaths use the plant to prepare infusions for bronchitis, uncomplicated pneumonia, and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Esters are extracted from tarragon and further used in the cosmetic industry.
Essential oils of tarragon contribute to restful sleep and get rid of migraines. Tarragon extract stimulates gastric secretion and improves appetite. Tarragon, together with ginger, cleanses the oral cavity and copes with infections of the nasopharynx.
Tarragon extract is used in a tablespoon an hour before meals, washed down with a sufficient amount of liquid, this technique normalizes the secretion of the stomach and improves the digestive process.
Tarragon begins to be harvested when the first buds appear, it is during this period that tarragon is considered the most effective. The entire ground part is cut off, and then dried. The cut is made with a residual stem length of 7-8 cm.
After harvesting, tarragon can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two weeks. Tarragon can be frozen in the form of chopped greens, or it can be in the form of a decoction, for this, the herb is first brewed, then cooled, poured into molds and frozen, such cubes can be used to make anti-acne lotions, soothing baths and brewing herbal teas.
Tarragon plant is unpretentious, perennial, belongs to the species of wormwood, but does not have bitterness. Bushy grass reaches about half a meter in height and has a strong root system. The stem of tarragon is erect, with strong, sprawling layering.
The leaves are pointed, saturated green. Flowering begins in summer, the inflorescences are small, yellow.
Growing tarragon will not cause difficulties, grass as a weed grows in almost any area and on any soil, however, for tarragon, it is preferable to choose sunny places with soddy soil. The site for planting should not be swampy, the plant is affected by rot with an excess of moisture.
It does not require fertilizers on fertile soil, it grows well, but with excessive tillering, the amount of essential oils in the stem decreases.
Since autumn, it is desirable to dig up the site and make organic fertilizers in the form of rotted manure (about a bucket for each square meter area). When sowing tarragon, soil preparation involves cleaning activities on the site and loosening.
In the first decade of spring, you can start sowing tarragon. The grass is quite resistant to short-term drought and low temperatures, so planting can be done in early autumn in order to get fresh tarragon greens by winter.
Due to the smallness of tarragon seeds, frequent thickening of crops occurs, which is a common mistake. To avoid this, tarragon seeds are mixed with fine river sand and sown in shallow grooves, in parallel ridges. After sowing, the seeds are sprinkled with earth and moistened with a sprinkler, avoiding soil erosion.
The first shoots can be obtained in a week and a half, provided that temperature regime+ 17-20 degrees will be reached.
After germination, the tarragon in the phase of a set of two leaves is thinned out (if a mistake was made in thickening the crops) leaving a step of 10 cm between plants.
After the age of three, tarragon begins to lose its taste and aromatic properties, becomes bitter, therefore, for more than three years, the same plant is not grown, replacing plantings with new crops and changing the planting site.
Tarragon can also be grown at home, it is enough to purchase containers for growing and prepare the soil for planting grass. The substrate is fine, without lumps, it can be purchased at a specialized flower shop or cook it yourself by mixing soddy soil with sand (2: 1).
Tarragon seeds are lowered into the soil to a depth of 1-2 cm, sprinkled, moistened from a pulverizer four times a week. Seedlings should be in the sun, a place on a sunny windowsill is fine.
Tarragon Care
Tarragon is an unpretentious perennial plant, and for good growth he needs weeding, hilling and watering. The plant grows on any soil, with the exception of wetlands and clay soils. Therefore, the grass does not need fertilizers, but composting is not forbidden. Weeding should be carried out as needed. The plant needs watering, moisturizing must be carried out at least three times a week.
Varieties of tarragon
Tarragon varieties come in a wide range of seeds that are suitable for almost any growing conditions.
Georgian tarragon
A plant with a strong aroma, grows well in any soil. Tolerates cold. The grass is unpretentious and little susceptible to disease. Inflorescences are whitish in color, widely used in pharmacology and cosmetology. It grows in 2 months, bushes well.
