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Gary Flynn

05-12-2004 04:47 PM

Tarragon browing indoors

Hi,

For the past two years, I've been bringing my
potted herbs in for the winter and placing them
under lights near a large window. Most seem to
do well (except for the scale and whiteflies
which is another story :)

But the tarragon has slowly turned brown from the
ground up both years.

Any suggestions?

TIA

Boron Elgar

05-12-2004 06:56 PM

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 16:47:36 GMT, Gary Flynn wrote:

Hi,

For the past two years, I've been bringing my
potted herbs in for the winter and placing them
under lights near a large window. Most seem to
do well (except for the scale and whiteflies
which is another story :)

But the tarragon has slowly turned brown from the
ground up both years.

Any suggestions?

TIA

I assume your tarragon plant has revived in the spring? Mine behaves
as a perennial and over winters outside in Zone 7. Each spring it
revives beautifully and each late fall it dies back.

Boron

Penelope Periwinkle

05-12-2004 08:35 PM

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 13:56:39 -0500, Boron Elgar
wrote:

I assume your tarragon plant has revived in the spring? Mine behaves
as a perennial and over winters outside in Zone 7. Each spring it
revives beautifully and each late fall it dies back.

Can I ask what kind of tarragon? I live on the cusp of zone 7 and
8, and it seems to be too hot here for tarragon. It grows fine
for me all spring, but fades after the heat hits.

Penelope

--
"Maybe you'd like to ask the Wizard for a heart."
"ElissaAnn"

Penelope Periwinkle

05-12-2004 08:35 PM

Boron Elgar

05-12-2004 09:44 PM

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 15:35:03 -0500, Penelope Periwinkle
wrote:

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 13:56:39 -0500, Boron Elgar
wrote:

I assume your tarragon plant has revived in the spring? Mine behaves
as a perennial and over winters outside in Zone 7. Each spring it
revives beautifully and each late fall it dies back.

Can I ask what kind of tarragon? I live on the cusp of zone 7 and
8, and it seems to be too hot here for tarragon. It grows fine
for me all spring, but fades after the heat hits.

Penelope

French tarragon. I have had it planted in a very large tub (think of
something you'd put a patio evergreen in) for the last 4-5 years.

It needs good drainage and I have it in full southern exposure on a
deck. It gets mighty hot in the summer up there. It grows like a weed.
In fact, I usually tie the clump together with twine so it does not
overwhelm the other herbs in the container.

Boron

Gary Flynn

06-12-2004 12:14 AM

Boron Elgar wrote:
On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 16:47:36 GMT, Gary Flynn wrote:

Hi,

For the past two years, I've been bringing my
potted herbs in for the winter and placing them
under lights near a large window. Most seem to
do well (except for the scale and whiteflies
which is another story :)

But the tarragon has slowly turned brown from the
ground up both years.

Any suggestions?

TIA

I assume your tarragon plant has revived in the spring? Mine behaves
as a perennial and over winters outside in Zone 7. Each spring it
revives beautifully and each late fall it dies back.

Hmmm. I haven't kept it. I guess I will this year. :)

Gary Flynn

06-12-2004 12:15 AM

Penelope Periwinkle wrote:

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 13:56:39 -0500, Boron Elgar
wrote:

I assume your tarragon plant has revived in the spring? Mine behaves
as a perennial and over winters outside in Zone 7. Each spring it
revives beautifully and each late fall it dies back.

Can I ask what kind of tarragon? I live on the cusp of zone 7 and
8, and it seems to be too hot here for tarragon. It grows fine
for me all spring, but fades after the heat hits.

I'm in zone 7 and was having the same problem with my
French tarragon until I moved the pot away from the wall.
In open air on a desk it thrived.

Thomas

06-12-2004 12:19 AM

Tarragon requires "cold time" for it to continue to be productive....even
freezing temps. I live in Texas and growing tarragon is quite out of the
question here. Far too warm, but I sure wish I could grow it. Good
drainage is important too. Most people water their indoor plants far too
much and they tend to rot.
Thomas
"Gary Flynn" wrote in message
...
Hi,

For the past two years, I've been bringing my
potted herbs in for the winter and placing them
under lights near a large window. Most seem to
do well (except for the scale and whiteflies
which is another story :)

But the tarragon has slowly turned brown from the
ground up both years.

Any suggestions?

TIA

Tyler Hopper

06-12-2004 09:12 PM

"Penelope Periwinkle" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 13:56:39 -0500, Boron Elgar
wrote:

I assume your tarragon plant has revived in the spring? Mine behaves
as a perennial and over winters outside in Zone 7. Each spring it
revives beautifully and each late fall it dies back.

