![]() ![]() Reducing soil erosion is an important goal in our gardens and landscapes, since we export 3 tons of topsoil per acre per year in America alone. Mmmm.įor something different, try making calendula and thyme shortbread cookies or black cherry preserves with thyme. It is popularly used in a dried poultry herb blend or in herbes de provence seasoning blend. This mediterranean herb can be used both fresh and dried in the kitchen. Would you like to grow food in your front yard without sacrificing curb appeal? Check out my mini guide, The Permaculture Inspired Edible Landscape. Or try making your own thyme infused oil (from Herbal Academy), which can be used as a culinary oil in the kitchen, directly on the skin as a moisturizer or disinfecting ointment, or in a salve.įor all of these reasons, it is one of my favorite herbs to grow in the medicine garden. You can buy the essential oil or look for natural products with the active ingredient thymol in it. It is also a strong antiseptic for cuts, scrapes, acne or sore muscles. Check out my sage and thyme elixir, which is easy to make at home. As an antiviral herb, it is especially helpful with common cold symptoms, coughs, and bronchial infections. Otherwise, cut the woody stems back by half each fall. Harvest it often to keep it naturally pruned. I gravitate toward plants that don’t need much attention, how about you? The following are some of the benefits you’ll get from growing it in your herb garden. Whether you like creeping thyme, common (English) thyme, lemon thyme or French thyme, you will find a variety to suit your needs. This mediterranean plant is in the mint family. But that’s not all! Check out these six reasons to grow thyme in your herb garden. Water to keep the compost moist, and feed with liquid plant food every two weeks from April to August.Thyme is a valuable herb with culinary and medicinal benefits. Thyme is an excellent plant for growing in containers and requires no particular attention. Thyme is virtually free of pests and disease, although they are occasionally attacked by greenfly. The thyme sprigs can be frozen or dried - both methods retain the original flavour. In winter the plants stop growing, so harvest only lightly. Harvesting can occur all year round, although the best flavour is in the months of mid-June and mid-July. Thyme will start to become woody and produce fewer leaves after three or four years, and at this stage, the plant should be separated (as described in propagation above) and replanted. If organic matter is not available, a handful of bonemeal per plant in mid-May and July will meet their needs. A good mulch with organic matter in October time will help protect them from severe frost and will also provide most of their feeding needs. Thyme requires very little attention - water only in very dry conditions and feed sparingly. Harvest only very, very lightly (if at all) in the first year. They have a spread of about 30cm (12in) and should be spaced at this distance apart. When the plants are about 10cm (4in high) and the danger of all frost has passed, they can be moved outside to their final position (harden them off first). Place them in a warm place, 16C (60F), and the seedlings will emerge in week or so. Because the seeds are so fine, only cover them very lightly with the compost. ![]() Seed should be sown in March time in normal potting compost. They should be ready for moderate harvesting in early July time. The pieces (each should have a portion of root and foliage) can then simply be planted in the ground and left to grow. ![]() Dig up the plant, clear away as much soil as possible from the roots and gently tear the the plant into three or four pieces. Roots should be divided in April using plants three or four years old. The best way for speed is to grow from root division. The best way if you have no existing plants is to grow from seed. Thyme can be propagated in a variety of ways - seed, root division and from cuttings. Being a native of the Mediterranean it needs a place in full sun. Thyme likes a well-drained light soil, it should not be too rich in nutrients which will only make the plant 'leggy' and loose its compact shape. Sometimes it is grown between paving stones it is highly aromatic and when trodden on its scent is intensified.Ī native of Southern Europe, thyme is now grown the world over from Africa to Russia - it proves it's versatility and it certainly deserves a place in your garden. Thyme reaches a height of 30 cm (12in) and is best suited either to the rock garden or the front of a border. On top of that it is one of the most useful herbs for the kitchen. Its foliage is attractive, the long-lasting flowers are very pretty and it is a compact easy-care plant. Thyme deserves a place in all herb gardens. ![]()
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