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About Tarragon 
Tarragon has long been cultivated in France where it is an herb revered for it's sweet anise flavor with a subtle bite. The botanical species name of tarragon is a French derivation of the Latin word for "dragon." Along with Sage, Rosemary, Thyme and Basil go back over 2500 years. Europeans did not utilize these herbs until cultivation was introduced in Tudor herb gardens toward the end of the Middle Ages.
Although there is a Russian tarragon it is the French tarragon that is useful in the kitchen. The Russian variety is native to Siberia and has both an unpleasant flavor and scent.
French tarragon can only be propogated vegetatively, as it does not produce seeds. It is one of the few instances in which a sterile but horticulturally superior variety of a garden plant has spread through the world by this form of propogation. It therefore becomes your duty should you decide to grow tarragon to continue the division and replication of this wonderful herb.
Planning
Tarragon prefers a humus-rich, sandy soil and will tolerate partial sun although it prefers full sun if the space is available in your garden. The soil pH should be 7.0 and plants will need to be spaced about two feet apart from one another.
Tarragon does well as a container-grown herb. Key for both container and in-ground planting is well drained soil. In ground your plants will grow to about 3 feet high.
Preparation
If your soil is heavy and wet, consider making a raised bed and mix plenty of organic matter into the new bed. In hot climates the tarragon plants are likely to go dormant during the summer months so do not be alarmed if in the height of what would normally be the growing season your tarragon seems to be stalled. In colder climates it is helpful to cut the plants back in the fall. If it gets extremely cold where you live, mulch your tarragon.
Care
The tarragon plant will do well if not overwatered and fed bi-monthly. Roots must remain dry during the winter or your tarragon are unlikely to survive. For this reason many northern growers treat tarragon as an annual or opt for container growing.
Pests / Disease
Fire ants and aphids are the most common pests for tarragon.
Harvesting
Cut leaves for drying at a time when it is not rainy or humid, by hanging them upside down in a paper bag or a dark, airy space. Store the leaves in airtight jars. Tarragon may be frozen in plastic bagsor containers or as a tarragon herb butter.
Tarragon Varieties
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French Tarragon Herb
The French Tarragon, ‘Artemesia dranunculus sativa,’ is not easy to purchase in seed form. The most effective way to obtain French Tarragon is to get grown plants or cuttings. 
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