Having a private house or a dacha, the owners necessarily grow spicy crops on their plot. Some are content with two or three types of names, but real connoisseurs of the piquancy of dishes prefer to sow various herbs.
Even a variety of wormwood is used in cooking - tarragon (it is also called tarragon). Thanks to the pleasant aroma of the plant, housewives add spice to marinades when pickling cucumbers and other vegetables, as well as to spicy dishes. What tarragon grass is, planting and caring for it is described in this article.
About culture
Tarragon – perennial, capable of reproducing by self-sowing. It came to the West from Asian countries and immediately gained popularity for its piquantness.
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 capable of growing 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 aroma). Wood ash will help reduce acidity.
If the dacha is located on heavy, clayey soils, it is recommended to “fluff” them with sand and organic fertilizers in combination with superphosphates. Additions are made in the fall, during the process of digging the site.
The grass develops well in shaded areas, but if tarragon is truly cultivated, then it is better to allocate a sunny area for the herb garden. Waterlogged soils should also be avoided.
When sowing tarragon in a new place, it is advisable to take into account crop rotation. You cannot sow the spice in 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 garden 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 varieties for their spicy qualities are those that grow in the Caucasus. IN national cuisine For these peoples, tarragon occupies a place of honor (as it does among 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 has little odor, but is actively used in cooking. |
| Gribovsky 31 | Settles 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. The tarragon bush is compact; with good agricultural technology, it reaches a height of 150 cm. The shade of the whole matte leaves is green, and the shade of small flowers is yellow. The spicy aroma has an interesting spicy twist. It develops well in one place for up to 7 years, without losing grade. |
| Russian | Grows in powerful tall bushes. The aroma is very spicy, but barely noticeable |
| French | The variety has a delicate spicy aroma with a hint of mild pungency. The bush barely reaches medium height and is decorated with rich green foliage. Beautiful fragrant flowers do not produce seeds, so the variety must be propagated vegetatively |
It is often practiced to grow Monarch tarragon from seeds, which Caucasians rightly call the “king of cooking.” But the seed of the variety is too small, so it makes more sense to grow it in seedlings, sowing it in boxes in February-March. Seedlings are transferred to the garden bed in late April - early May. Monarch has a well-defined sharp, refreshing taste and a pleasantly tantalizing spicy aroma.
Goodwin tarragon, which is also grown by seedlings, has a strong spicy aroma, but there is a bitterness in the taste. Therefore, this weed is only for everyone. Although summer residents are attracted by the fact that the leaves on the bush do not become coarse until autumn.
Agricultural technology
Culture propagation
Inexperienced gardeners often wonder how to grow tarragon so that it quickly takes root on the site, filling the garden with a spicy aroma. Some believe that the seed method is the most affordable. In reality, it turns out to be more labor-intensive, because the gardener does not receive results immediately.
Important! When deciding how to grow tarragon from seeds, you should take into account this nuance - the herb loses its spicy aroma with this method of propagation.
Despite the winter hardiness of the plant, tarragon seeds do not ripen in the Non-Black Earth Zone and northern regions. If a gardener wants to grow tarragon from seeds, he will have to use imported material and try to propagate the grass using 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 results) method of growing spices - vegetative:
- dividing the bush - the plant is completely dug out in early spring, cut into sections so that each part has a good root and 3-5 shoots;
- root suckers - here they only dig up the earth to cut off part of the root with the stems growing on it;
- by cutting - at a distance of 15 cm from the top, make an oblique cut, trying to leave a couple of leaves 3 centimeters from the bottom edge; Having treated the cut with Korovin, the cuttings are dropped in greenhouses or on raised beds under cover; after a month and a half, the seedlings can be transferred to permanent place V open ground– by this time the cuttings will give strong roots.
Such methods vegetative propagation carried out in the spring so that by autumn the green spice can be used. When using 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 from seeds, it is best to practice it in the southern regions of Russia - the seed will take a long time to germinate (at least 3 weeks). In the northern regions, when sowing in spring, 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 and organic matter; if necessary, humus can be added.
Note! In the central and northern regions, seedlings are grown in 2 batches. First, sowing is done 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 begins in the spring. Sowing in heated nurseries is carried out in the first half of April, in ridge greenhouses - in early May.
