Thyme does not like a lot of water and must be on a well drained soil. Thyme is hardy to zone 4, although some sources say 7 we grow it well in zone 6 and I have seen it growing in northern Ontario with no problems. Thyme can tolerate strong winds and makes an excellent ground cover plant for hot dry areas, however it cannot tolerate salt winds and does not make a good seaside plant. Giving the whole bed a pruning after the flowers have finished will improve the look and help the plants regenerate and keep fresh.įull sun is very important for well developed plants, although it can tolerate some shade in the morning and afternoon the plants will not develop as well. Don't overdo the nutrients or the plants will flop over and produce less oils that give it the characteristic flavor. If they become too tough some plants may need to be replaced to keep the bed flowering well and producing good leaf crop. Thyme plants become woody and tough after the first few years, to keep the bed new and fresh cut down many of the stalks after the end of the second year to allow the plants to regenerate. Do not add to much, just a light coating is sufficient. After application water in well with a hose to push the compost down to the base of the plants or apply just before heavy rain is due and let that do the work for you. Use a finely ground mixture so it can be spread and will drop down between the plants branches. However after the third year it could benefit from a slight addition of nutrients, a liquid feed once a year (when no rain is forecast) or a thin spreading of compost over the bed. It is an ideal plant for hot dry areas where little else is growing as long as the soil is poor it does not do well on rich soils. It prefers a poorish soil and will produce better tasting leaves with little compost or fertilizer. Once established Thyme needs very little additional water and once established takes very little care. Sandy or slightly rocky soil is ideal but it wont tolerate heavy clay soils or others that don't drain well. Thyme likes a full sun location on well drained soil that are not too acid, slightly alkaline is idea. Location and care of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Thyme will spread outwards and fill the gaps. Plant out with a spacing of between 14- 20 inches (36-50 cm). Grow plants on to at least three inches in height before setting outside. We prefer to seed into plug trays this way each plant can be cared for without disturbing the other seedlings. Transplant each seedling as it becomes large enough taking care not to disturb the other seeds if possible. Germination usually takes between 8-20 days but can be any range as already stated. Sow in late winter early spring at least six weeks before the last frost date (early March is ideal). We have had some seeds take 8 weeks to appear while the first ones were up in a few days.įollow our general growing instructions for tiny seeds and barely covering the seed, planting too deep will cause the seeds not to germinate. Germination can be erratic so be patient with your seed trays as they wont all germinate at the same time. For this reason we do not recommend sowing in place as it takes a lot of weeding to keep the bed clear until the plants are large enough. Thyme seeds are quite small and the seedlings take quite a while to develop into reasonable sized plants. Growing Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) from seed.
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