When to plant Tarragon
French tarragon is the anise-flavoured perennial prized in cooking, but it rarely sets viable seed — buy a plant or take a division. It likes well-drained soil and benefits from being divided every few years to keep its flavour strong.
Companions: Most vegetables — a good general companion herb
How to grow Tarragon
Tarragon can be grown from seed on the schedule below. Give it full sun to part shade and space plants about 18 inches apart. It takes roughly 80 days from planting to its first harvest, so count that against your frost dates to be sure it can finish. Classic companions include most vegetables — a good general companion herb.
Grower's tip: Grow French tarragon from a plant or division — it doesn't come true from seed.
When to plant Tarragon by USDA zone
Timing shifts with your climate — the same tarragon goes in weeks earlier in a mild zone than a cold one. Find your zone below for its planting window, or open that zone's full calendar.
| Zone | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Zone 1a | Transplant outdoors Jun 15–Jun 29 |
| Zone 1b | Transplant outdoors Jun 10–Jun 24 |
| Zone 2a | Transplant outdoors Jun 5–Jun 19 |
| Zone 2b | Transplant outdoors May 30–Jun 13 |
| Zone 3a | Transplant outdoors May 25–Jun 8 |
| Zone 3b | Transplant outdoors May 20–Jun 3 |
| Zone 4a | Transplant outdoors May 15–May 29 |
| Zone 4b | Transplant outdoors May 10–May 24 |
| Zone 5a | Transplant outdoors May 5–May 19 |
| Zone 5b | Transplant outdoors Apr 30–May 14 |
| Zone 6a | Transplant outdoors Apr 21–May 5 |
| Zone 6b | Transplant outdoors Apr 15–Apr 29 |
| Zone 7a | Transplant outdoors Apr 7–Apr 21 |
| Zone 7b | Transplant outdoors Apr 1–Apr 15 |
| Zone 8a | Transplant outdoors Mar 22–Apr 5 |
| Zone 8b | Transplant outdoors Mar 15–Mar 29 |
| Zone 9a | Transplant outdoors Feb 28–Mar 14 |
| Zone 9b | Transplant outdoors Feb 15–Mar 1 |
| Zone 10a | Transplant outdoors Jan 31–Feb 14 |
| Zone 10b | Transplant outdoors Jan 15–Jan 29 |
| Zone 11a | Transplant outdoors Jan 1–Jan 15 |
| Zone 11b | Transplant outdoors Jan 1–Jan 15 |
| Zone 12a | Transplant outdoors Jan 1–Jan 15 |
| Zone 12b | Transplant outdoors Jan 1–Jan 15 |
| Zone 13a | Transplant outdoors Jan 1–Jan 15 |
| Zone 13b | Transplant outdoors Jan 1–Jan 15 |