Soil preparation
A special greenhouse mixture is taken, consisting of turf soil, 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 with your own hands, it must be soaked in weak potassium permanganate for a couple of hours before sowing. Purchased branded seeds have already undergone the disinfection procedure. Due to the too small size of the seeds, soaking is difficult without special equipment. Most best option, which summer residents like to use, is a snail.
Sowing
Growing Tarragon
You need to sow tarragon in a nursery on the surface of the soil, without covering it, but only by covering it with a thin layer of soil on top. The row method is used with a distance of 15-20 cm. As soon as the shoots appear, they should be thinned out, maintaining a gap of 10-12 cm between shoots.
This year, the seedlings are not planted in 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 indoors during the cold season.
Compliance with 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 can easily withstand air temperatures several degrees higher than those in open ground; the main thing is to prevent freezing;
- When growing in a film nursery, it is recommended to open the greenhouse for the summer.
There is no need to provide seedlings with additional nutrition - they have enough nutrients that have already been added to the soil. Having finished growing seedlings, they move on to the question of how to plant tarragon in the garden.
Disembarkation
At the beginning of the new season, before planting 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 - leaving a gap of 30-40 cm between the bushes, 70 cm between the rows. After this, all that remains is to properly care for the beds.
Cultivation care
Tarragon also develops well in abandoned areas. But, knowing how to grow tarragon, you can get better products.
Tarragon needs care
Proper care includes the following points:
- the first abundant watering is carried out immediately after planting the tarragon in the ground; the rest are carried out as needed - it all depends on the amount of precipitation in the season;
- in the first year, tarragon does not need to be fed (especially on fertile soil); from the second season in the spring, a complex mineral water with 3 main components is added to the soil (slurry is also possible); in subsequent fertilizers the percentage of nitrogen decreases;
Important! To grow tarragon plants, there must be a lot of nitrogen, but an excess of the mineral component worsens the tasting qualities of the crop.
- if the bush is tall, it is advisable to tie it on a peg so that the stems are not damaged in strong winds;
- the remaining aspects are typical for all garden plants: regular loosening, weeding and pest control.
Tarragon has no specific diseases - the grass can be affected by any infection common in the country. Tarragon and insects visit, but do not cause much harm to the plantations. To provide comfortable condition for development, when carrying out spring preventive treatment of a garden plot, spraying the spice beds will not hurt.
For the winter, all shoots can be cut and dried, or they can be left until spring. But after the snow melts, dead wood must be removed.
Harvest
During the planting season, it is better not to disturb the tarragon, but to give it the opportunity to gain a foothold in the area. Starting next year, you can prune the green mass as needed. The main harvest is carried out in the summer, when the bush has grown 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, the plant will become more powerful; in the fall you can safely cut off the shoots completely.
The collected grass is washed, chopped and dried in the shade, distributed on trays. Towards evening, the raw materials are brought into the room so that they are not saturated with night dew, and in the morning they are taken out again under the canopy.
When the tarragon is completely dry, it is packaged in sealed containers and stored without access to light. If planting and caring for tarragon was carried out correctly, then the dried herb can be stored in kitchen cabinet several years without harm to the spicy qualities.
Tender and aromatic plant Tarragon, very easy to grow, is widely known for its spicy smell and beneficial properties.
In 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 to cultivate it and grow it on their summer cottages and even at home, in flower pots.
How to properly plant tarragon (second name) and how to care for it will be discussed in our article.
Description
Surprisingly, tarragon is a type of wormwood. This is the only type of it that contains no bitterness at all. Outwardly, it looks like a grass bush with a small number of stems.
Grows up to one and a half meters in height. The leaves are oblong, slightly pointed. The roots are powerful, woody, since 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. The fruits - oblong achenes - ripen in October. According to the strength of the spicy aroma, tarragon can be more or less fragrant.
Varieties
Among the variety of varieties, there are those that have gained 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 – distinguished by a subtle smell with a “peppercorn”. The bush is small, with dark green leaf blades. The peculiarity of the variety is that it does not bear fruit, although it produces a lot of flowers.
