How to Plant Thyme . Water: When it comes to watering creeping thyme, keep its potting soil constantly moist but never soggy. Thyme matures unevenly from plant to plant. Originally native to southern Europe, thyme can be grown successfully indoors or outdoors in a variety of areas, needing only basic attention in order to thrive. In the spring or fall, find a mature thyme plant. Use a spade to gently lift the clump of thyme … Mother of Thyme blooms all summer long, and the foliage is … Mother of thyme will bloom all summer long, and the foliage is an evergreen in most locations. Scoop soil around the seedling until the hole is well filled. Don’t buy transplants with brown leaves or dry spots. To plant thyme from transplant, choose sturdy well-branched plants with growth spilling over the pot. Then water only when the seedlings feel dry to the touch, to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches. Space thyme plants about one foot apart. Though creeping thyme is edible, it is not usually grown for this use, and instead is considered to be an ornamental plant that works well as ground cover. Thyme is one of the European herbs that evolved in the rocky, sandy coastal climate of the Mediterranean Sea. Avoid tall and gangly plants. Space thyme plants 12 to 24 inches apart in a very sunny area with fertile, well-drained soil with a pH close to 7.0. Keep in mind that thyme has a few windows of opportunity for planting and transplanting - the ideal time is in June or earlier, when the ground is warm but there's some rain in the forecast, with dull days. Around noon and again in late afternoon, gently shake the plants to encourage the ripe seeds to fall onto the sheets or into the bags. Low light will make your plant grow leggy stems that won’t look or taste right. Originally from the Mediterranean, thyme thrives in well-drained soil that’s low in nutrients. Creeping Thyme is low- growing and spreading with spikes of lavender bloom clusters. It’s a creeping ornamental variety with tiny leaves and petite lilac flowers. Planting a creeping thyme lawn with plants set 6-12 inches (15-30 cm.) Varieties of Lemon Thyme. What makes thyme such a great plant is that it doesn’t demand much, especially once it is established. Creeping Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum Magic Carpet) - If you have a stepping stone path or a flagstone patio, growing Magic Carpet seeds is a great way to add lovely, low-growing thyme to the walkway and patio crevices. Creeping thyme ground cover is only 2 - 4 inches high, and it spreads and flowers for most of the summer. Firstly, you can fertilize by adding organic material to the soil of the garden, do not require too much soil amendment. Plant creeping thyme 6 to 12 inches apart to allow for its spreading habitat. Thymus citriodorus – Lemon thyme. Creeping thyme is a low subshrub growing to 2 cm tall with creeping stems up to 10 cm long, with oval evergreen leaves 3-8 mm long. Usually, a thyme plant is grown from a division. The ground or a garden bed is an ideal place for lemon thyme if you don't plan to transfer it. There are several options, and luckily, thyme is a really easy going plant and will thrive no matter what, as long as you follow these tips. When you’re growing an herb garden indoors thyme will need as much bright, direct light as you can give it. With tiny round leaves that come in gray-green shades, the elfin thyme puts on a show … Thymus serpyllum coccineus -Red creeping thyme T. serpyllum Albus – White creeping thyme Therefore, a plant like this Creeping Pink Thyme with almost an inch of stem between its sets of leaves grows much more quickly than say a Pink Chintz Thyme or a Woolly Thyme whose leaves are very close together. It can tolerate periods of drought. While cutting the ripening tops is one way to obtain seeds, use of cloths, sheets, or paper bags may prove more productive. Scientific Name: Thymus serpyllum Plant Type: Perennial subshrub Light: Creeping thyme prefers full sun, but it can stand part sun. Most of the small creeping thyme varieties will fill in a 30 cm square (one square foot) area in about three seasons, depending on your climate. Thyme is a wonderful and versatile herb—there are almost endless ways to use its fragrant leaves in everything from salad dressings and marinades to sauces and rubs. Space young plants 12 to 24 inches apart, depending upon the specific variety. There's more about growing thyme among patio blocks here. Perfect for filling between stepping stones, as it will tolerate light foot traffic and has a wonderful fragrance when leaves are crushed. Creeping Thyme is a great addition to your garden, on the borders of your herb, flower or vegetable garden! Like most herbs, thyme needs bright light to flourish. Adds elegance to mixed b So it is required to keep a lot of space between them. How to Grow Thyme plant Soil and Location. Never plant this herb in soggy or heavy soil. In spring, creeping thyme can grow quickly, and you don’t have to face problems and get benefits from it. Plant thyme in well-drained soil. Creeping thyme is one of the many types of thyme available, which is a herb commonly cultivated for culinary use. or sage (Salvia