Thyme is a wonderful herb with a pleasant, pungent, clover flavor. It smells like summer to us! There are both fragrant ornamental types as well as culinary thyme varieties, which add a savory note to summer soups, grilled meats, and vegetables. Here’s how to plant and grow thyme.
A low-growing hardy perennial, thyme is a fragrant herb with small, fragrant leaves and thin, woody stems. The culinary varieties are evergreen. Thyme comes in over fifty varieties with different fragrances and flavors. Fresh or English thyme is used most often in cooking.
Originally from the Mediterranean area, this herb is drought-friendly, so it doesn’t have high watering needs. It is also pollinator-friendly! Let some thyme plants flower, since the herb attracts the bees.
While thyme is usually harvested in the summer months, we have harvested ours well into late fall! Thyme can grow in the ground or in a container. Either is left outside in wintertime. New leaves will emerge within the early spring.
For more information on how to grow thyme click the following hyperlink to Farmers Almanac Thyme.
For other resources please click on Gardening Know How's Thyme link.
Description: (Thymus vulgaris). Small, rounded leaves along woody stems are very aromatic and flavorful. A delightful culinary herb that balances and enhances any dish. Not winter hardy but grows well in containers. Thyme grows best in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. This herb prefers well-draining, sandy soil and is resistant to most pests and diseases. Maintaining good air circulation is key to preventing rot or fungus.
Thyme Seeds, Magic Carpet or Creeping Thyme:
Description: (Thymus serpyllum). This floriferous and aromatic low-growing ground cover will magically transform your garden into a fairy wonderland. Plants are tolerant of foot traffic and can be planted between stepping stones, in pathways, rock gardens, or anywhere in need of a pollinator-friendly pick-me-up! This rugged, drought-tolerant perennial releases its fragrance when trod upon. Plants reach just 1 to 2 inches tall but will spread 1 to 2 feet in width. Creeping thyme is a hardy ground cover that grows best in heat and full sun, preferably 6-8 hours of direct light daily. It prefers sandy, well-drained soils and is drought-tolerant once established.
Description: (Thymus fragrantissimus). A supremely vigorous and easy-to-grow thyme that wafts a heavenly citrus fragrance. This is a perfect choice for the poorest soil on your property; orange thyme is famous for its ability to thrive in even the most nutrient-depleted and dry soils. It is a stellar choice for landscaping, rock gardens, containers and the herb garden. A fabulous culinary herb that reaches just 8-12 inches tall. For peak flavor, harvest leaves just before the plant blooms. Allow the plants to bloom for a carpet of petite pinkish-white flowers that the pollinators will love. Arcane and highly sought after, it is a gourmet herb that lends unique, citrusy notes to savory and sweet dishes. Orangelo Thyme is a fragrant, citrus-scented heirloom herb that grows best in full sun, needing 6-8 hours of direct light daily. It prefers sandy, well-draining soil and is drought-tolerant once established. For compact growth, shear older plants.
Description: (Thymus pulegioides). Spreading perennial that forms thick mats with tight clusters of rose-purple flowers. Very fragrant and useful for planting between stepping stones and at the edge of walkways. Used in cooking and, traditionally, for medicinal purposes. Wild thyme is a low-growing, fragrant herb that grows best in full sun, preferably 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. This heirloom variety prefers sandy, well-draining soil and is drought-tolerant once established.