Volkovsky is an old, well-known variety. Its matte leaves do not give off a strong aroma.
Gribovsky 31 – has brightly colored green foliage with a pronounced spicy aroma. According to reviews from gardeners, it has proven itself well in the gardens of central Russia.
Zhulebinskoe seed - Can grow in one place for a long time, up to 7 years. 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 is sandy loam soil. Excessively wet and clayey ones are not suitable. If the soil is too heavy, it can be diluted with organic matter and sand.
Ideally, the site should be fertile. The culture grows normally on sandy soils that are not rich in organic matter. If it is possible to feed the soil with mineral fertilizers, this should be done in the fall, when digging up the site.
Soil acidity should be within normal limits. The excess can be corrected by adding wood ash immediately before disembarkation.
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 tougher. Experienced gardeners advise updating the garden bed every 3-4 years.
How to care
Maintenance 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 summer times.
How to breed
Tarragon can be propagated:
- using seeds;
- cutting cuttings;
- digging up root shoots.
It is important to know: If you plan to propagate tarragon from seeds, keep in mind that when 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 at the end of winter - beginning of spring, in pots with normal soil, to a depth of no more than 3 mm. Moisten the soil slightly first.
Grow seedlings, covered with film, in a warm place; water carefully with a spray bottle. In case of large condensation, open the polyethylene for a while. A month later, when the first shoots become noticeable, place the pots in a very bright place, and after another 30 days the plants can be planted. The seedlings are grown in a greenhouse, after which they 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 a site, please note that you can plant them no closer than 20-30 cm from each other. The row spacing should be 40 cm wide. It is important to know that in the average 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 pieces so that the bottom cut is beveled and located 3 cm below a pair of leaves. Then they are buried in a greenhouse for a month, then transplanted. By this time, the root system of the cutting will be sufficiently developed.
For propagation by suckers, 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 shoot is dug up, separated from the parent root and planted in a new location. Experts consider this method of breeding to be the best.
About diseases and pests
If the gardener does not pay enough attention, the crop runs the risk of suffering from diseases and garden pests.
Rust is one of the most common misfortunes that causes plant death. 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 manifests itself as brown pads with spores on the leaves.[
Advice: If infected plants are found in a garden bed, they must be removed and burned, since spores carried by the wind infect neighboring plants.
Insect pests include wireworms, aphids and leafhoppers. You can get rid of them with proven folk ways, sprinkling the bed with infusions of onion peels, tobacco or potato tops. Damaged tarragon leaves - tear off.
To prevent pests from settling on the site, it is necessary to pull out the weeds in a timely manner and carry out deep loosening and liming of the soil.
- Tarragon is very sensitive to excess 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 a hybrid. Take this into account when choosing a plant propagation method.
- It tends to grow quickly, capturing new territories.
- Like others spices, repels various pests well, but unlike many, it is not a dangerous neighbor for garden crops.
Growing tarragon is not a troublesome and exciting task. If desired, you can dilute this aromatic spice not only in the garden or at the dacha, but also in your favorite kitchen, right in flower pots.
How to grow tarragon, see the following video:
Experts count more than a hundred types of tarragon that can be grown from seeds. Below we present the most popular of them.
Aztec
This variety of tarragon looks like a highly branched bush with dense foliage, the average height is one and a half meters. It can grow in one place for up to seven years. The first cutting of greenery occurs in the second year. Has a spicy aroma with notes of anise. Best suited as a seasoning for canning.
Walkowski
A characteristic feature is a mild aroma and matte leaves. On average, one month passes from the moment of planting to the first cutting. 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. It grows in one place for up to fifteen years. Mainly used in folk medicine, as well as cooking.
Dobrynya
The height of the plant is about a meter. The first cutting is 25–30 days after regrowth (from the second year). The second one is in three months. It is used both fresh and dried. Used in cooking and folk medicine due to its content large quantity 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 occurs after a month. The plant is frost-resistant and lives well in central Russia. It has a characteristic spicy aroma and sweetish taste. 
King of Herbs
A non-capricious plant that can tolerate both cold and short-term drought.. The first cutting occurs after a month and a half, the second after three. Used in cooking. The scent is dominated by notes of anise. 