Gribovsky
Plant prone to lodging, average height about a meter, extensive tillering, frost-resistant variety, does not tolerate excess moisture. The aroma is sharp, the content of essential oils is high.
Variety Goodwin
The height of the plant reaches a meter in height, the stems are erect, strongly branched, the leaves are green with a translucent whitish coating. The plant is rich in essential oils and has a spicy strong aroma.
Green Doll
Bushy grass with vertical erect stems, reaches a height of one and a half meters. Steadily tolerates light frosts, the greens are not hard, juicy. For the preparation of drinks, the grass is harvested during flowering.
Zhulebinsky
An upright spreading plant, grows about half a meter in height, gives a stable crop of greenery for 4-5 years, then bittersweet. The specific aroma of tarragon is most acutely felt in the budding phase. Suitable for marinades and beverages.
Monarch
Perennial herb, fast growing and bushy. Reaches a height of about a meter, suitable as a seasoning for marinades. The foliage is large, dark green, spicy-aromatic.
Dobrynya
A plant of meter height, with a large set useful substances And essential oil. It tolerates frost and drought well. The long-term herb can grow without bitterness for about 5 years, then it needs to be transplanted.
Variety Smaragd
It grows successfully in open, sunny areas, reaching a height of about a meter. The foliage along the stem is densely planted, harsh. Inflorescences are yellowish in color, narrow in shape in the form of a panicle. Young stems are used in cooking and for decoration.
french variety
Tarragon of this variety has dark green, oblong leaves. The height of the plant reaches half a meter. The variety is resistant to diseases and cold, and is widely used for making refreshing drinks and in cooking. The French tarragon variety is excellently propagated by seeds and cuttings.
The collection and preparation of tarragon begins in spring or autumn, during flowering. Cooks use fresh leaves for marinades. To preserve the aroma of tarragon, it can be dried, but today, thanks to the development of large retail chains, fresh tarragon can be found on sale even in winter.
Recipes and cooking tarragon for the winter
Tarragon drink for the winter
For cooking, you need to prepare the following ingredients: 8-10 tbsp. sugar, one lime, half a lemon, a liter of filtered water, 75 gr. tarragon, cinnamon and other spices as desired.
Grind tarragon leaves, pour warm water with the addition of 3 tablespoons of sugar and let it brew for a couple of hours. Grind the tarragon stalks and pour boiling water until the water turns light green, after which both parts of the infusion are mixed and filtered. It will turn out an infusion of light green color, with a lot of useful substances.
To the infusion of tarragon add lemon juice, honey and sugar to taste. The preparation of tarragon is completed by filling half a glass with infusion, adding highly carbonated water and pieces of ice.
The resulting infusion goes well with alcohol, will help to freshen up in the heat and will have a tonic effect.
Tomatoes with tarragon for the winter
Preservation is carried out in sterilized cylinders, for this it is necessary to prepare a container, having previously sterilized it.
In prepared jars we put washed tomatoes, four cloves of garlic, a horseradish leaf, half a red pepper, two leaves of parsley, four sprigs of tarragon, a few peas of allspice, a dill umbrella.
For brine per liter of water: 2.5 tablespoons of salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Boil the water, add salt, sugar and vinegar and pour the tomatoes with the resulting marinade. Roll up the jars tightly, turn the lids down, wrap and leave for a day. After the jar, store in a dark cellar.
In addition to the above recipes, tarragon can be prepared for the winter in other ways. To do this, the plant is cut at the beginning of flowering and subjected to freezing or drying.
For freezing, the plant must be prepared in advance, washed and dried, then chopped, packed in plastic containers or bags, sealed tightly so that the aroma does not evaporate, and sent to the freezer.
To dry tarragon, cut branches are hung in a well-ventilated area and the grass dries completely in a few days. The dried plant is stored in cloth bags or closed glassware.
