Growing thyme in the garden: what a perennial loves and what to avoid
Ground cover plants have long been very popular with gardeners, especially thyme. Growing thyme in the garden is possible even for beginners, because it is quite unpretentious. Perennial bushes will not only delight you with lush creeping curtains and charming flowering. Thanks to their chic aroma, thyme sprigs will serve as a wonderful seasoning for many dishes, highlighting their taste. He is not capricious in leaving, and one of the most important points is the right landing site. By providing the plants with good lighting, you can get a beautiful border and a decent supply of spices.
Thyme is also known as thyme or Bogorodskaya herb. Not to be confused with savory - although it is also a spice, it is a completely separate culture.
Choosing a landing site
For your thyme to really grow lush, it needs a lot of light. It is necessary to plant bushes in a well-lit area. In partial shade, they will not grow, but rather survive. The stems will begin to stretch out and flowering will be poor or not at all.
Variegated varieties of thyme are especially demanding on lighting.
In nature, like a wild culture, thyme grows on rocky slopes and in the steppes. Accordingly, it is not very picky about the soil and can take root almost everywhere. The exception is marshland - there the bushes will disappear. Excess moisture for a perennial is destructive, and it more easily tolerates its lack. Not suitable for culture and too "greasy" soil - in sandstone it will be much more comfortable.
How and when to plant
Thyme propagates by dividing the bush, cuttings or seeds. Delenki are best planted in spring, and seeds can be sown before winter. Cuttings are carried out in July with the help of young shoots. The rooted cutting is planted in a permanent place in August.
When planting seedlings, you do not need to apply any additional fertilizers to the hole. Moreover, if the soil is too nutritious, it should be thinned with sand. Do not forget to water the planted bush abundantly.
Growing thyme in the garden: rules for caring for a spicy bush
Taking care of garden thyme is a pleasure. All work consists of several points:
- To mulch the soil under the bush with sawdust or gravel.
- Water only in dry summer.
- In late spring, feed once with a mineral complex.
- In autumn or early spring, trim the bushes, shortening the shoots by 1/3.
Most garden thyme species winter well under snow. If there is usually little snow in winter, it is advisable to cover the plants with fallen leaves. Lemon thyme also needs additional shelter.