Thyme is an ancient herb used in cooking and gardening. It produces aromatic, pleasing foliage and grows well in almost any climate. In cold areas it is a hardy evergreen, able to survive the winter and live for many years. In the hot ones, however, it is often cultivated as an annual plant, since it does not survive very hot summers. In addition to culinary purposes, many gardeners use this herb as a ground cover or as a plant to mark boundaries. It produces tiny flowers, usually white, pink or lavender, and their fragrance can attract bees to your garden. Thyme is easy to plant and grow and can be harvested all year round.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Plant the Thyme
Step 1. Purchase thyme sprouts from a nursery
You can grow thyme from seeds, plant parts, or shoots. However, using seeds is often difficult, as they germinate slowly and unevenly. Most gardeners suggest buying young thyme seedlings, which you can find in nurseries, or taking parts of a friend's plant.
The most common varieties are: common thyme, golden king thyme, serpyllum thyme, lemon thyme and garden thyme
Step 2. Plant the sprouts in full sun when the soil is warm
Do this in the spring, two to three weeks before the last frost. For best results, plant them in soil at around 21 ° C, about 20-30cm apart. Thyme grows best in full sun, so choose a well-lit area.
Almost all thyme plants reach 15-30 cm in height
Step 3. Make sure the drainage is excellent
Thyme needs dry, sandy soil with good drainage. Never plant this herb in heavy or soggy soil, otherwise the roots can rot. If your soil doesn't seem to drain well, add compost, sand, or organic material to improve drainage.
You can plant thyme as a ground cover, around stone paving or near walls, as long as the drainage is good. You can also plant it in pots
Step 4. The soil pH must be between 6 and 8
Thyme prefers alkaline conditions and needs very few nutrients. To increase the pH of the soil, add lime. In the spring you can fertilize the seedlings with compost, diluted fish emulsion or other organic material; otherwise, it is not necessary to treat the soil in any other way.
Part 2 of 3: Taking Care of Your Thyme
Step 1. Weed around plants
Wild herbs compete with thyme for soil nutrients and slow down seedling development. Pull them out or use mulch to prevent them from growing. Mulching the soil with limestone gravel or sand can improve drainage around plants and prevent roots from rotting. You can try other types of organic mulch, such as straw or rotted leaves.
Step 2. Wait for the soil to completely dry before watering it again
Thyme is a hardy plant that is not afraid of drought. You need to water it regularly, but not too often. Too much water will cause the roots to rot. Water the seedlings well when you notice that the soil around them is completely dry. Wet it well and wait for it to dry before watering again.
Step 3. Avoid over-fertilizing the thyme
Once the sprouts have taken root, they need very little attention to grow. Thyme doesn't need a lot of nutrients to survive and using too much fertilizer will cause the plant to lose its aroma and grow tall and thin. Put organic mulch around plants in the fall, such as rotted leaves, well-rotted animal manure, or compost.
In this way, the thyme will receive the nutrients it needs throughout the year and will be protected from winter frosts
Step 4. Prune the thyme in the spring
If you want the plants to continue growing bushy and producing tender stems, you need to prune them to half their height every spring. Do this after the last frost: that way, they will bloom again the following spring. After three to four years of growing the same plants, the stems will become woody and produce fewer leaves.
- You could start a new set of sprouts at this point, especially if you are growing thyme for culinary purposes.
- Use an almanac to check when the last frost usually occurs. After that date, you can prune thyme safely.
Part 3 of 3: Collect the Thyme
Step 1. Pick the thyme just before flowering for the best aroma
Thyme produces tiny white, lavender or pink flowers. If you grow it for cooking, you will get the strongest aroma from the herbs harvested just before the flowers open. As for the flowers, you can remove them by hand if you wish. This will stimulate the production of more leaves.
Keep in mind that the thyme aroma will not be negatively affected by flowering. If you like flowers, you can let them grow
Step 2. Cut the stems using scissors or shears
You can harvest thyme at any time of the year, although the aroma is usually better and more concentrated in June and July. Cut fresh green twigs in the morning, leaving the woody part of the stem on the plant. Remove the small leaves from the twigs before using them.
- When cutting a twig, always try to leave at least 10 cm of stem on the plant. This way it will continue to bloom.
- The more you prune and cut the thyme, the more it will grow. Pruning the plant regularly will cause it to grow into a more rounded shape.
- Check the date of the first frost in your area on the internet or on a calendar. Stop pruning thyme about two weeks before this date.
Step 3. Dry the thyme sprigs you collected in a warm, shady area
Leave them hanging in a dark, well-ventilated room. You can also dry them by placing them on a tray inside a food dehydrator. Once they are completely dry, the leaves will come off easily. After removing the dried leaves, store them in an airtight container until ready to use them.
You can also store dried thyme in the freezer, in oil or in vinegar
Advice
- If you live in a cold area where the soil freezes in the winter, remember to protect the thyme with mulch.
- To encourage plant growth, prune the tallest twigs in spring.
- The soil should have a pH between 6 (slightly acidic) and 8 (alkaline) for growing thyme. The ideal pH is between 6, 5 and 7.
- Thyme needs to be watered regularly, but don't give it too much water or the roots may rot.
- Thyme is a very hardy plant, but some pests such as spider mites and whiteflies can infest it.
