[Fleecewife]

I saw a tv programme with I think Jekka McVicar, who said if your tarragon comes back in spring - it isn't French tarragon.  It will be Russian tarragon.  Very similar looking plants, but the french has a much better flavour.

That's interesting    When I lived in Edinburgh I bought a tarragon from the local nursery, clearly labelled French Tarragon - but it always came back in Spring     So is it possible to overwinter it indoors or must one buy new each year?

[Fleecewife]

I should also point you at 'Plants with Altitude' - plants grown high up in Cumbria, so fairly hardy  

I don't know what if any herbs they do, but you can request a catalogue on the website.

And if they had anything interesting, you could plan a trip, collecting an interested friend en route...

That sounds most exciting Sally - thank you.  I couldn't download a catalogue, maybe because they don't have the spring one available yet.  They open in about mid-March and if you find a day without too much lambing responsibility then we could meet up at HH mart in Carlisle and drive out together.  That would be fun.  I have room for plenty more alpines as well as herbs 

[bloomer]

and buying plants must be nearly as much fun as buying sheep???

[Greenerlife]

I saw a tv programme with I think Jekka McVicar, who said if your tarragon comes back in spring - it isn't French tarragon.  It will be Russian tarragon.  Very similar looking plants, but the french has a much better flavour.

That's interesting    When I lived in Edinburgh I bought a tarragon from the local nursery, clearly labelled French Tarragon - but it always came back in Spring     So is it possible to overwinter it indoors or must one buy new each year?

Yep.  I've bought lots of tarragon clearly labelled as French but once I found some real stuff, you know the difference!


I usually forget to dig mine up and buy new, but I have overwintered it once.

[SallyintNorth]

We may be able to do that, FW - our girls will start fairly slowly, I think, in early March...  Otherwise you'll have to call in for a cuppa on your way back home, and show me all your new purchases

[Padge]

I saw a tv programme with I think Jekka McVicar, who said if your tarragon comes back in spring - it isn't French tarragon.  It will be Russian tarragon.  Very similar looking plants, but the french has a much better flavour.

That's interesting    When I lived in Edinburgh I bought a tarragon from the local nursery, clearly labelled French Tarragon - but it always came back in Spring     So is it possible to overwinter it indoors or must one buy new each year?

  I'm guessing we were lucky.........having experienced both do know the difference.....not just taste but leaf colour and texture. Incidentally I have Jekkas herb book and there is no mention of tarragon returning in spring being Russian.....moreover she advocates covering in  deep straw    mulch or horticultural fleece....and to take root cuttings as 'insurance'.......


Yep.  I've bought lots of tarragon clearly labelled as French but once I found some real stuff, you know the difference!


I usually forget to dig mine up and buy new, but I have overwintered it once.

[madcat]

A good source of mint plants is Aldi , herbs in pots for the kitchen. Use the mint then plant the roots in a big container.

All my mint got rust so I started again this way and it's turned out fine. Just need some roast lamb to go with it now.

[Bramblecot]

I cannot overwinter French tarragon outside or in the ground but I put a pot in the greenhouse wrapped in bubble wrap (hate the stuff).  The plant dies down but new shots appear around the edge of the pot.  Done this for 3 years  .
Lidl are selling mini-trays of herb seeds in compost for £1, going to try them next.

[Clarebelle]

When we move I'll be setting up a herb garden too, it wont fit in the vegetable garden so it will have to be in the house garden. How does everyone keep the chickens from demolishing their herb gardens? Once the plants have established will they be able to withstand a chicken assault? I know i can surround the beds with netting to keep them out but that will be a pain when it comes to picking

[Fleecewife]

Hens can't get into my front garden, but when we had Muscovies they flew over the barn roof to get there. Hens and especially ducks will trample all over herbs, dust bathe between them, and the hens will scratch them up.   I need to keep the dogs off my herbs (the cat died so that is no longer the potential problem it was) so I'm going to weave a very open willow fence around it.  It only needs to be a foot high as the dogs won't jump over it, but for hens you'll need something more Colditz-y which is a shame as herb gardens are so pretty.
For my revamped bed, I have made it and put in the herbs I already had - thymes, marjoram, chives, oregano, monarda, and in the wings I have waiting rosemary, lemon balm, sage and spearmint.  I have lots of mint so I don't really need more and it will definitely go in a large pot, as will the lemon balm.  I'll wait until we're well into April before I plant those out and get some more unusual plants.
In fact the whole thing will have to be changed this summer as we are having a front porch built which will take a bit out of the herb bed, and the rest could be trampled by the workies.
I'm hoping for some good sunshine this summer so my herbs love it.