Thyme is a popular herb with multiple uses in cooking and treatment, thanks to its distinctive flavor and health benefits. In this article on your website botanist WORLD of PLANTS, we will introduce thyme, and then we will explain how to grow and care for it and many other important things.
Definition of thyme
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) belongs to the mint herb family, and the scientific name of thyme comes from a Latin term meaning smoke, a name that thyme may have acquired as a result of the strong aromatic smell that it emits, especially when burning its sticks and leaves.
Cultivation of thyme
Thyme seeds should be planted in the soil to a depth of six millimeters or less to germinate after about two weeks. When grown in planting pots, it takes about 6-8 weeks for them to germinate enough to be transported outside for planting, and planting should be done after the threat of Frost has passed.
Thyme can be grown by seeds, cuttings, or by layering, in addition, the division of the plant from the roots increases its quantity, and the thyme plant can be hybridized if its origin is known, it is stated that it is possible to grow it easily from seedlings 5-10 centimeters tall, taken in the spring, it is also worth noting It should be taken care not to use this method if there are any harmful organisms living in the soil.
Fertilizing thyme over-fertilized thyme plants tend to germinate tall, thin, and weak-growing seedlings; so a lot of fertilizer should not be added to the soil where thyme grows, but some base fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and sulfur can be added annually, according to the results of soil analysis; as thyme It grows well when nitrogen is added to the soil, which is usually added after each harvest to promote the growth of new seedlings during the growing season.
Where is thyme grown
Thyme is used as a spice and it is possible to grow it in the garden or on your windowsill and it is possible to grow it in the kitchen and continue to grow until it reaches about 2.5 cm.
Thyme planting conditions
A number of conditions must be met when planting thyme:
It must be planted in a place where the sun's rays reach and it is possible to plant in pots containing other types of herbs.
Thyme can be grown in all types of soils, especially Sandy or yellow soils, it is better to choose well-drained and ventilated soils, as it has properties that withstand soil acidity and difficult and harsh climatic conditions.
Thyme seedlings are planted in permanent soil from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn, avoiding planting on frost days.
Date of planting thyme
- Planting Baala: thyme is planted in the month of December "December” and January "January" of the year
- Traffic cultivation : it is sown in October “October” and November "November" of the year
Methods of growing thyme
There are many ways to grow thyme, there is a way to grow it by seeds, or grow it from plant cuttings, or grow it by seedlings, but this method is difficult for the farmer as the germination rates of the crop are low and to grow thyme by seeds follow the following steps:
First: - cultivation of thyme by seeds
You should follow these steps :
- Thyme seeds are very small, as one ounce contains 120,000 seeds.
- Thyme seeds should be planted to a depth of six millimeters or less to germinate after about two weeks.
- As for growing thyme in planting pots, it takes 6-8 weeks until it can grow sufficiently.
- Prepare the soil for planting by getting rid of stones, pebbles and weeds.
- Thyme is sown in winter in the form of seeds in containers placed in a closed compartment.
- The seeds are placed so that they are embedded under a thin layer of soil with the application of an amount of compost.
- Watering should be done gently because excessive moisture leads to the destruction of seeds and allows fungi to grow.
- After seed germination, the plants are moved when their hard roots are formed and are 6 inches high.
Second: - the method of growing thyme from plant cuttings
You should follow these steps :
- Choose healthy plant cuttings of thyme and it is good to take those cuttings in the spring.
- The branches should be 4 - 6 inches long with the leaves removed from the stem that will be placed in the pot.
- Farmers use special rooting preparations in order to increase the germination of roots.
- Planting pots should contain a mixture of Moss , peat , vermiculite with the addition of 31 commercial potting mix.
- The method of plant division can be used, so that we take 4-3 divisions from a prosperous and healthy plant in order for each part to have a well-developed root system.
- In this way, it is possible to propagate healthy thyme plant species without eliminating and destroying the mother plants, and these divisions have high Success Rates provided that their roots are not destroyed during the transplant process
Third: - the method of growing thyme by seedlings
You should follow these steps :
- The land is well plowed two perpendicular plows, then compost and phosphate are added at the rate of 20 m. fully decomposed organic fertilizer.
- The ground is planned at a rate of 10-12 lines in the reeds and the seedlings are planted in the presence of water at a distance of 20-25 cm between each seedling and the other and watered every two summer weeks and every 3-4 weeks.
- In modern lands, the soil is prepared as before with the addition of fertilizers in the subsoil, then the lines are backfilled and the hoses are separated.
Watering thyme
After the thyme has fully germinated, whether after planting it by seed or cuttings, it is necessary to organize the irrigation process so that it does not thirst or drown, and this is by looking at the soil and the general shape of the plant .
With regard to fertilizing, it is necessary to take good care of fertilizing, adding 2 grams of NPK per liter of water and then irrigating the plant with it every week; or we prepare a natural fertilizer at home, then periodic fertilizing with it every week .
Thyme propagation methods
- Thyme can be propagated by terminal stem cuttings, taking into account cuttings to ensure rooting success, and then transferred to the perennial ground.
- It can be propagated by dividing old plants into cuttings containing roots, stems and leaves in October and November.
- It can be propagated by seeds in the first two lugs in November with the transfer of perennial seedlings in February and the second lug sown by seed in June.
Harvesting thyme
You can cut sticks of fresh thyme according to use, add it to salads or drink it boiled like Mint . And to harvest thyme in it, you cut the stick from a height of at least 5 cm above the soil, or cut only the part you need from the terminal node of the plant .
Warnings when planting thyme
- Provide adequate lighting for the thyme plant in the absence of a sunny place for its cultivation inside the House.
- An artificial light source can be used as fluorescent lamps or special phytolamps.
- The need to harvest thyme early after the dew dries from it.
- Growing thyme in a dry environment where it is considered the best environments for growing it and fixing its fragrant aroma.
- Avoid exposing the thyme plant to extreme moisture, as this leads to rotting of the plant.
- The seeds are placed so that they are embedded under a thin layer of soil with the application of an amount of compost.
- Watering should be done gently because excessive moisture leads to the destruction of seeds and allows fungi to grow.
- After seed germination, the plants are moved when their hard roots are formed and are 6 inches high.
How to fertilize thyme
You should take care to fertilize the thyme plant, provided that the amount of fertilizer is not exaggerated, so as not to lead to the production of tall, thin, poorly growing seedlings, so too much fertilizer should not be added to the soil where thyme grows.
Therefore, the amount of fertilizer in the soil where thyme grows should be reduced, taking into account the addition of some base fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur, on an annual basis according to the results of soil analysis.
It should be mentioned that thyme grows well if nitrogen is added to the soil, which is added after each harvest to stimulate the growth of new seedlings during the growing season.
Ways to grow thyme at home from seeds
- Prepare the place where you will plant thyme seeds by smoothing the soil and dividing it into small tubs.
- Make lines or rows with an interval of 30 cm between each row and the other.
- Place the seeds on top of the rows or lines that you have processed.
- Leave an interval of 7 to 10 cm between each seed and the other.
- After distributing the seeds, cover them with a light layer of soil 1 cm thick.
- After that, you carefully water the seeds so that the soil does not drift and the seeds float to the surface, therefore it is preferable to use a sprinkler or an irrigation sprayer.
- Thyme is preferably planted in light soil consisting of bitumen and sand.
- Keep regular watering of thyme without overdrying the irrigation water, as well as do not leave the soil to be subjected to severe drought, try to balance and organize the watering process.
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