Coming in a number of varieties, many of which are creeping and create an ideal ground cover for the perennial garden, thyme is veggie patch staple and our number variety for making cheap patch puns. :”Who has enough thyme?!”, “This one thyme, one band camp….” and “What’s the thyme Mr. Wolf?”
Common thyme, otherwise known as garden thyme, is preferred for its culinary application. With narrow and delicate greyish-green leaves and white flowers, it produces an abundance of foliage over a long growing season.
Thyme is one of the more hardy perennial herbs of the garden. Once set it produces with little fuss or fanfare and is always willing to provide a garnish to the ultimate roast chicken.
PLANTING
Seeds are very small, so scatter a few along a shallow trench line and water in. Keep moist, not wet, until the seeds have germinated; this will take between 6 – 8 weeks.
WATERING
In ground: Water daily for the first 4 weeks and 3-4 times a week in the absence of rainfall thereafter. Once set, it will survive the cooler seasons with rainfall.
In Pots: Water daily, in the absence of rainfall, for the entirety of the warm season, and then cut back to watering every second day during the cooler times of the year.
MAINTENANCE
Prepare soil with compost and slow-release all-round fertiliser and plant seedlings directly to the patch. Choose a planting time that is neither extremely hot or cold. Mulch with pea straw, lucerne hay or sugar cane mulch to a depth of 3–5cm.
Feed monthly with liquid seaweed solution and at around the 4 week mark you can begin harvesting in moderation, taking from the more mature stems.
During the warm months the plant will produce an abundance of tender, fresh growth however as production slows and flower form with the cooler weather, the plant will become a little woody and production stagnates.
Give mature plants a hard cut back at the end of winter and then watch it shoot right back as warmth returns.
HARVESTING
First thing is to make sure you thyme plant is ready for a harvest. Young plants really need to focus their attention on growing strong and full, so try your best to pick young plants in moderation. Just a small snip or two, from time to time, is all it will be able to handle.
For more mature plants, use sharp scissors or snips that leave the plant with as little trauma as possible, and take the top tips of the plant with are the most tender; no more than a 1/3 of the plant. Avoid taking from snipping down into the plant’s woody growth, as this produce is less flavoursome and essential for the sustained growth of the plant.
TIP
The plant can become thickly matted with roots and will benefit from division in early spring to invigorate the plant and encourage new growth.
Also, don’t wash thyme after you’ve harvested as it affects the lovely fragrant oils that add to the flavour.
