Wanted: french tarragon

I have started French tarragon from seeds, but unfortunately the plant turned out to be Russian tarragon. It did not have the 'tarhun' flavor I remembered from childhood. Would any body have French tarragon to share or trade.

Here's what I have to trade right now:
liriope,
dwarf mondo grass,
wild ginger,
sweet woodruff,
Jack in the pulpit,
vinca minor,
hosta albomaginata,
short yellow daylily,
ribbon grass,
thyme,
liatris (gayfeather),
purple cheanacia
dawn violets

Hi,
I have French tarragon, I can take a cutting and ship early next week or so. What's wild ginger? Is thyme hardy in my zone?
Thanks.

bbinnj,
I never rooted a cutting. Could you root one for me?
Thyme is hardy in my zone so will be just fine in yours. Wild ginger is a shade perennial that forms a nice ground cover. I have it under a young maple tree and it seems to do better than vinca.

Hi Enya,
Sure I can root it, will be a few days or so until I send it out then. Thyme will be great for my herb garden. Is the thyme rooted or how will it come? Rooting herbs is easy, I take a cutting with a few leaves on it, strip off the bottom few (the leaf nodes sprout the roots), dip in rooting hormone for 10 sec then stick in wet potting mix (I use peat moss/sand 1:1 but anything that drains well works), I also use clear plastic cups (they're about 8 or 9 oz), I make a few holes in the bottoms so I can see the moisture levels, and they are easy to ship (I cut off the top of a 12 oz water bottle to create a mini greenhouse I can stick in a box; I stick the bottom of the cup in another cup, and the plant stays moist and won't break during its trip to its new home). Then I put the planted cutting outside in part sun (so the bottom gets warm from the sun to stimulate roots), and mist it every day or so, as it needs it. In a few days, I give a gentle tug and when I feel resistance, I know I have roots. A lot of people on the herb forum told me that they skip the rooting hormone step, and they get roots all the same, maybe delayed by a couple of days.
Beverly

Bbinnj,
I'd appreciate if you start a couple of cuttings of tarragon for me. Thank you for the info. I'll start experimenting with thyme cuttings in the mean time. It seems like a technique I want to get down eventually.

My thymes is from seed, it's in it's second year. I do love it: it looks great and I use it in cooking a lot. Used to buy all my thyme. Then I got some in DG trade and started from seed and bought a nice pot at a neighbourhood plant sale. I am working towards having it as a ground cover along the path between some grasses and perennials.

Sure Enya, I've soaked the medium already and when I get home from work I'll start rooting some cuttings for you. My tarragon was bought as a plant in a 4 inch pot this summer.

Hi Enya, I started 3 cuttings for you, should be rooted some time next week.

No such thing as tarragon seed. It is sterile. "Russian Tarragon" (Artemisia dracunculoides) is a Sagebrush native to Illiinois. The same specific name is used for real Tarragon. Being a sterile clone is is most likely a hybrid and shouldn't have a specific name. In other words a mule. Its parents are probably natives of southern Europe.
This has two possible family trees.
http://bmc.ub.uni-potsdam.de/1471-2148-2-17/

Filifolium sibericum may be the real Russian Tarragon.

bbinnj,
That's what I found too after puzzling why my "tarragon" did not have the flavour I remember from childhood and searching the internet.

My favoritge soft drink as a kid was "Tarhun", which contained the herb with same name. The other names used for the herb were tarragon or estragon. My herb garden composition is half practical and half sentimental.

Well, Enya your 3 cuttings look nice and plump in the rain this am. Hope we get some sun for the roots to get going. As soon as I can, they will be on their way to you. It must me but i find that tarragon has a slight anise flavor. I put it into tomato sauce for that northern Italian flavor. When I was in Italy (Milan), there were jelly candies flavored with all kinds of herbs and I'm sure tarragon was one of them.

Good info. on this thread!

Tarragon is my favorite herb and I've moved 3 times in 3 years leaving French Tarragon plants in the ground. Tried to find some here but got here too late in the season. I have plenty dried on hand from those plants but in the growing season I prefer the fresh stuff.

bbinnj,
Thank you for the good news! All last evening, night and this morning it's been pouring, but the weather man said it would stop by noon. It's almost a foot in 2 days in the bucket I left outside.