officinalis). Creeping Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum Mother of Thyme) - Edge the borders of your herb, flower or vegetable garden with Mother of Thyme seed.It is low-growing and spreading, with spikes of lavender bloom clusters. Some flower very little; others burst into profusions of red, rose, lavender or white. Essentially drought-loving, thyme needs protection from cold winds and wet winters. If your soil does not appear to drain well, add some compost, sand, or organic material to help improve drainage. Should plant the creeping thyme in the spring- The best season of planting creeping thyme is spring. Article by Everything Backyard. apart can be pricey, but then again, if you have looked into reseeding or of laying sod for an entire turf lawn, the cost is fairly comparable. You can estimate how many plugs to plant by figuring out the approximate area (width x length) to come up with the number you'll need. Plant lemon thyme in the ground for unrestricted growth. Only grows to four inches across and slow-growing. A woody creeping perennial, the elfin thyme plant (Thymus serpyllum) is an aromatic shrub that grows close to the ground and covers the area like a fragrant and thick cushion. All creeping thymes spread by sending stems along the ground's surface to periodically grow leaves and roots. This hardy plant tolerates some traffic and produces a light lemon aroma. Plant cuttings or young thyme plants any time after the ground temperature reaches 70°F. Thymus serpyllum tolerates moderate foot traffic. This is usually 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost in well-drained soil about 9 inches apart. Creeping thyme is usually grown as an ornamental plant, cascading over rocky surfaces or creeping along pathways. A few of the popular culinary herbs — English thyme, citriodorus — could go … Here's everything you need to know about growing it! Space creeping thyme plants about 9 inches apart, or according to the variety's final growing width. Planting it in full sun brings the essential oils to the surface of the leaves and gives it great flavour. If your soil is too heavy or you have a small garden, grow thyme in pots – they will thrive in 15cm (6in) pots filled with a gritty potting medium, ideally soil. Plant creeping thyme in front of taller growing Mediterranean herbs that share similar growing requirements, such as rosemary (Rosmarinus spp. This increased stem segment also provides a greater rooting zone for the thyme … Whether you want to create a herb garden, a flower border, or a dense ground cover, lemon thyme does well! Thymus vulgaris – Common garden thyme. Plant out in a warm, sunny spot in the garden. For the sake of experimenting, I planted two varieties of Creeping Thyme, the taller growing regular Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and Coccineus Thyme (Thymus praecox ‘Coccineus’). Meadow Garden Lawn And Garden Garden Path Garden Tips Shade Garden Herb Garden Vegetable Garden Red Creeping Thyme Thyme Flower. ), lavender (Lavandula spp.) The plant is right at home in containers and is a natural choice as a ground cover or a border plant for garden beds and walking paths. Creeping thyme is a perfect plant to grow if you want something that doubles as a delicious ingredient. Thymus vulgaris prefers well-drained and dry soils. Planting in early spring with pH soil between 6.0 and 8.0. Plant. Thymus serpyllum 'Pink Chintz' (Thyme 'Pink Chintz')Thyme 'Pink Chintz' reaches a height of 5 cm and with its small green leaves and a profusion of pale pink flowers, this vigorous mat-forming creeping thyme is an excellent ground cover plant. Thyme prefers a sandy, dry soil. … Thyme Varieties and Common Names. Thyme is easy to divide. Plant it in free-draining soil or gravel in spring or autumn. The growing habits of this creeping herb are different from one variety to another. Provide each creeping thyme seedling with approximately 1 quart of water. Thymus vulgaris ‘Argenteus’ – Silver Thyme ‘Jekkas Thyme’ – Named after Jekka McVicar, early flowering and great tasting. Your lemon thyme plants can also thrive in a rock garden—even with little to no soil. Plant different kinds of thyme — silver, creeping, wooly — for a variety of colors and flowering times. When growing outdoors your plants will need up to 10 hours of direct sun during the day. Creeping thyme heights vary from 1 to 4 inches with spreads up to 24 inches or more. Two varieties of Creeping Thyme filling the French drain . This can result in root rot. Before planting in-ground, improve your existing soil by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter. Plant thyme in spring once chances of frost have passed. It has strongly scented flowers that are 4-6 mm long and produced in clusters. Zones 5-9. The creeping lemon thyme that my friend was growing, sported the same pink flowers as creeping caraway thyme and creeping spicy orange thyme. To plant thyme from seed, be patient. 1.8k. Thyme can be planted as a ground cover, around paving stones, or near a wall, as long as the drainage is good. They demand well-drained soil and will rot over winter if the ground is too wet. Plant one creeping thyme seedling into each of the holes. 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