Today’s Garden Ideas | Time to Grow Thyme in Your Herb Garden

Time to Grow Thyme in Your Herb Garden

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Thyme At A Glance

Thyme is a very durable herb and great for groundcover. Thyme will release its aroma when the leaves are touched. So plant it in an area will it will get brushed a lot. Thyme comes in 2 varieties; shrubby thyme and creeping thyme.

click on picture to enlarge

Planting Locations

Shrubby Thyme grows upright and is more fragrant then

creeping thyme. Shrubby Thyme does very well as a border for paths or driveways. It comes in several varieties like Common Thyme, Provencal Thyme, French or English Thyme, Silver Thyme, or Silver Lemon Thyme.

Creeping Thyme spreads so quickly it is used as a lawn in areas of low foot traffic. This type of thyme is perfect for trailing baskets or for filling out a garden bed. Creeping Thyme also comes in several varieties like Creeping Thyme, Woolly Creeping Thyme, Caraway Thyme, Gray Woolly Thyme, Lemon Matting Thyme, and Golden Thyme.

Purchasing & Planting

When purchasing Thyme for planting be sure to buy strong plants in individual pots. Be sure the Thyme plant is well branched with stems spilling over the edge of the pot. Do not by gangly tall plants. Beware of plants with brown or dry foliage.

After the last frost dig a hole about twice the width of your pot. Mix in equal parts sand and soil with the hole dirt. Place several inches of the mixed dirt back into the hole. Remove the thyme plant from the pot and loosen the roots. Place the plant into the hole and fill with soil. Water lightly.

Growing Tips

Thyme loves full sun. If grown in partial shade it is vulnerable to disease. The soil should be light and well-drained. Thyme grows best in poor soil. If the soil is not well drained the Thyme plant will get root rot. Cut back about ¾ of new growth regularly to prevent woodiness.

click on picture to enlarge

Seasonal Care

For seasonal care begin in late spring by pruning back dead stems. Be sure to regularly cut back new growth throughout the growing season. In late summer to increase your stock take stem cuttings from your Thyme plant. Cut a stem with 4 or more leaves and plant it in a container with potting mix and a cup of sharp sand. Place the pot on a sunny windowsill and you will be able to harvest Thyme all winter. Stop pruning your Thyme plant 45 days before the first frost to prevent killing your plant. In the fall mulch your plants with compost for protection. Throughout the year pinch off branches of Thyme as you need them. You can cut several branches and tie them together. Hang the tied branches in the kitchen.

Thyme can suffer from root rot due to poor drainage. You will see yellow leaves and rotting stems. Prevent this by planting in raised beds. Destroy all infected plant parts and spray with copper fungicide. If the foliage is turning brown this may be due to poor air circulation and sunlight. Cut out stems that prevent air and light from reaching the plant’s center.

click on picture to enlarge

Thyme flowers are very pretty and quite edible. They have the same flavor as the leaves. They make a lovely garnish in salads and places around meat dishes.

Varieties of Thyme

If you prefer shrubby Thyme there are a few varieties you can try. Common Thyme is the classic culinary Thyme. It grows up to 16 inches tall and has white to pale purple leaves. Provencal Thyme has small gray leaves with a strong aroma. It will grow up to 12 inches tall. Provencal Thyme has white to pale purple leaves. Silver Thyme (Argenteus) has silver-edged gray leaves. The flowers are pale lavender and the plant will get up to 12 inches tall. Silver Lemon Thyme has silver-green leaves and smells like lemon. The flowers are pale lilac and the shrub grows up to 12 inches tall.

If Creeping Thyme is your preference try Creeping Thyme with its bright green leaves. This plant is great for decorative baskets. It will grow 4-6 inches tall and has white to lavender leaves. Woolly Creeping Thyme has hairy gray leaves and is perfect for groundcover. It is 4-6 inches tall and has pale pink leaves. Caraway Thyme has small leaves with a mighty scent. The flowers are a reddish purple and the plant will get 7 inches tall. Gray Woolly Thyme as furry gray leaves with pale purplish pink flowers. Gray Woolly Thyme grows up to 6 inches tall. Lemon Matting Thyme has a strong lemon scent and is not edible. This Thyme plant grows up to 4 inches tall with white to pale pink flowers. Golden Thyme has gold foliage and is a good edging plant. It is 6 inches tall with purple flowers.

Quick Facts

Thyme is an easy to grown perennial that can be harvested year round. It grows best in zones 2-10 in full sun and well-drained soil. Thyme can grow up to 2 feet wide and 20 inches tall. It is disease resistant. Both the flowers and leaves are edible.