I hope the soil dries a bit and I could send thyme to you on Monday. I found you in the address_exchange, I am there too.


This message was edited Aug 25, 2006 9:10 AM

Darius, you want some tarragon? I could do some cuttings for you too. I'll check your trade list or just for postage (stamps are best, really).

Enya, if the thyme will make a shady ground cover, I'll put it lots of places, not just the herb garden. What fun. I forgot that I planted wintergreen, do you believe it, because it's not in the herb garden! No hurry, send when you can. I want yours to have roots before I send. I saw you in the address exchange too and prepared a label (if I don't stay organized, it doesn't get done).

bb, of course I'd like some but it will have to be for postage or paypal for postage. We closed on this property in mid June and there's nothing growing but grass and weeds. I'm so anxious to start a flower garden again!

I did find 2 or 3 different thymes, plus garlic chives and regular chives last month that I planted in the front flower bed, and I have 75 leeks in a veggie bed along with a few tomatoes. Pitiful garden but it can only get better!

I'm in the addy exchange too.

I have thyme in three locations so far:
1. open bright shade, no direct sun; amended clay soil
2. in full sun; clay soil with gravel in it, pretty dry
3. a sunny spot but it is totally shaded by tall grass; clay soil

It grows in all three locations, but I'd say it loves 2 the best and 3 the least.
So I am planning on moving it to the other side of the grass. Thyme seems to pick light over nutrients, kind of "soul over matter" plant. I saw it growing in half-shade between stepping stones. It's so pretty, and the smell is heavenly! Unfortunately, it's not going to work work as a shade ground cover.

Since 80% of my garden is total shade and a slope, I have been looking for shade tolerant ground covers. First I started a patch of wild ginger under a maple tree where vinka could not hold it's own. A neighbour across the street gave me that starts and the idea. She had an emerald carpet in 3 years under two large maples. So I am dividing and spreading it to where literally nothing else grows.

Another shade tolerant ground cover that I am trying to get going is sweet woodruff. I started with 5 tiny plants. In a year they formed 1'x1' dense patch in an open bright shade and humus rich soil. I divided it mid summer and moved a shady spot to see how it does there. Spring will tell. It grows in sperts by sending type of runners just beneath the soil level. I saw warnings that it can take over so come planning is in order before you plant it.

Oh, I love sweet woodruff! Mine at the old house did well in full shade under the oaks.

Darius, I'll start some for you in exchange for stamps.
Enya, so in the herb garden it will go. Besides wintergreen, planted something else for full-shade ground cover, forgot what it is. It's something that the dog will be able to lie down on without killing, something low-growing.

Stamps it shall be!

bbinnj,
If you remember what that shade ground cover is, let me know please. I'd like some variety and I need to cover a lot of ground.

What is wintergreen? I searched PlantFiles and a number of different plants came back.

darius,
Good to know that sweet woodruff does well in full dry shade. Right now it does not look too well. I did lose some plants when transplanting, at least it looks this way, but I keep telling myself: "Patience. Wait till spring." :)

I grow Chimaphila, Pyrola and Gaultheria. Some classify Chimaphila in Pyrolaceae. Others include all three in Ericaceae. I think the first is the current. All have Oil of Wintergreen. The commecial stuff is either synthetic or comes from Gaultheria procumbens. G. procumbens is the easiest to grow. Wintergreen is popular as a cultivar name for a number of different plants. The most common is the Boxwood. There are also Azaleas named 'Wintergreen' and 'Little Wintergreen'.
Rubbing alcohol comes in clear and green. I guess there is a psychosomatic in people that have used Oil of Wintergreen.

UUallace,
Thank you for the info. I really like the look of Gaultheria procumbens and would love to try growing it. I did test my soil last year and it is slightly acidic. I also started mulching a patch with pine needles in the hope one day to plant a rododendron there. But for now my dream shade garden exists only in my head :)

It is my second year of gardening. I am learning a lot from people at DG and having much fun working with plants. It's a great and very generouse community. I hope to share more as my plants grow and I learn to save seeds and propagate plants.

