Protecting French Tarragon

tam91 · March 20, 2011

Yesterday was such a nice day, I couldn't resist cleaning out my herb garden. I found quite a few of the herbs were starting to come up/get leaves:

Mint
Chives
Thyme
French Tarragon

I think the mint and chives are tough, and will fend for themselves. I suspect the thyme probably will too. (of course, someone correct me if I'm wrong here).

But our frost free date is somewhere in early May.

I'm worried about the French Tarragon especially.

Should I be trying to cover any of these herbs? If so, with what? This just seems too early to me.

beeman · March 20, 2011

I grow all of the above and more without frost cover, and I live in a snow zone.

tam91 · March 20, 2011

I never worried about it before - and I guess some leaves were left over from fall.

It's just because they are coming up so soon that I'm worrying - now that I uncovered them by cleaning out the garden, I wonder if I should put some kind of mulch or something back, particularly for the tarragon.

Marko · March 20, 2011

tam91, french tarragon is very hardy and needs no winter protection.

salix · March 20, 2011

Beeman and Marko are right - mine has been living out unprotected for at least 10 years in a zone 2 environment...

tam91 · March 20, 2011

Really? I thought it was more delicate, interesting. No leaves or mulch on it even?

Good then, if it's tough - I love the stuff.

lurley · April 24, 2011

I cleaned out the herb garden in mid Feb. The french tarragon is starting to take off now, it hasn't been phased by any of our weather in central ohio for the last five years. If you want to grow more of it or plant some up to give away or sell, now is the time to clip off those new shoots and hit em with some rooting hormone. It is much more willing to root from the new growth than later in the season once it starts to get woody stems.

tam91 · April 24, 2011

i covered it when we had a freeze. It's quite happy now.

I rooted some cuttings last year, a few growing tips. I didn't have any rooting hormone, I dipped them in honey, and they grew well. Thank you for the reminder, I should go get a few before it gets too big - a few friends want some.

March 20, 2011	#1
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Protecting French Tarragon Yesterday was such a nice day, I couldn't resist cleaning out my herb garden. I found quite a few of the herbs were starting to come up/get leaves: Mint Chives Thyme French Tarragon I think the mint and chives are tough, and will fend for themselves. I suspect the thyme probably will too. (of course, someone correct me if I'm wrong here). But our frost free date is somewhere in early May. I'm worried about the French Tarragon especially. Should I be trying to cover any of these herbs? If so, with what? This just seems too early to me.

April 24, 2011	#8
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	i covered it when we had a freeze. It's quite happy now. I rooted some cuttings last year, a few growing tips. I didn't have any rooting hormone, I dipped them in honey, and they grew well. Thank you for the reminder, I should go get a few before it gets too big - a few friends want some. __________________ Tracy

March 20, 2011	#2
beeman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 692	I grow all of the above and more without frost cover, and I live in a snow zone.

March 20, 2011	#4
Marko Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Slovenia, Europe zone 7b Posts: 300	tam91, french tarragon is very hardy and needs no winter protection.

March 20, 2011	#5
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	Beeman and Marko are right - mine has been living out unprotected for at least 10 years in a zone 2 environment...

April 24, 2011	#7
lurley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 741	I cleaned out the herb garden in mid Feb. The french tarragon is starting to take off now, it hasn't been phased by any of our weather in central ohio for the last five years. If you want to grow more of it or plant some up to give away or sell, now is the time to clip off those new shoots and hit em with some rooting hormone. It is much more willing to root from the new growth than later in the season once it starts to get woody stems.