Mother-of-Thyme Seed Planting Dates for Utah

Fall

• Throughout most of Utah's USDA zones 5 through 8, mother of thyme will remain hardy. In microclimates at higher elevations of Utah's zones 2 through 4, however, it can be grown as an annual or taken indoors during the winter. While mother of thyme is cold hardy, seedlings should be protected from cold for the first winter to give the young plants a chance to develop. Planting seeds in the fall will allow the young plants to be placed outdoors in the permanent location as soon as the last chance of frost is gone in the spring. In the colder northern Utah, fall planting should be done indoors. In southern Utah areas where frost is less common, seeds can be started in containers outdoors and brought in only when there is a chance of frost.

Spring

• Mother-of-thyme can be planted outdoors in Utah as soon as the chance of frost is over, which will be earlier in the warmer growing zones. The young plants will still need to be protected from cold for the first winter, so planting in containers that can be brought indoors is recommended. Mother-of-thyme prefers sun, but some shade can prevent the seeds from drying out as they begin to sprout. Once the plants are established, they can be moved to full sun.

Sowing

• Seeds for mother-of-thyme are very small and should be sown on the surface of soil, or barely covered. Covering them too deeply will prevent them from growing. Soil should be kept damp, but not wet, until seeds have sprouted and established roots. Seeds need a temperature of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate. Sprouting should begin to occur within a week, although germination for mother-of-thyme seeds can be erratic, so planting more seed than expected plants is a good idea. Mother-of-thyme grows slowly after sprouting. It can take a year before plants are large enough to harvest or are strong enough to withstand being stepped on if grown for ground cover.

Soil

• Potting soil can be used for sprouting mother-of-thyme seeds and for plants that will be grown in pots. Soil does not have to be rich; less fertile soil will produce more leaves that are more aromatic. Garden soil should be light and well drained. Mother-of-thyme does not grow well in clay, because it retains too much moisture, which can cause mildew.