When to Plant Mexican Tarragon in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Mexican 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.
- Planting window
- Sep to Dec
- Days to harvest
- about 11 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 40 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.5–7.0
Mexican tarragon, also called Mexican mint marigold, is a half hardy perennial herb 70 to 80 cm tall with anise flavoured leaves and yellow marigold flowers from late spring and in autumn (Green Harvest, The Seed...
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep S
- Oct S/T/D
- Nov S/T/D
- Dec T
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Mexican Tarragon in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Any well drained soil (Green Harvest).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Green Harvest, The Seed Collection).
- Spacing
- 40cm apart, 45cm between rows
- Watering
- Moderate; drought tolerant once established (The Seed Collection).
- Good companions
- Tomato
Tropical Growing Tips for Mexican Tarragon
Recommended Varieties
- Tagetes lucida seed (Green Harvest, The Seed Collection)
Key Challenges
- Wet season rot in heavy soil
Pro Tips
- Full sun, well drained soil (Green Harvest).
- Sow in late spring once soil is warm (Green Harvest).
- Cut back after flowering.
Pests and problems for Mexican Tarragon in Tropical
Harvesting Mexican Tarragon
When ready: Plants 20 cm or taller, about 80 days from sowing (The Seed Collection).
How to harvest: Pinch or cut leafy tips; cut flowers for garnish.
Storing and preserving mexican tarragon
How to keep it
- Freezing. Chop into ice cube trays with water or oil. Keeps: 6 months.
- Herb vinegar. Steep sprigs in white wine vinegar 2 weeks, strain (Green Harvest). Keeps: 6 months.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Mexican Tarragon
When do you plant mexican tarragon in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Sep to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Dec
Can you grow mexican tarragon all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Mexican Tarragon in Cairns?
Sow seed in trays from September to November, 2 to 5 mm deep, and plant out at 5 to 10 cm, or sow direct and plant divisions from October to November (The Seed Collection, Green Harvest). Our own French tarragon notes say Mexican tarragon thrives in the tropics planted September to November, and Green Harvest says it grows on into winter in frost free areas. Months are our estimate from 'late spring' (Green Harvest) and 'spring and summer' (The Seed Collection).
What soil temperature do Mexican Tarragon need?
Mexican Tarragon germinate best when soil temperature is between 20°C and 24°C.
How do I know when Mexican Tarragon are ready to harvest?
Plants 20 cm or taller, about 80 days from sowing (The Seed Collection).
What are the best Mexican Tarragon varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Tagetes lucida seed (Green Harvest, The Seed Collection).
What grows well with Mexican Tarragon?
Good companion plants for Mexican Tarragon include: Tomato.
Are mexican tarragon salt tolerant?
Only a little. Mexican tarragon are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it 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.