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Provide your plant with full sun, and remember that lemon thyme can handle hot and dry conditions more than it can a cool, damp soil and root system. Plant lemon thyme in the spring in full sunlight, with plants spaced about 12 inches apart. Make sure that your soil’s drainage is ample, and avoid overwatering.
Do you cut lemon thyme back?
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.
How do you keep lemon thyme alive?
Water completely each time but allow the pot to dry before watering again. Fertilize thyme with a weak solution of fish emulsion or liquid seaweed, diluted by half every two weeks. Cut back overly woody stems on the thyme plant to force fresh new growth. Trim off flowers and dry them for a sachet or use them in tea.
How do you prune lemon thyme?
In late fall, after the first frost, select one-third of the oldest and woodiest stems on your thyme plant. Using sharp, clean shears, cut these stems back by half. Repeat the process the next year until your thyme plant has returned to growing younger, more tender stems all over the plant.
How do you care for potted lemon thyme?
Lemon thyme prefers dry conditions, so watering it weekly or even every few weeks is fine. Once the soil is truly dry to the touch, water the soil until it’s drenched.
Does lemon thyme repel mosquitoes?
Crushed lemon thyme has 62 percent of the mosquito-repelling activity of DEET. Lemon thyme has shiny, bright green leaves, or look for a variegated type sold as golden lemon thyme (Thymus x citriodorus ‘Aureus’). This herb is hardy in Zones 5-9.
Will lemon thyme survive winter?
In areas with cold winters, thyme is considered semi-evergreen, meaning that the plant will retain some of its foliage during winter but not all. Since thyme is a Mediterranean herb, it prefers full sun and well-draining soil. The keys to successful overwintering are good drainage and winter mulch.
Does lemon thyme grow well in pots?
Lemon thyme requires a 10- to 12-inch container with a similar depth. Only use a container with bottom drainage holes, and fill it with a standard potting soil mixture formulated for houseplants. One plant fits in a single pot.
How many hours of sunlight does thyme need?
Like most herbs, thyme needs bright light to flourish. 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.
Why is my indoor thyme plant dying?
The most common reasons for thyme dying are: Thyme has root rot or fungal disease due to consistently damp soil. Drooping or slow growing thyme due to small pots or containers or a lack of drainage holes in the base of the pot. Thyme plant that requires reviving after Winter.
Does thyme regrow after cutting?
Use small garden shears or scissors to remove only the soft, green stems from the plant. Do not cut past the woody parts of the herb—this is where it the new growth will occur. Cutting the thyme way back will allow the herb to better withstand the winter weather and encourages new growth in the following season.
Is it OK to let thyme flower?
Thyme’s tiny flowers are pretty and white. Though you can pinch the flowers off to allow the plant to produce more leaves, the flavor of thyme really isn’t compromised by letting the plant bloom.
Should you let lemon thyme flower?
Originally from the Mediterranean area, this herb is drought-friendly so it doesn’t have high watering needs. It is also pollinator-friendly! Let some thyme plants flower, since the herb attracts the bees.
Why is my lemon thyme flowering?
A popular herb grown not only for its culinary uses but for its attractive foliage, lemon thyme plants can be planted to form a groundcover or among pavers along a path or patio. The tiny flowers are a bee attractor, aiding in the pollination of surrounding plants.
Does lemon thyme grow back every year?
A majority of herbs are perennials throughout most of the United States. That means they come back year after year and usually get bigger or spread in territory each year. Some of our most-used cooking herbs are perennials, including sage, oregano and thyme.
What grows well with lemon thyme?
8 Companion Plants to Grow With Thyme Strawberries. Thyme works as a deterrent to worms. Cabbage family crops. Tomatoes. Eggplants. Potatoes. Blueberries. Shallots. Roses.
Do bugs like lemon thyme?
Lemon Thyme Repels mosquitoes. 2 This hardy herb can adapt to dry or rocky, shallow soil and will thrive in your herb garden, a rock garden, or a front border as long as these are in sunny locations. The plant itself will not repel pesky mosquitoes.
Does lemon thyme repel gnats?
Plants that Repel Gnats. There is a handful that can keep gnats at bay, including geraniums, lemon thyme, lavender, and Mexican marigold. The wonderful thing about using plants is that not only do they look nice in your garden, but they will also help keep more than just gnats away.
How do you dry lemon thyme?
Once the stems have cooled to room temperature, remove the leaves by hand. Dehydrating: The quickest method of drying thyme requires a food dehydrator. Place the thyme in the dehydrator at 100°F for 1 to 2 hours until completely dry. Strip and store.
What is lemon thyme good for?
How to use it. Lemon thyme can be used to flavour poultry, seafood, and vegetables, and will accentuate the natural flavour profiles of fish and meat dishes in particular. It can be added to marinades, stews, soups, salads, sauces, bouquet garnis and stuffing, and a few sprigs also make an attractive garnish.
How do you look after thyme in the winter?
Remove fallen leaves that settle on thyme plants in autumn to prevent rotting. Protect plants in pots from excessive winter wet by placing in a rain shadow or a dry, light position and raise onto pot feet to allow the compost to drain freely.
Is thyme and lemon thyme the same?
Lemon thyme is one of the many varieties of thyme. It looks just like regular thyme, with long, thin sprigs with tiny spear-shaped green leaves. You’ll notice a difference immediately when you crush a few of its leaves and breath in its sweet, lemony aroma.