Can I ask what kind of tarragon? I live on the cusp of zone 7 and
8, and it seems to be too hot here for tarragon. It grows fine
for me all spring, but fades after the heat hits.

Try Mexican Mint Marigold as a substitute. I'm in San Antonio where it gets over
100dF several times each yr. and MMM hangs in.

Tyler

Katra

06-12-2004 09:15 PM

In article ,
"Tyler Hopper" wrote:

"Penelope Periwinkle" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 13:56:39 -0500, Boron Elgar
wrote:

I assume your tarragon plant has revived in the spring? Mine behaves
as a perennial and over winters outside in Zone 7. Each spring it
revives beautifully and each late fall it dies back.

Can I ask what kind of tarragon? I live on the cusp of zone 7 and
8, and it seems to be too hot here for tarragon. It grows fine
for me all spring, but fades after the heat hits.

Try Mexican Mint Marigold as a substitute. I'm in San Antonio where it gets
over
100dF several times each yr. and MMM hangs in.

Tyler

My sister keeps telling me about that... Since I can't seem to keep
Tarragon alive either outdoors in the herb garden, or in a pot in the
greenhouse, I might have to try that.

Another herb with a similar flavor (that I seem to be able to grow if I
can keep the tiger swallowtail babies off of it!) is fennel.
--
K.

Sprout the MungBean to reply

"I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell‹you
see, I have friends in both places." --Mark Twain

Tyler Hopper

06-12-2004 09:28 PM

Try Mexican Mint Marigold as a substitute. I'm in San Antonio where it gets
over
100dF several times each yr. and MMM hangs in.

Tyler

My sister keeps telling me about that... Since I can't seem to keep
Tarragon alive either outdoors in the herb garden, or in a pot in the
greenhouse, I might have to try that.

Another herb with a similar flavor (that I seem to be able to grow if I
can keep the tiger swallowtail babies off of it!) is fennel.

It will die back from a hard freeze but we got down to about 28dF a while back
and it's still going. We've had it for about 3 yrs. and it has weathered days
over 105.

Also puts on a very pretty show of deep yellow flowers.

Tyler

Glenna Rose

19-12-2004 07:21 PM

writes:

It will die back from a hard freeze but we got down to about 28dF a while
back
and it's still going. We've had it for about 3 yrs. and it has weathered
days
over 105.

Also puts on a very pretty show of deep yellow flowers.

I *love* the fennel. Not only do we get the fennel "leaves" for cooking,
but the flowers are lovely *and* the fennel seeds at the end of the
season! We have a flock of small birds (bushtits, perhaps) that
absolutely love the seeds and surround it when the seeds are abundant. My
oldest granddaughter's favorite plant in the garden is the fennel. The
plant I planted in 2000 grows to over seven feet tall each year and, of
course, has lots of babies. If one wants a really healthy breakfast, cook
oat bran cereal with fennel. Boil the fennel "branches" in the water
(adding it to the cold water) before adding the oat bran. Serve with skim
milk. Before serving, you might want to remove the fennel (easy to do if
it is left in one piece). It sweetens the cereal so there is no need to
add any other sweetener, and leaves no other obvious flavor except the
sweetness. Served with skim milk, it's totally healthy.

Delaina (granddaughter) has identified the fennel since she was two years
old. She'll be six next month and still heads for the fennel plant as
soon she goes to the backyard. Stevia is her second choice, chocolate
peppermint the third. Last summer, that five-year-old, tired of being
told to go rinse the leaves before she ate them, took the garden hose over
to the Stevia plant and sprayed the entire plant! Fennel is definitely
her most favorite. Sometimes I wonder if it's because it's the one she
has always been able to identify *and* eat.

One of these days, I'll get around to digging up a plant and cooking the
root. g

Here in the U.S. Pacific Northwest (Portland, Oregon, area), it survives
the relatively mild winters very well, including our more unusual winter
this past year. It also is a good "lacy" addition to bouquets, and
especially so if you want to give someone an herb bouquet. Rosemary goes
well in such arrangements as well.

Fennel is a joy to grow even if you only like to look at it.

Glenna

Boron Elgar

20-12-2004 04:03 PM

On Sun, 19 Dec 2004 11:21:45 -0800, (Glenna Rose)
wrote:

Fennel is a joy to grow even if you only like to look at it.

Indeed it is. I often put in bonze fennel, as its lacy fronds as so
pretty. It grows like a weed here in northern NJ in zone 7, but it is
an annual.

I have two bulbs in the fridge right now that I will use Christmas
night to make fennel slaw.

Boron

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