Thyme: growing, harvesting and storing

Thyme is very useful as a medicinal and spice plant. We'll show you what you need to know about proper cultivation in your own garden.

The common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a heat-loving subshrub originating on the European Mediterranean coast. In addition to it, more than 200 other species belong to the thyme genus (Thymus). The variety is correspondingly large. It ranges from crawling tiny creatures that remain smaller than 10 cm to exotic smells and tastes reminiscent of caraway, lemon or ginger. The real thyme is especially known for its healing essential oil - the thyme oil. In order to be able to benefit from this, however, there are a few small things to consider for the successful cultivation of real thyme in your own garden.

Growing thyme - step by step

• Location: With real thyme, the key to success is right at the beginning. The location is the most important thing to crown the cultivation of the evergreen subshrub with success. The Mediterranean mint family prefers a dry and well-drained soil. This can also be very rocky and calcareous. In calcareous soils, however, not all nutrients are freely available to the plant due to the high pH value. Thyme can quickly lead to iron deficiency symptoms. Then the youngest leaves turn yellow first, while the leaf veins remain conspicuously green. Simple methods to lower the soil pH a bit and make the iron available again include incorporation of coffee grounds or conifer-based hummus.
  If only loamy soil is available, it is better not to grow thyme in the bed. With a little work, however, one could also prepare these heavy, waterlogged soils for the medicinal herb. A deep incorporation of compost every spring and the sowing of deep-rooted plants in autumn, which are suitable as green manure, loosens up the soil structure in the long term.
  Cultivating thyme in pots is of course also possible. Here, however, it is important to ensure that the selected substrate has a sand content of around 30%. Also here is thePermeability is paramount.

Propagation: Propagation by sowing on the one hand and propagation by cuttings on the other is possible for real thyme. If the mint family is to be propagated via cuttings, the first young shoots can be removed and rooted in spring. The cuttings should initially be kept in a high humidity environment. If the air is very dry, more water would have to be absorbed by the cuttings through the roots that are not yet present. Once sufficient roots have formed, it is important to wean the cutting from the comfort zone of high humidity. It favors the formation of fungal pathogens on the cuttings. The propagation of thyme by sowing is better done in a sheltered place in the house. Outdoors, the very fine seed can be very easily blown by the wind. Since thyme also needs light to germinate, the seed must not be covered with a protective layer of substrate to ensure optimal germination. Indoors, the seeds can be spread as early as March. At a temperature of 15 °C, thyme seeds will germinate within approximately 15 days. In mid-May, the thyme can then be planted as a young plant with a growth advantage in the now frost-free outdoor area.

Watering and fertilizing: Thyme is exactly the right plant for people who don't like watering or fertilizing. Even prolonged drought doesn't bother him. In the meantime, however, it has stopped growing. Both the fertilization in general and the additional supply of nitrogen in particular should be very restrained. If you fertilize too much, thyme will shoot through quickly. Supplementary fertilization every six to eight weeks is perfectly sufficient, even in pots. Fertilization should be stopped completely from August. This slows down growth and gives the young tissue enough time before winter to mature and develop sufficient winter hardiness.

Winter period: The Mediterranean sun worshiper is not completely frost hardy. Therefore, a protective cover should be made before the winter. A protective location on a house wall or hedge is also an option. In this way, the winter cold is buffered somewhat and the thyme enjoys somewhat milder temperatures than in the open field.

Pruning: So that the subshrub does not become too woody, it should be pruned back in spring. It is recommended to keep the plants down to the woody partcut back. But be careful: You have to pay attention to the right time. The cut should be done before the new shoots, but not too early if crisp late frosts are still imminent. Then the frost can penetrate the open interfaces and destroy the tissue.

Harvest: The thyme can be harvested continuously. Young shoots with a length of about 10 cm are cut off with scissors. If great importance is attached to a distinctive aroma, the harvest should be completed by the time the flowers appear (June to October). During flowering, the herb puts all its energy into developing the inflorescence. This is basically at the expense of the intensity of the characteristic aroma. The concentration of aromatic oils is highest when harvested in the morning. Every plant logically has a higher water requirement with increasing temperatures during the course of the day. This ensures that the essential oils are diluted over time, which are also excreted by the increased respiration of the plant. This can be identified by a more intense smell when crushing the leaves in the middle of the day or in the afternoon.

Storage: There are ways to extend shelf life:

• Drying: 10 to 15 cm long shoots are cut off, bundled and hung upside down. A dark and dry room is ideal for this so that the essential oils are preserved as much as possible during the drying process.
• Freezing: The small leaves are delicately plucked from the thyme shoots, then washed off and are now ready for the freezer. They can now be removed as required.
• Preserving: Fresh or dried shoots can be preserved in oil or vinegar. At the same time, oil or vinegar is produced with a spicy note of thyme. It is important that the shoots are completely surrounded by the liquid. Mold forms when it comes into contact with air.