Hi,
For the past two years, I've been bringing my potted herbs in for the winter and placing them under lights near a large window. Most seem to do well (except for the scale and whiteflies which is another story :)
But the tarragon has slowly turned brown from the ground up both years.
Any suggestions?
TIA
I assume your tarragon plant has revived in the spring? Mine behaves as a perennial and over winters outside in Zone 7. Each spring it revives beautifully and each late fall it dies back.
Boron
Can I ask what kind of tarragon? I live on the cusp of zone 7 and
8, and it seems to be too hot here for tarragon. It grows fine for me all spring, but fades after the heat hits.Penelope
French tarragon. I have had it planted in a very large tub (think of something you'd put a patio evergreen in) for the last 4-5 years.
It needs good drainage and I have it in full southern exposure on a deck. It gets mighty hot in the summer up there. It grows like a weed. In fact, I usually tie the clump together with twine so it does not overwhelm the other herbs in the container.
Boron
Hmmm. I haven't kept it. I guess I will this year. :)
I'm in zone 7 and was having the same problem with my French tarragon until I moved the pot away from the wall. In open air on a desk it thrived.
Try Mexican Mint Marigold as a substitute. I'm in San Antonio where it gets over
100dF several times each yr. and MMM hangs in.Tyler
My sister keeps telling me about that... Since I can't seem to keep Tarragon alive either outdoors in the herb garden, or in a pot in the greenhouse, I might have to try that.
Another herb with a similar flavor (that I seem to be able to grow if I can keep the tiger swallowtail babies off of it!) is fennel.
It will die back from a hard freeze but we got down to about 28dF a while back and it's still going. We've had it for about 3 yrs. and it has weathered days over 105.
Also puts on a very pretty show of deep yellow flowers.
Tyler
Can I grow it from seed??? :-) There seems to be plenty on the 'net. I like the flavor of tarragon on poultry.
I *love* the fennel. Not only do we get the fennel "leaves" for cooking, but the flowers are lovely *and* the fennel seeds at the end of the season! We have a flock of small birds (bushtits, perhaps) that absolutely love the seeds and surround it when the seeds are abundant. My oldest granddaughter's favorite plant in the garden is the fennel. The plant I planted in 2000 grows to over seven feet tall each year and, of course, has lots of babies. If one wants a really healthy breakfast, cook oat bran cereal with fennel. Boil the fennel "branches" in the water (adding it to the cold water) before adding the oat bran. Serve with skim milk. Before serving, you might want to remove the fennel (easy to do if it is left in one piece). It sweetens the cereal so there is no need to add any other sweetener, and leaves no other obvious flavor except the sweetness. Served with skim milk, it's totally healthy.
Delaina (granddaughter) has identified the fennel since she was two years old. She'll be six next month and still heads for the fennel plant as soon she goes to the backyard. Stevia is her second choice, chocolate peppermint the third. Last summer, that five-year-old, tired of being told to go rinse the leaves before she ate them, took the garden hose over to the Stevia plant and sprayed the entire plant! Fennel is definitely her most favorite. Sometimes I wonder if it's because it's the one she has always been able to identify *and* eat.
One of these days, I'll get around to digging up a plant and cooking the root.
Here in the U.S. Pacific Northwest (Portland, Oregon, area), it survives the relatively mild winters very well, including our more unusual winter this past year. It also is a good "lacy" addition to bouquets, and especially so if you want to give someone an herb bouquet. Rosemary goes well in such arrangements as well.
Fennel is a joy to grow even if you only like to look at it.
Glenna
Indeed it is. I often put in bonze fennel, as its lacy fronds as so pretty. It grows like a weed here in northern NJ in zone 7, but it is an annual.
I have two bulbs in the fridge right now that I will use Christmas night to make fennel slaw.
Boron
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