When Is Best Time to Plant Ruby Thymus?

Site Selection

• Ruby thymus performs well in sites with full to partial sun exposure. However, if you want to see an abundance of ruby-purple flower clusters each summer, select a planting location that consistently receives more than six hours of direct daily sunlight. Avoid planting ruby thymus in sites that are prone to flooding. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, ruby thymus dislikes overly wet soils, which causes its roots to rot.

Soil Preparation

• Ruby thymus thrives in loose, sandy, rocky and well-draining soils. If your garden or home landscape does not offer a location with ruby thymus's preferred soil type, you can easily amend your existing soil to suit its needs. Use a shovel, spade, garden fork or tiller to incorporate organic materials into the soil to improve its texture, aeration and drainage. Work 3 inches coarse horticultural sand, 3 inches perlite and 1 inch leaf mold into the soil to a depth of 6 inches. Rake the soil to a smooth finish.

When to Plant

• Ruby thymus plants are easily propagated by seed. Sow the ruby thymus seeds in the prepared garden bed after the last spring frost, when the soil warms to at least 65 degrees F. The average estimated last frost date varies by U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone. In zones 5 and 6, the estimated last frost date, and ideal time to plant your ruby thymus, is from mid to late May. Sow ruby thymus seeds during the last week of April in zone 7; gardeners in zone 8 may plant their seeds at the beginning of that month.

Planting

• Broadcast the seeds over the surface of the improved soil; distribute the seeds as evenly as possible. Firmly compact the seed-covered soil with the palms of your hands to ensure that the seeds make good contact with the soil; if you have access to a water-filled lawn roller it may be used for this purpose. Irrigate the garden bed with a 1/2 inch of water to speed germination.

Ruby Thymus Care

• Ruby thymus should be watered regularly until the plants establish strong roots in their new location. Irrigate the plants with up to 3/4 inch water one to two times per week to maintain soil that's just slightly moist. Forgo supplemental irrigation when plants receive an equivalent amount of rainfall. Prune ruby thymus, as necessary, to remove diseased, damaged or dead growth, or to control the size and shape of the plant.