Sometimes, a neglected thyme plant may need to be pruned back hard to remove woody growth and encourage tender, usable growth. Hard rejuvenation pruning normally take a few years to complete. In late fall, after the first frost, select one-third of the oldest and woodiest stems on your thyme plant.
How far can you cut back thyme?
Once you notice new growth, use small garden shears or scissors to trim off about ⅓ of the oldest, woodiest parts of the plant. Do not trim the new growth. Trimming more than ⅓ of the plant will leave it too bare and can slow its growth and production, so take care not to cut off too much.
How do you prune woody thyme?
The best time to prune is early spring, but there is a second chance now, once flowering is over. Remove the spent flowers and cut the stems back to a pair of leaves on no more than a third of the overall plant. Next spring, cut another third and you’ll find your herbs will stay in a good productive shape.
How do you revive a thyme plant?
Thyme prefers dry soil, so if the herb is planted in wet ground, you may be able to revive it by simply watering less frequently. Thyme loves full sun.
How to Save a Thyme Plant
- Remove thyme from moist ground. Plant in dry soil.
- Keep your thyme in full sunlight.
- Repot or fertilize thyme annually.
- Prune on a regular basis.
Why is my thyme Woody?
Trim thyme back after it’s finished flowering to promote new growth. This will give you more leaves to harvest through autumn. If you don’t tidy them up, plants become woody and will need replacing after three years.
Will my thyme plant grow back?
A majority of herbs are perennials throughout most of the United States. That means they come back year after year and usually get bigger or spread in territory each year. Some of our most-used cooking herbs are perennials, including sage, oregano and thyme.
How do you look after thyme in the winter?
Remove fallen leaves that settle on thyme plants in autumn to prevent rotting. Protect plants in pots from excessive winter wet by placing in a rain shadow or a dry, light position and raise onto pot feet to allow the compost to drain freely.
Can you leave thyme in the garden over winter?
Tender outdoor herbs
Herbs like bay, sage and thyme are hardy enough to survive the winter outside, but will not grow. If you want to harvest from them, protect them against the coldest weather. You can move plants into a coldframe, or an unheated greenhouse or conservatory. Make sure to ventilate them on milder days.
What can you do with woody herbs?
Welcome Woody Herbs into your home this winter
Although they are hardier than tender perennial herbs like basil, which have soft stems, woody herbs benefit from protection in winter. One of the most pleasant ways to overwinter them is to bring them indoors where they make wonderfully aromatic winter houseplants.
Should I let my thyme flower?
Thyme’s tiny flowers are pretty and white. Though you can pinch the flowers off to allow the plant to produce more leaves, the flavor of thyme really isn’t compromised by letting the plant bloom.
Why is my thyme falling over?
Thyme plants most commonly droop as a sign of stress because of over watering or slow draining soils. Thyme plants are adapted to dry soil conditions When there is too much moisture around the roots thyme plants can droop, and turn yellow or brown because of root rot.
Why is my thyme turning brown?
Your thyme could be dying due to root, a lack of sunlight, a rosemary beetle infestation or it could have naturally reached old age. To revive your plant you should ensure that it is getting enough sunlight, use a fungicide or pesticide, or repot it entirely.
How do you keep thyme looking good?
Caring for thyme
Water thyme only when the soil is dry or during establishment. Thyme does not usually require any supplementary fertiliser but, as with most herbs, the occasional application of a liquid fertiliser or seaweed solution in spring or after flowering will be beneficial to overall plant health.
Can you eat brown thyme?
Fresh looking leaves, with pliant stems. Avoid any that are dry, brown or mouldy.
How do you harvest thyme without killing the plant?
You can harvest fresh thyme periodically throughout the growing season, spring and summer. For the most flavor from your herbs, trim cuttings right before or as the plant flowers. The best time of the day to harvest thyme is on a sunny morning after the leaves are dry from any dew or moisture.
Will thyme grow back in the spring?
Most thyme plants are extremely cold hardy, able to survive temperatures down to -30°F and still grow back in the spring. You can find varieties suited to zones 3-11. It doesn’t do well in very wet climates however, and winter dampness is more likely to kill it than temperatures are.
How long does a thyme plant live?
Thyme is a perennial herb that often only lives for 5 or 6 years even with good care. After 3 years thyme plants growth tends to slow down and produce less leaves with a weak aroma and inferior flavour compared to younger thyme plants.
How do you look after outdoor thyme?
Thyme needs a warm, sunny position. The more sun it receives, the stronger the flavours. It is fairly drought tolerant and needs a well-drained, preferably alkaline, soil. It will grow well in fairly poor, even stony, soil.
How do you trim herbs for the winter?
Most importantly, trim off the dead flower heads to help keep the plants bushy. Don’t trim too low down the stems (a light trim of the top leaves is enough) as the plants need time to recover before the cold weather arrives and small tender shoots engendered by fierce pruning won’t take kindly to being bathed in frost.
Can thyme survive frost?
Cold-hardy herbs, such as chives, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme, can often survive cold-winter temperatures while continuing to produce flavorful foliage, as long as they are provided with some protection or grown indoors.
What herbs come back year after year?
These are the best perennial herbs that will return every year:
- Sage. Lynne BrotchieGetty Images.
- Thyme. Francois De HeelGetty Images.
- Chives. Neil HolmesGetty Images.
- Sorrel. Carl PendleGetty Images.
- Oregano. Westend61Getty Images.
- Mint. James A.
- Lavender. Lynne BrotchieGetty Images.
- Roman Chamomile. NataliaBulatovaGetty Images.