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Home  »  A-Z Plant Index  »  Herb Plants  »  Thymus vulgaris

Thymus vulgaris

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Cooking, Kitchen or Common garden thyme

Thymus vulgaris - Kitchen Thyme
Thymus vulgaris – Kitchen Thyme

By far the most popular, Thymus vulgaris is a herb that is widely used in cooking where the leaves are used both fresh and dried..

This is a perennial plant that grows to around 40cm in height often a little smaller. The leaves are small, slightly pointed and the flowers are a white to pale pink appearing in summer.

This is the Thyme variety used widely in cooking throughout the Mediterranean. It is also well known for honey production in areas of Greece.

The leaves are used in making the classic bouquet garni, used in French cooking. The five ingredients for this can all be grown in the home garden.

Bouquet garni Ingredients.

  • Thyme
  • Parsley
  • Bay leaves
  • Peppercorns
  • Cloves

The optional extra being Star anise.

How to Grow Kitchen Thyme

Thymus vulgaris is a plant that grows well in the garden as well as in pots. We grow it both ways, a pot near the kitchen door makes it accessible, so try this with all the herbs you use regularly.

Choose a position in full sun and use a normal potting mix or soil, as long as the soil drains well kitchen Thyme will be happy.

Grow Thymus vulgaris From Seed

  • Use a normal potting mix.
  • Plant seeds in a deep pot around 30cm in diameter.
  • Seeds should be covered with a this layer of sifted soil or seed raining mix.
  • Water lightly and keep moist.
  • Once seeds germinate fertilise with a liquid fish and seaweed fertiliser.
  • This seedlings out to around 30cm apart.
  • So in a 30cm pot only one, maybe 2 plants.

Ongoing Care

  • Watering
    Water deeply every 2 weeks, more often in very hot dry summer periods.
    Cut back on watering during the colder winter month.
  • Fertiliser
    Use a slow release organic fertiliser in early spring. A little liquid fertiliser every month from spring through summer can also be used in poorer soils.
  • Keep your Plants Bushy
    Regular tip pruning or just regular harvesting will keep the plant more compact and bushy.

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