<< Back to Gardening TipsThyme
To achieve optimum results, plant the seed indoors in early spring. Thyme is very hardy and will grow under most conditions. It prefers full sun and a soil that is light and sandy, or loamy. Apply Blessings Blends OMRI-Listed Premium Compost (.5 – .5 – .4) for best results.
Pinching the tips of the stems keeps plants bushy, but stop clipping about a month before the first frost of fall to make sure that new growth is not too tender going into the cool weather. Cut thyme back by one third in spring, always cutting above points where you can see new growth, never below into the leafless woody stem. Lemon thyme is more upright and more vigorous than the other thymes. In the North and cold climates, cover with pine boughs after the soil freezes to help protect from winter damage. In Zone 10, thyme is usually an annual, often succumbing to heat and humidity in mid-summer.
