Guide to growing Thyme - Thymus

Thymus are low growing hardy perennial herbs.

They are evergreen and bloom from the end of spring to early summer, when they carry small pink, white or purple flowers.

Some common names for Thymus include Thyme, silver edge thyme and Mother of thyme.

Thyme is usually grown as a herb. The leaves of thyme can be harvested at any time when using fresh.

If you plant to dry the thyme leaves then cut off the stems just before the plant flowers. Hang the stems upside down in a dark place to dry; once dry strip the thyme leaves from the stems and store in a Tupperware or similar container.

How to grow Thyme

The seeds of thyme and other thymus should be sown on the soil surface in late autumn or about three weeks before the last frost. Thyme is able to grow in sunny and partially shaded areas that have good drainage and loves a light and dry soil.

If starting off indoors then sow about 8 weeks before the last frost. It should take the thyme seeds about two or three weeks to germinate at 12 to 20 degrees centigrade. Once ready transplant the seedlings into the garden following the last frost of spring with a spacing of 20 to 30cm.

Caring for Thyme

It is fairly easy to care for thyme and other members of the Thymus family. If you are growing it for cookery purposes then it is best to cut back the plant by half after flowering has finished, this will help to maintain a strong flavour in the thyme leaves. Also it is best to change the plants every three years or so.

It is a good idea to bring thyme indoors for the winter so that the leaves can be used throughout the year; pot the thyme into a sandy soil and grow on the window shelf, water occasionally and allow the soil that thyme grows in to dry out between watering. If you require more plants then thyme can be propagated from cuttings took following flowering or by dividing the plant in the spring.