Don't cut the thyme plant back more than one-third when shaping. If you need to cut back your thyme plant by more than one-third in order to achieve the shape that you would like, only do a one-third cut back each year until the desired shape of the thyme plant is achieved.
The most common reason for thyme plants dying is because of root rot or fungal disease caused by excess moisture around the roots due to over watering or slow draining soils. Thyme plants can begin to die back, dry out and turn brown after 4 or 5 years.
Thyme is a good substitution for rosemary, especially when used along with other spices. However, when substituting rosemary for thyme, it's important to use slightly less amount than what the recipe calls for. This is because rosemary has a stronger flavour than thyme.
Cold-hardy herbs, such as chives, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme, can often survive cold-winter temperatures while continuing to produce flavorful foliage, as long as they are provided with some protection or grown indoors.
How to Cultivate Thyme
- Soil: Plant thyme in well-drained soil with an optimal pH between 6.0 and 8.0.
- Sun: Thyme needs a growing area with plenty of sunlight.
- Water: Most varieties of thyme are drought-resistant, so only give a thorough watering, when the soil is completely dry.
Wild thyme (Thymus pulegiodes, syn. T. serpyllum) can be invasive in some situations. None of the many varieties of lemon thyme are particularly invasive, even creeping lemon thyme is little risk because it does not produce seeds and spreads only by creeping.
Herb Temperature Tolerance – Are Your Herbs Cold Tolerant?
| Herb | Ideal Temperature Range |
|---|
| Oregano | 55-70°F (18-21°C) |
| Rosemary | 55-70°F (13-21°C) |
| Sage | 70-85°F (21-29°C) |
| Thyme | 60-75°F (15-24°C) |
Wet conditions kill more herbs in winter than the cold, so place container-grown perennials such as oregano, thyme, sage and rosemary in a sheltered position against a wall or the side of the house or garage. This will reduce the amount of rainfall hitting the pot by around 25 per cent.
Temperature: While rosemary survives below 30 degrees outside, inside keep the temperature in the 55 to 80 degree range. About 60 to 65 degrees is best. Air circulation: While not something usually mentioned, air circulation is important.
Keep herbs in rooms that have at least a 65 to 70°F day and 55 to 60°F night temperature regimes. Although most herbs can survive temperatures that are in the mid to low 40s, others cannot; for example, basil (Ocimum basilicum) cannot survive temperatures lower than 50°F.
Cilantro is a cool-season crop that does best at temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees F. It can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 degrees F, but if temperatures exceed 85 degrees F it will start to bolt.
Mint prefers full sun but will grow just fine in partial shade. Mint prefers temperatures between 55 and 70°F (13–21ºC). If you live in a cold-winter region, protect mint through the winter in a container placed under a covered patio, in the garage, or in the kitchen.
It prefers temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit according to Floridata. It can tolerate temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit, making it winter hardy in USDA zone 9 and above. Parsley dislikes humid weather and may die if temperatures rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Basil Cold HardinessThe cold tolerance of basil begins to suffer when the mercury drops into the 40's (F.) but really affects the plant at 32 degrees F. (0 C.). The herb may not die, but basil cold damage will be in evidence.
Depending on your location, creeping thyme will either remain evergreen or it will lose its leaves and some stems will die over the winter. You don't need to prune it, but to protect it as much as possible you can cover it with sand or gravel over the winter.
If you live in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 or below, rosemary will only survive if you bring it indoors before the arrival of freezing temperatures. However, there are exceptions, as a few newer rosemary cultivars have been bred to survive temperatures as low as USDA zone 6 with ample winter protection.
Rosemary.
Though you'll want to plant an herb garden for cooking, rosemary repels flies and mosquitoes. It also has a pungent scent that drives away other bugs, including cabbage moths. It does well in hot dry weather, and thrives in containers, so you can set it in various places around the garden.Most varieties grow best in well-drained, loamy, slightly acidic soil. The preferred soil pH is between 6.0 and 7.0. Rosemary should receive at least 6 hours of sun each day; it grows best in full sun. If you plan to use rosemary as a perennial plant, choose a site that will not be disturbed by tilling.
A You might have to accept a muted performance by some of these plants but parsley, mint, lovage, sorrel, sweet cicely, chives, chervil, basil, rosemary and marjoram all grow in shade. But give all the Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, sage, tarragon, etc) very good drainage, even if they are not in full sun.
According to the hardiness maps we are too far north (zone 5) to grow rosemary as a perennial. Rosemary is generally hardy in zones 8 and 9. A few cultivars like Arp and Hill Hardy will survive in zone 7 and a few gardeners report success in zone 6b.
The blooming period starts in the spring season and ends in late summer. Some rosemary species bloom during early summer, and the flowering maturity cycle ends in winter. Good drainage soils with little to no fertilizers and 8 to 12 hours of sunlight per day are crucial for flowering.
Keep an eye on rosemary if it is a perennial in your area; after a couple years it can become invasive. Cut a few succulent stems above any woody growth as needed throughout the growing season. Regular harvest of a few stems throughout the season will encourage bushier growth.
Rosemary won't tolerate being consistently wet. Once established, rosemary can eventually grow to about 4 feet tall and spread about 4 feet as well. In the garden, plant near beans, cabbage, carrots, and sage. Learn more about companion planting with herbs.
Lavender is a Low-Maintenance Perennial
And this beauty will come back to your garden every year, for about 3-5 years, so it's a great investment. Before you make any plant purchases, however, I want to remind you to always choose plants that thrive in your plant hardiness zone.Most varieties of thyme will tolerate part shade. Let the soil slightly dry out between waterings. Try planting it with other flowers and herbs for a fragrant container.
Although a variety of herbs (and even flowers, like marigolds and nasturtiums) can often be planted together, certain kinds like parsley, cilantro, tarragon, basil and chives prefer a more moist soil, and should not be planted directly with thyme.
What's the difference between thyme and oregano? The flavor and scent are their most defining features, with thyme being a complex combination of sweet and peppery as well as minty and lemony, whereas oregano is a very bold, pungent and earthy flavor.
Trim thyme back after it's finished flowering to promote new growth. This will give you more leaves to harvest through autumn. If you don't tidy them up, plants become woody and will need replacing after three years. Once established, thyme won't need watering.
When growing outdoors your plants will need up to 10 hours of direct sun during the day. When you're growing an herb garden indoors thyme will need as much bright, direct light as you can give it. Low light will make your plant grow leggy stems that won't look or taste right.
15 Perennial Herbs That Grow Back Every Year
- Sage.
- Rosemary.
- Parsley.
- Thyme.
- Mint.
- Bay.
- Chives.
- Lavender.
Thyme also contains a variety of minerals and vitamins that promote good health. Thyme is full of vitamin C for immune support, potassium for healthy cells, and manganese for bone development and blood clotting.
Thyme can work as a substitute for rosemary, though its flavor is much more mild. If you're making a crostini or salad where it calls to use fresh rosemary leaves as a garnish, fresh thyme would work well. In cooked dishes, you can substitute equal parts of fresh or dried thyme for fresh or dried rosemary.