Goodwin
This tarragon has a characteristic strong taste with a hint of bitterness. It grows very quickly, already in 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 in open ground in spring and autumn?
Typically, tarragon seeds are planted in open ground in early spring (March). However, given that the plant is classified as frost-resistant (withstands temperatures down to minus 30), it can also be planted in the fall (September-October).
Depending on the variety, this time may shift. 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 done already at a temperature of 7-10 degrees. But for seedlings the optimal temperature is 18-20 degrees.
Sowing time
For seedlings, tarragon seeds are sown 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 and be air and water permeable. But tarragon does not like acidic soils. High 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 close groundwater. Strong and lush grass will grow on fertile and chernozem soils, rich in mineral salts and organic matter. In order to enrich the soil, add manure or humus during autumn digging.
Requirements for seed material
Healthy tarragon seeds, from which the plant can be grown, look like this: small (one gram contains about five thousand seeds), dark brown or brownish-brown in color.
How to collect the material yourself?
We offer you step-by-step instructions:
- Wait until the seed fruits appear on the tarragon. This usually happens at the end of September-October.
- Cut them off and collect the seeds.
- Dry the seeds and store them in a dry place.
Where can I buy it?
You can buy seeds at the market or in special gardening stores. However, be careful. Buy seeds only from well-known manufacturers, otherwise instead of tarragon you may end up with an ordinary weed. Before purchasing, refer to reviews on the Internet, read what is written not on websites, but on special forums. You can also ask your 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 what seeds for seedlings and seedlings look like in the photo:
Soaking seeds
It is not necessary to soak the seeds, but it will help speed up the growth of the plant.. Seeds need to be soaked for three days before planting in a seedling box. It's very easy to do this:
- Take a container, fill it warm water(can be replaced with a special soaking solution from a gardening store).
- Add fertilizer.
- “Marinate” the seeds for three days, after which you begin planting them.
Rooting in open ground
Planting tarragon seeds in open ground is quite simple. The seeds don’t even require burying; if you don’t want to bother, then you just need to scatter them over an area designated for these purposes. To plant tarragon in the ground you need to do the following::
- Prepare the soil, it is advisable to do this in the fall. Dig it up, clear it of weeds, fertilize it with superphosphate, potassium salt and humus.
- Before planting, you can soak the seeds to speed up their growth.
- Sow the seeds in shallow parallel furrows, and the soil must be moistened. The distance between the grooves should be approximately seventy centimeters.
- Do not cover the 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 it will not cause any special problems.
- The only thing that needs to be done is to clear the area of weeds and loosen the soil to better provide the roots with air.
- Watering is carried out moderately. 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. Fertilizing 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 light, however, it can grow in the shade, but in this case you can hardly wait good harvest. The ideal temperature for it is about 20 degrees.
Harvesting
Tarragon leaves are collected before flowering begins.. In general, you can get about five hundred grams from one bush, depending on the variety. The leaves can then be dried for the winter or used fresh in cooking or canning.
Diseases and pests
The main pests of tarragon are aphids, leafhoppers, and wireworms. To get rid of them, spray the bush with an infusion of onion peels or tobacco.
Among the diseases to which tarragon is susceptible, the most common is rust. It appears in the form of pads Brown. It causes the leaves to wither and dry out. To prevent its occurrence, trim the greens in time, and also burn plant debris.
Tarragon is one of the most aromatic 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 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.
Tarragon tarragon grows almost throughout the entire globe, including in our country. 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.
- The stems of tarragon are yellow-brown in color.
- The stems of tarragon 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.
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 month of autumn, flowers appear on tarragon, and closer to October the fruits ripen.
This herb can be used as a spice in cooking for preservation and how medicine in medicine. Fresh tarragon has a volatile oil (0.1%-0.5%), so it produces 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 not difficult. It copes well with frost in spring and winter.
Soil preparation
As is already known, tarragon is a perennial plant, which concentrates 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. Earth 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 over-fertilized with nitrogen substances, but it should still be fertile.
Before growing tarragon, you need treat the soil for the beds. This procedure includes the following operations:
- autumn digging of soil;
- spring loosening;
- digging with half a shovel.
