When to Plant French Tarragon in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Sow March to July. Right now in September it is out of season. The next sowing month is March.
Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This French Tarragon guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
The true French tarragon prized in classical French cuisine. Critical fact: French tarragon does NOT set viable seed in Australia (or anywhere). Any 'tarragon seed' you find for sale is Russian tarragon (A. dracunculus var. inodora), which has inferior flavour. True French tarragon can ONLY be propagated by division or cuttings. It struggles in hot, humid climates and is best suited to cool-temperate and Mediterranean zones.
Planting Calendar for Tropical
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | S | S/T/D | S/T/D | T/D | T/D | - | - | - | - | - |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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How to Grow French Tarragon in Tropical Australia
When to Plant
French tarragon generally fails in tropical conditions. The combination of heat and humidity causes fungal death. Do not attempt.
- Soil
- Light, well-drained soil. Sandy loam ideal. HATES wet feet, drainage is critical.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun to light afternoon shade. Needs warmth but not extreme heat.
- Spacing
- 50cm apart, 60cm between rows
- Watering
- Moderate watering. Allow soil to dry between waterings. Overwatering causes root rot. More plants are killed by overwatering than underwatering.
Companion plants: Most vegetables, tarragon has few negative companions
Tropical Growing Tips for French Tarragon
Recommended Varieties
- Not recommended for tropical zones
Key Challenges
- Root rot from humidity
- Heat stress
- No dormancy period needed for vigour
Pro Tips
- Substitute with Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida) which has similar anise flavour and thrives in tropics
- Do NOT waste money on French tarragon plants for this zone
Harvesting French Tarragon
When ready: Harvest leaves once stems are 15cm+ tall. Best flavour before any flowering.
How to harvest: Snip stem tips, cutting above a leaf node. This encourages branching. Harvest in morning for peak essential oil. Can cut entire plant to 10cm in mid-season for a flush of fresh growth.
Where to next
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Open the planting dashboard Join Garden BuddyCommon Questions About French Tarragon
When do you plant french tarragon in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan, Aug to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jul to Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan, Oct to Dec
Does french tarragon grow all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Mar to Jul. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.