How to Grow and Utilize Garden Thyme

Cultivated and widely used for centuries, thyme is a "life-giving" herb used in hundreds of health and vitality applications. The ancient Egyptians believed thyme, a member of the mint family Labiatae, to be a source of strength and courage. In ancient Egypt, thyme was used for embalming. Ancient Greeks sprinkled thyme in their bath water and burnt it in their homes and temples. Thyme soon found an important place in the culture of the European Middle Ages. Fair maidens presented knights with small bouquets of thyme, believing it bestowed courage and prowess. During this period of history, dried thyme sachets were placed in mattresses and bedding to ward off nightmares and malaise. Sweet and fragrant thyme was burnt as incense and placed in coffins. Thyme aided safe passage to the after-world. Garden thyme, or Thymus vulgaris, is a cultivated hybrid form of wild thyme, Thymus serpyllum.

Organic compost
Well-aged manure
Garden gloves
Garden trowel
Potting soil

Instructions

- 1
  
  Thyme can be grown in small pots on a kitchen windowsill.
  
  Select the variety of thyme you wish to cultivate. Lemon thyme, or Thymus x citriodorus, is a variegated pale green variety with a distinct lemon scent. It is used as a seasoning in a variety of pickles, vinegars and sauces. There are dozens of different varieties of thyme. Ornamental varieties include elfin, lime, white moss, lavender, woolly, silver needle, lemon frost and caraway. Culinary varieties include English, silver, orange and lemon. Thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow, so try several varieties in your herb garden. Seeds and transplants are available online or from garden centers.
- 2
  Start thyme from cuttings, nursery seedlings or seed. Select a planting area that receives full sun. Thyme requires at least four hours of sunlight each day, but will do best in areas that receive sun all day long. Thyme grown from seeds should be started indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost in your area.
  
  Provide thyme with plenty of moisture. Although drought resistant, thyme does best with a minimum of 1 inch of water per week.
  
  Amend garden soil with a generous application of organic compost or well-aged herbivore manure. Work well into the soil, removing rocks, roots and weeds. Plant transplants or seedlings outdoors, in well-drained soil, after all danger of frost is past. Space plants 6 to 8 inches apart. Wild thyme exhibits broader leaves and less fragrance than cultivated thyme. Today, sweet garden thyme is cultivated for culinary and medicinal purposes. Thyme creates an attractive, spreading ground cover, and is useful as an edging plant or to fill bare spots in the landscape.
- 3
  Harvest thyme in early autumn. You will be able to take several cuttings between September and December. Culinary thyme should be harvested just when the plant starts to flower. Cutting thyme in flower captures the most intense flavors and scent. Culinary thyme can be hung in bundles to dry or may be chopped and frozen for future use.
- 4
  Add fresh or dried thyme to bathwater. A tincture of thyme essential oil is a highly effective antiseptic. Thyme contains anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and anti-viral properties. Thyme has many uses in the household. Used as a culinary spice, thyme adds a burst of flavor to meat, stews, soups and salads.

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