If it so happens that the soil is not optimally fertile and 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 fertilizing is applied: ammonium sulfate (15-20 grams), potassium salt (10-20 grams) and superphosphate (30-40 grams), all also per 1 m2.
Rules for effective reproduction
There are two ways to propagate tarragon: seed and vegetative.
The main element of tarragon seed propagation is seedlings. From the second half of spring, you need to plant the seeds in a row in the garden bed, the distance between the rows should be 15-20 centimeters. Tarragon seeds are very small. That's why, after you sow them, you need to lightly cover them with soil. After about two weeks, the seeds will germinate and seedlings 10-15 centimeters high will be visible in the row. Then just take care of the grass, loosen it, water it, weed it.
If tarragon grows in a nursery, then it can be left for the winter. Only with the arrival of spring these plants transplant to open area.
The vegetative method involves dividing the bush, stem cuttings and layering. If the tarragon is a little 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 approximately 4 shoots. These shoots are often planted in a new area. In theory, tarragon grows in one place for 12-15 years, but in practice you can see that its lifespan does not exceed 4-5 years. This is directly related to the age of the site. The older the area with the plant, the lower the yield of green mass.
In the second half of spring, tarragon is planted and bred division of rhizomes or using seedlings. Tarragon is planted in rows, there should be a distance of 60-70 cm between them, and 30-40 cm between the plants in these rows. Do not forget that when planting, watering is required.
Features of plant care
When growing tarragon don't forget about care. It includes:
- loosening row spacing;
- weeding;
- grass fertilizers;
- fight against diseases.
The year you planted tarragon, you do not need to feed it. Then in all subsequent years it is recommended to fertilize using mineral fertilizer: superphosphate (10-20 g), urea (10 g) and potassium salt (10 g) per 1 m2. Do weeding and loosening if necessary, the soil should be loose and the row spacing free of weeds.
Harvesting
Tarragon harvest harvested in the fall in the year of planting, the green part of the grass is cut off. From the following year, the greens are cut throughout the whole summer. The final harvesting takes place in August, just when the tarragon begins to bloom. The tarragon yield 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, and 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. You can grow this spice yourself personal plot from seeds or seedlings.
Properties of tarragon and its use
In common parlance, tarragon is commonly called dragon wormwood; this should not be surprising, since tarragon is a type of wormwood.
The herb is rich in esters that have a calming, diuretic, regenerative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anthelmintic effect.
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 subsequently used in the cosmetology industry.
Tarragon essential oils help good sleep and relieve migraines. Tarragon extract stimulates gastric secretion and improves appetite. Tarragon, together with ginger, cleanses the oral cavity and copes with nasopharyngeal infections.
Tarragon extract is used one tablespoon an hour before meals, washed down with a sufficient amount of liquid, this intake normalizes the secretion of the stomach and improves the digestive process.
Tarragon begins to be collected when the first buds appear; it is during this period that tarragon is considered the most effective. The entire above-ground part is cut off and then dried. The cut is made with a remaining 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 herbs, or 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 prepare anti-acne lotions, soothing baths and brewing herbal teas.
Tarragon is an unpretentious, perennial plant; it belongs to the wormwood species, but does not have bitterness. The bushy grass reaches about half a meter in height and has a strong root system. The stem of tarragon is erect, with strong, spreading branches.
The leaves are pointed, rich green in color. Flowering begins in summer, the inflorescences are small and yellow.
Growing tarragon will not cause difficulties; the grass as a weed grows in almost any area and on any soil, however, for tarragon it is preferable to choose sunny places with turf soil. The planting area should not be swampy; the plant is affected by rot if there is an excess of moisture.
It does not require fertilizers on fertile soil, it grows well, but with excessive bushiness, the amount of essential oils in the stem decreases.
In the fall, it is advisable to dig up the area and add organic fertilizers in the form of rotted manure (about a bucket for each square meter area). When sowing tarragon, soil preparation involves cleaning the area and loosening.
In the first ten days of spring you can start sowing tarragon. The grass is quite tolerant of short-term drought and low temperatures, so planting can be done in early autumn in order to obtain fresh tarragon greens by winter.
