How Do You Plant A Mother Of Thyme?

Mother of Thyme seeds can be sown indoors or directly outdoors. If you don’t mind transplanting this plant, sowing indoors, in peat pots is recommended. Sow your Mother of Thyme seeds directly to the surface of the soil, allowing direct light to reach them. Do not cover the seeds with soil.

How tall does Mother of Thyme grow?

3" tall
Red Mother-of-Thyme

Zones	4 – 9
Water Tolerance	Low-Water
Mature Height	3″ tall
Mature Spread	18″ wide
Bloom Time	Early to late summer

How do you propagate thyme mother?

To facilitate rooting, cut a small lesion just below a node on the buried stem. The mother plant will nourish the layered section until roots form on the bent stem, at which time it may be severed from the mother and, voila, a brand new thyme plant is formed.

Is Mother of Thyme the same as creeping thyme?

Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox) is a perennial woody shrub. It is a hardy, low-maintenance plant that thrives in sandy or rocky soil in Mediterranean climates. Often called the “mother of thyme,” creeping thyme thrives in full sun.

How much sun does thyme mother need?

6 hours
Mother of thyme serves well as year-round ground cover; planting it along edges, on slopes, or in rock gardens is a good way to use it, provided the location is exposed to sun. If full sunlight is not available, plants should receive at least 6 hours of partial sun each day.

Is Mother of Thyme a perennial?

Thymus serpyllum
Mother-of-thyme leaves are used as seasoning, and in potpourris. Employed medicinally, it is believed to aid digestion and calm coughs. Makes a soothing tea. Mother-of-thyme is a deer resistant, winter hardy perennial to zone 5.

Should you cut back thyme in winter?

Cutting Thyme for Harvesting
It is best though to stop harvesting thyme about three to four weeks before the first frost. This will allow the more tender stems on the thyme plant to harden off some before the cold comes and will make it so you have less dieback on the thyme plant over the winter.

How do you divide the mother of thyme?

To divide thyme, dig up the whole plant and break it into sections. Three or four divisions per plant is usually enough as small divisions take longer to establish than larger ones. If the plant is reluctant to pull apart in your hands, use two hand forks back-to-back to prize it into sections.

Will thyme cuttings root in water?

Start the root structure
If you aren’t using a growth hormone, you’ll want to establish a root structure before planting in soil. To do this, you can place your thyme plant in a glass of water, with the 2″ of bare stem fully submerged. After 3-4 weeks you should start seeing roots sprouting out of the stem!

Can u grow thyme from a cutting?

Thyme easily grows from cuttings. There are different methods of propagating thyme but the one that increases the chance of success is rooting the cuttings in water. In less than a few weeks, you should see roots forming, after which you can transplant into a container or in the ground.

Is Mother of Thyme invasive?

Mother of thyme is of the creeping variety and will spread to around 24 inches (61 cm). It is not considered invasive. Thyme foliage is made up of tiny, aromatic green leaves that reach about a quarter of an inch (6 mm) in length. The woody stems are tough and should be discarded before using in cooking.

When should I plant thyme?

Plant thyme in spring once chances of frost have passed. 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. Before planting in-ground, improve your existing soil by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter.

Does creeping thyme come back every year?

Appears to have more flowers than foliage during its peak blooms. Covers the ground in color and breaks up all of the green. Is perennial, returning every year and requiring much less maintenance than grass.

Does creeping thyme spread fast?

Used primarily as a ground cover, the creeping thyme varieties (​Thymus​ spp.) are slow- to fast-spreading perennials when grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 9, depending on the species.

Will creeping thyme choke out other plants?

Creeping Thyme
Creeping Thyme spreads by sending runners underground that choke out other plants, including weeds. It has a maximum growth height of about four inches, which is considered the ideal height for lawns, and beautiful pink, purple or blue flowers.

Which thyme is best for ground cover?

Caraway Thyme is the only culinary Ground Cover Thyme in the bunch. Lavender Thyme will spread like a ground cover but it does get taller and is more suitable for areas that need cover but don’t get walked on too much.

Will creeping thyme choke out weeds?

Red creeping thyme adds attractive, deep green color to your landscape throughout spring, but it’s most beautiful in summer when it erupts in gorgeous crimson flowers. It really, really chokes out the weeds, forming a thick mat.

Does creeping thyme repel mosquitoes?

Thyme, including red creeping thyme (shown), possesses excellent mosquito-repelling properties. The secret is to crush the leaves to release the volatile oils. You can simply place crushed stems around outdoor seating areas or rub the leaves on skin or clothing.

How do I make my thyme bushy?

Really, the more you trim your thyme, the more it grows. Cut fresh stems in the morning, leaving behind tough, woody portions. Leave behind at least five inches of growth, so that the plant can still flourish. Regular pruning not only encourages more growth, but also promotes a more rounded shape.

Can you leave thyme in the garden over winter?

Oregano, rosemary, lemon verbena, thyme, and sage can all overwinter outdoors and will benefit from a good prune in the fall. Trim away the uppermost leaves and any dead flower heads, and prune back all dead wood on the plant.

How do you stop thyme going woody?

Regularly pruning thyme will help encourage healthy growth and prevent it from becoming too woody. The best time to prune thyme is in early spring once it starts putting out new growth. Use clean garden shears or scissors to cut off ⅓ of the oldest, woodiest growth on the plant.