Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Thyme is a creeping plant and will spread via runners. This tendency to form a pleasing mat makes
thyme a popular choice for a lawn replacement. When allowed to bloom, thyme has attractive tiny
flowers in white or pink.
Thyme needs little maintenance in the garden beyond periodic watering. After the plant matures
the woody center will begin to die out. Every three or four years simply dig up your thyme, cut
away the woody center, and replant the healthy green sections from the outside. Extra divisions can
be replanted elsewhere or given to friends.
Harvesting thyme is as simple as cutting off a leafy stem to use fresh. In mild areas where thyme
stays green year-round, you can harvest throughout the year. In other areas, save some extra harvest
by hanging bunches to dry in a shaded area out of the sun.
Thyme is highly fragrant and each cultivar has a unique taste and fragrance of its own. Lemon
thyme can be used in recipes that call for lemony zest, or even in teas and jelly. Standard thyme
varieties are a favorite in meat dishes and seem to go especially well in Italian recipes.
Elfin Thyme.
Elfin thyme only grows a couple inches tall and produces the typical pink thyme
flowers, but they appear several weeks later in the middle of summer.
French Thyme.
French thyme has a sweeter flavor than the common English thyme and the leaves
have a silvery tint to them.
Orange Balsam.
Strongly scented and flavored, this taller thyme is a workhorse in the kitchen.
Silver Thyme.
A variegated thyme, the silver variety has gorgeous white edges that add sparkling
color as a ground cover. Used as common thyme in both kitchen and garden, this thyme adds a
new sparkle of color.