Due to the small size of tarragon seeds, crops often thicken, which is a common mistake. To avoid this, tarragon seeds are mixed with fine river sand and sown in small furrows, parallel to the ridges. After sowing, the seeds are sprinkled with soil and moistened with a sprinkler, avoiding soil erosion.
The first shoots can be obtained in a week and a half, provided that temperature regime the level of + 17-20 degrees will be reached.
After germination, tarragon in the phase of gaining two leaves is thinned out (if a mistake was made in thickening the crops) leaving a step of 10 cm between plants.
After three years of age, tarragon begins to lose its taste and aroma properties, becomes bitter, so the same plant is not grown for more than three years, replacing plantings with new crops and changing the planting location.
Tarragon can also be grown at home; all you need to do is purchase growing containers and prepare soil for planting grass. The substrate will be fine, without lumps, it can be purchased at a specialized flower shop or prepare it yourself by mixing turf soil with sand (2:1).
Tarragon seeds are lowered into the soil to a depth of 1-2 cm, sprinkled, and moistened with a spray bottle four times a week. Seedlings should be in the sun; a place on a sunny windowsill is quite suitable.
Caring for tarragon
Tarragon is an unpretentious perennial plant, and for good growth it 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 the application of compost is not prohibited. Weeding should be done as needed. The plant needs watering; moistening must be done 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 that grows well in any soil. Tolerates cold weather. The grass is unpretentious and is little susceptible to diseases. The inflorescences are whitish in color and are widely used in pharmacology and cosmetology. It grows in 2 months and bushes well.
Gribovsky
The plant is prone to lodging, has an average height of about a meter, extensive tillering, the variety is frost-resistant, 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 Dollar
Bushy grass with vertical, erect stems, reaches a height of one and a half meters. Tolerates light frosts, the greens are not tough and juicy. To prepare drinks, the grass is collected during flowering.
Zhulebinsky
An erect, spreading plant, grows about half a meter in height, produces a stable harvest of greenery for 4-5 years, then becomes bitter. The specific aroma of tarragon is most acutely felt in the budding phase. Suitable for marinades and preparing drinks.
Monarch
Perennial grass, quickly grows and bushes. Reaches a height of about a meter, suitable as a seasoning for marinades. The foliage is large, dark green, spicy and aromatic.
Dobrynya
A meter tall plant with a large set useful substances And essential oil. Tolerates frost and drought well. Perennial grass can grow without bitterness for about 5 years, then it needs to be replanted.
Variety Smaragd
It grows successfully in open, sunny areas and reaches a height of about a meter. The foliage along the stem is densely planted and somewhat harsh. The inflorescences are yellowish, narrow, panicle-shaped. 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 preparing refreshing drinks and in cooking. The French variety of tarragon reproduces well 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 preparation of 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.
Chop the tarragon leaves, add warm water with 3 tablespoons of sugar and let it brew for a couple of hours. Grind the tarragon stems and pour boiling water until the water turns light green, then both parts of the infusion are mixed and filtered. The result will be a light green infusion with a lot of useful substances.
Add lemon juice, honey and sugar to taste to the tarragon infusion. Finish preparing the tarragon by filling half a glass with the infusion, adding highly carbonated water and pieces of ice.
The resulting infusion goes well with alcohol, will help you cool down 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 the container by first sterilizing it.
In the prepared jars we put washed tomatoes, four cloves of garlic, a horseradish leaf, half a red pepper, two bay leaves, four sprigs of tarragon, a few allspice peas, and an umbrella of dill.
For brine per liter of water: 2.5 tablespoons of salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Boil water, add salt, sugar and vinegar and pour the resulting marinade over the tomatoes. Roll up the jars hermetically, turn the lids down, wrap them up and leave for a day. Afterwards store the jars 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 frozen or dried.
To freeze, the plant must be prepared in advance, washed and dried, then chopped, packaged in plastic containers or bags, sealed tightly so that the aroma does not evaporate, and placed in the freezer.
To dry tarragon, cut branches are hung in a well-ventilated area and the herb dries completely within a few days. The dried plant is stored in fabric bags or closed glass containers.
