- How often should you water thyme?
- When and with what should you fertilize thyme?
- Do you have to cut thyme?
- My thyme looks sickly - what could it be and what do I do about it?
- Overwinter thyme properly
- tips and tricks
In theory, caring for thyme is actually quite simple: it has to be warm and dry, not too much water and nutrients, etc. Basically, the plant takes care of itself. In practice, Mediterranean herbs like thyme are also one is, on the other hand, not so easy to handle - the semi-shrub is quite sensitive and quickly resents even slight care mistakes.
How often should you water thyme?
As for all Mediterranean herbs, the same applies to thyme: only water carefully and with a sense of proportion! Too much moisture and especially waterlogging is acknowledged by the plant with rotting roots and finally with their death. Strictly speaking, planted thyme does not need to be watered at all - its deep and widely branched roots are self-sufficient even in dry periods. You can only occasionally water your thyme a little in the very hot summer months, when the soil is already threatening to dry out. Potted thyme, on the other hand, needs regular watering. It is best to water the plant whenever the top layer of soil in the pot has dried.
When and with what should you fertilize thyme?
You should also be very careful when it comes to fertilizing - planted garden thyme basically does not need any fertilizer at all, apart from some compost and / or lime at the beginning of the growing season. Potted thyme is supplied with diluted complete fertilizer about every six to eight weeks. However, make sure not to fertilize the plants - regardless of whether they are in a pot or in the garden - from July onwards.
Do you have to cut thyme?
The subshrub thyme lignifies with age - which in turn leads to bare leaves, because no fresh shoots grow out of the woody parts of the plant. For this reason, thyme should be pruned twice a year. The strong topiary is best done in the spring, but you should never cut into the old wood - instead leave about two to three centimeters of green wood. The further pruning care takes place in the course of the harvest.
My thyme looks sickly - what could it be and what do I do about it?
Very often there are complaints that after a while thyme turns brown and dies - the plant looks more or less dried up. Now don't make the mistake of watering the supposedly dried up thyme! The plant usually dies due to waterlogging, whereby the roots rot and can no longer supply the above-ground parts of the plant with sufficient water. In this case, you can often save your thyme by moving it to a new pot with fresh substrate (or digging it up again in the garden and treating the soil accordingly, e.g. mixing it with sand and broken pottery). A root cut should be made, i. H. You cut off the rotting roots with the help of a sharp, clean knife. If it is permanently wet, gray mold often occurs. On the other hand, thyme that has been wintered indoors or in a greenhouse often has to struggle with spider mites - these can be prevented by sufficient humidity.
Overwinter thyme properly
The best way to overwinter your thyme depends on the variety - some thyme varieties are hardy while others are not. For example, you can leave real thyme in the garden in winter and cover it with brushwood or protective mats, while more sensitive species should overwinter under cold house conditions.
tips and tricks
Flowering thyme attracts bees, bumblebees and butterflies. With thyme, lavender and all kinds of wild herbs and flowers you can create a great bee pasture in your garden.