Mine is Gaultheria procumbens, I have it as a ground cover or ornamental in shade, don't know if it works as the herb wintergreen or not, UUallace. Do you know which kind is the one used for the flavoring?
Wish I could remember the other!!!! AARRGH! Something that can grow in full-shade and be totally neglected, the dog can lie on it, came as a flat from the nursery, not much to look at but then it's under the overhang of part of my house in the backyard. When I can take a picture, I will and post it.
Darius, got your tarragon rooting in peat/sand mix now.

Gaultheria procumbens looks tough but is very attractive - white flowers (shows best in the shade) and red berries later. I wonder if those could be eaten by animals.

I have lots of squirells and chipmonks, and a pair of flying squirels (could not believe it when first saw them on the bird feeder). And this year a pair of red tailed hawks build a next on the tallest oak. I don't want an infestation, but I'd like to watch the birds and the squirels in winter when the plants are asleep.

We're in the red berry phase now.
I live in a zoo . We have 9 small parrots and 1 large Collie. The small parrots are budgarigars (called parakeets in the US), cockatiels, and lovebirds. They all have different personalities, as individuals, not just as species. One cockatiel can whistle about a dozen tunes- and he composes (gets mixed up I think). One lovebird can say his name- over and over and over again. They are jealous of the dog and he is jealous of them. As I said, a real zoo.

Gaultheria procumbens Teaberry is the most commonly used one for tea or flavoring.

bbinnj
English parakeet or regular?

Years ago I bought a champion Poodle from a man that also showed English Parakeets. In June and July we put two dogs to sleep. They were her great-grandchildren. They were old enough to drive. We just have two dogs and a fish, now. Wife wants more dogs. The old ones were a lot of work, but it seems empty without them.

UUallace, we have both. We have 2 English budgies named Louis Pasteur (Louie) and Ignaz Semmelweisz (Iggie) and 2 Australian budgies named Persis (Persi) and Pip (Peregrin Took). Louis and Iggy were bought as newly-weaned hand-fed chicks, they belong to my younger daughter who hopes to become an infectious disease officer or work for the CDC. Persi and Pip are mine, Persi was given to me by people who didn't want her any more. Get a smooth colllie, you won't regret it. All the smarts of Lassie without the hair. Listen to your wife!! We have one and he is amazing.
Collie rescue in OH has the following smoothies available:
http://www.tristatecollierescue.net/collies.htm
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6387708
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6767244

bbinnj,
I am sorry I did not send the thyme yet. This week started really wet to do any gardening, and then I had to attend to some family business.

I will be sending thyme your way next Monday via priority mail. What did you decide on the ginger? I was moving it down the slope into the woods where literally nothing grows and have some left in the pot for another spot.

Here's what I'd love to make with thyme
http://davesgarden.com/journal/d/i/9180/

Enya, when you've done that, come to me and do the same to my bluestone pavers, please????
Don't worry about the thyme, your tarragon isn't going out until tomorrow.

Darius and Enya-- due to the one solid week of rain, grey skies and rain, more rain, some of the tarragon cuttings did not root nicely yet. If you put the little plastic cup in a warm spot in the sun, I am sure the cuttings will root within a few days.

Thanks, bb.

bbinnj,
We finally got sun. It's only about 22C, but it's sunny.
I was getting quite depressed with all the rain.
I need sun to get my pulmonaria root cuttings to get a bit bigger
so I can move them in their permanent place, was affraid of
mold/damping.

I'd love to get this rooting technique down, but my first experiment
with rooting thyme cutting is not doing too well, no roots yet.
I'll keep practicing and start taking notes. This seems like an
essential skill for a gardener. So much better than t
Where do you get your rooting hormone from?

Enya, you got sun, we got Tropical Storm Ernesto :-(.
I bought Dip n Grow online 'cause my local nursery had the powder kind and I wanted to use
Dip n Grow specifically. Forgot where I bought it from. I searched for who had the cheapest total price.

Greetings, earthlings!

Who had the sweet woodruff? Can I have some too? I kept planting thyme in the front grass and my DH kept getting mad at me.


xxxxxx, Carrie

bb, the cutting arrived today. I will baby it and hope it survives. Some day this week I need to go to town and will get stamps to send you.

Thanks!

So glad, Darius. Hope you have some sun for it, that's what it needs now.
BB

carrielamont,
I mentioned sweet woodruff, but I cannot trade any this year. I am hoping that it does well where I planted it and I will have some for trade next year.