How to Grow Thyme Herb For the
Freshest Leaves and Flowers

This guide about how to grow thyme gives you step-by-step instructions about growing this popular herb. This will ensure you have a year round supply of fresh leaves for use in your recipes. 

There are many types you could choose. If wanting to use for cooking, the one I generally choose is common thyme. Read more about this type.

Other good culinary varieties include, lemon, orange scented, silver queen and caraway thyme. 

Growing Notes: 

Common thyme is a perennial plant which grows to about 10-12 inches (50-60cm). It does best in well-draining, poor soil in full sunlight.

You can start off indoors with seeds in early spring or sow outside after the last frosts.

It is also an ideal container plant, and due to its compact size, can be happily grown on a sunny windowsill.

Step-by-Step-Tips on Growing Thyme

Sowing Indoors:

• Using a standard potting compost, fill seed trays, pots or plugs. Scatter the fine seeds on top of the compost
• Do not cover with compost, just water and leave to germinate in temperature between 15-20°C (60-70°F). (Keep watering to a minimum).
• After the last frost and when they're large enough to handle follow the instructions below

How to Grow Thyme Herb Outdoors & in Containers:

• After the last frost, plant any seedlings you grew earlier 8-10 inches (20-25cm) apart
• Thinly scatter the fine seeds over the prepared bed or compost filled containers and very lightly cover with compost.
• When large enough to handle, thin to 8-10 inches (20-25cm) apart
• The thyme plant likes it on the dry side, so keep watering to a minimum
• After flowering cut the plant back

Cuttings and Root Division:

Snip off a 3-4 inch piece from a non flowering growth. Remove the lowest leaves and plant in a pot. lightly water and leave ina warm place for a couple of weeks. Once it has roots you can plant out.

When the plants are a few years old, you can dig them up, divide the roots and replant for new growth.

Harvesting Rosemary Plants:

Pick the young leaves all year round for use in your cooking. 

Pests and Diseases:

No problems.

Click here to return to the main how to grow herbs page.

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