Does anyone grow tarragon, and what should I be doing?

[babylonsister]

I have two small plants that are healthy but getting quite leggy; should I be cutting them down to grow more uniformly? Also, they don't smell at all, even when I rub some leaves. Is that normal?
Would the drying process prove it's actually tarragon by the smell? And how well does it freeze?

My biggest fear is I was sold some weeds.

[Gormy Cuss]

1. You should smell tarragon when you break a leaf.

Sometimes they don't have a very strong scent. I have no idea why. My seven year-old tarragon plant is more fragrant some years than others. In this climate it dies back to the ground in the winter and If your plants were labeled "tarragon" as opposed to "French tarragon" you may have the less interesting Russian type. It still would have tarragon flavor and it grows faster and bigger than the French type.
As for cutting back the leggy stems, I did that one my plant was young. Now it doesn't matter.

Tarragon freezes well and in terms of retaining flavor it's better than drying it. I've had success freezing whole leaves and chopping them into preparations without thawing. This seems to retain the most flavor.

[babylonsister]

3. I should have clarified; mine is in a pot because I figured it was too

hot here, and don't know how much it spreads. In a pot I keep it in semi-shade. I'll be freezing after I cut it, but as the poster below suggests, may stick a sprig in olive oil and see what happens.

[China_cat]

2. I'm growing it and keep cutting back

because it threatens to take over the herb bed. I dry it and the whole house smells of it but I don't get much scent from the plant itself.

Try putting a stem of it in some olive oil and let sit for about a week, then either sniff it or use it with some crusty bread and parmesan cheese. You'll know if it's real, and good.

[babylonsister]

4. I will be trying that olive oil trick-thanks! nt