Thyme — English Thyme

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Thymus vulgaris. This woody little evergreen plant spreads steadily over the years and has pretty pink flowers which bees love. English Thyme seeds plants grows to heights of 30cm (12"). Wonderful in Mediterranean cuisine, teas, potpourri and a key ingredient of bouquet garni. Thyme dries well, too - cut sprigs and tie them with thread for hanging out of direct sunlight. They remove the brittle leaves from the stalks and store them in a cool, dry, unlit place. Plants do well in containers, and they're drought tolerant, so consider them for xeriscaping. Cut thyme back by a third at the end of the season to encourage lots of spring growth and flower set.

Perennial

Quick Facts:

Wonderful in Mediterranean cuisine, teas and potpourri
Woody evergreen plant
Pink flowers that bees love
Spreads steadily over the years
Grows to heights of 30cm (12")
Pollinator

Size: 0.1g (approx. 348 seeds)

How To Grow: Thyme, like other woody-stemmed herbs, tends to grow very slowly, and benefits from an early start if grown from seed. Unlike basil and other annual herbs, you shouldn’t count on harvesting thyme in the first (or even the second) year, except for very light picking of leaves. What follows are some tips on how to grow thyme from seed.

Difficulty
Challenging and slow going

Season & Zone
Season: spring through fall
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: Hardy to Zone 4

Timing
Sow indoors late winter to mid-spring. Transplant out once soil begins to warm, or direct sow late May through June. Ideal soil temperature for germination: 15-21°C (60-70°F).

Starting

Sow the dust-like seeds on the surface of dampened, sterilized seed starting mix under bright light with bottom heat. Keep watering to a minimum, as thyme seedlings are prone to damping off. When seedlings are large enough, harden them off and transplant to the garden or to containers, spacing them at 23-38cm (9-15″) apart.

Growing

Trim plants back after flowering to encourage bushy growth. Protect container-grown plants from cold as winter approaches, and water only as necessary. Damp, cold soil will kill thyme.

Harvest
Fresh thyme leaves can be harvested at any time of the year as long as the plants are established. Prune back any dead branches. Whole stems/branches can be clipped and dried whole, or individual leaves can be left to dry in a dark, airy spot for long term storage.

Companion Planting
An all around beneficial plant for the garden, thyme is particularly worth planting near Brassicas, as it repels cabbage moths, and strawberries, as it enhances flavour.

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