Thyme is a very vigorous herb that can easily be grown from seeds or cuttings.
Thyme is a light germinator
Thyme seeds are extremely fine - a single gram of thyme seeds alone contains around 4000 grains. It is best not to sow such fine seeds directly into the bed, but to prefer them in small pots or seed trays. This is also advisable insofar as the grains only germinate from around 15 °C - a temperature that is rarely reached between March and May in many areas of Germany. Furthermore, thyme is a typical light germinator, i. H. the seed must not be covered with soil or only very thinly.
Sowing Thyme
When preferring the small thyme plants, you can proceed as follows:
- Fill a shallow seed tray or small pot with a mixture of potting soil and sand.
- Lightly moisten the substrate with a spray bottle.
- Scatter the seeds as evenly as possible.
- Press the seed lightly.
- Cover the bowl or pot with cling film (secure with a rubber band).
- Place the growing pot on a bright window sill.
- Keep the substrate evenly moist.
- Be careful not to wash away the seed.
Alternatively, from April / May you can also cultivate in a cold frame - i.e. under glass
Prick out young plants and plant out
The thyme seeds will germinate quite quickly within a maximum of two weeks. The young plants can be pricked out after just four to five weeks. To do this, plant several plants (maximum three to four) in a larger pot. After another four weeks, the now larger plants can go into the bed - provided that no more night frosts are to be expected. Ergo, they can be planted in the garden from around mid to late May, provided you have already moved in March. Plant the young thyme about 25 x 25 centimeters apart.
tips and tricks
When planting the thyme, make sure that the top edge of the ball is approximately at the same height as the top edge of the bed - thymes that are planted too deep in particular can die. Incidentally, this planting advice also applies to purchased thyme plants.