As a Mediterranean subshrub, lemon thyme tends to become woody over time and bare from the inside. It doesn't have to be. If you supplement the regular harvest cut with a shape and maintenance cut, the aromatic herbal plant will be preserved for several years. You can read here how it works.
Lemon thme is best harvested just before flowering
Topiary and harvest go hand in hand
Do not limit the cut of lemon thyme to current needs, especially if the kitchen only sporadically calls for the herb. Shorten the semi-shrub evenly all around, at the same time keep the degree of woodiness in check. How to do it right:
- The best time is just before flowering begins, during the morning hours
- Trim all branches with sharp, sanitized scissors
- Make the cut so that a small piece of green tissue remains
If possible, avoid cutting into the old, brown wood in the middle of the season, because lemon thyme has a hard time growing out of it again. If you notice dead shoots on this occasion, please cut them off at the base. The deeper the sun's rays penetrate into the bush, the more lush the leaves and flowers sprout.
Simply dry the excess crop
Lemon thyme is one of the privileged herbs whose aroma intensifies when dried. If the yield from the branches exceeds the need for fresh produce, tie small bouquets of them. Hung upside down in an airy, dark place, the branches will dry within a few weeks.
Rejuvenation cut in spring - Here's how it works
At the end of the flowering period or before the start of winter, cut back the branches by a maximum of half. Then provide the conditionally hardy herbal plant with a thick layer of leaves to protect against frost and snow. Only when there is no longer any fear of ground frost in spring does the citrusy subshrub receive its annual rejuvenation pruning:
- Cut off all branches to within a hand’s breadth of the ground
- Cut deadwood, stunted and frozen shoots at the base
Then give your Thymus x citriodorus new impetus with a portion of compost or liquid herbal fertilizer.
tips
Lemon thyme loves being watered with chalky water. On the other hand, avoid shocking your Mediterranean herbal plant with ice-cold tap water. First, place the watering can in the sun for some time before pouring the water on the root disk.