Thyme: cultivation and care in the country in the open field with a photo

Gardeners have long liked the low, ground cover grass, spreading like a flowering carpet and exuding a unique aroma. Growing thyme isn't just about landscaping, though. This plant, commonly called thyme, has long attracted attention with its healing properties and the ability to give a fragrant shade to meat dishes, soups, salads, marinades. In ancient Egypt, thyme was used in ritual ceremonies.

Thyme: plant description

Thyme belongs to an extensive genus with over 400 varieties, and is a low-growing perennial.Semi-shrub height: 5-35 cm. Lignified brown stems are covered with hard, opposite leaves. The color, shape and size of which are determined by the type of plant. Adventitious roots. Upright hairy peduncles form inflorescences of small flowers of a wide range of colors. Thyme blooms from June to August, filling the air with a warm spicy aroma.

Main types of thyme

Among the huge number of types of thyme stand out:

• Ordinary. Came to us from southern France and Spain. Differs in small, lanceolate leaves of dark green color and soft lilac flowers.
• Creeping. Mediterranean species with leathery leaves of various colors. Purple flowers have a beautiful pink hue. This thyme is resistant to frost and drought, and is considered an excellent honey plant.
• Lemon smelling. A hybrid species from southern France, named for its tart, lemony smell. Yellow leaves turn green over time. Pleasant pink flowers. Does not tolerate frost well, requires shelter for the cold season and regular pruning.
• Vegetable Medoc. Strongly leafy, perennial hybrid is resistant to drought, cold, produces high yields. Excellent honey plant and garden decoration. Used fresh and dried, in cooking and traditional medicine.

Methods of growing in the country

Growing thyme in your backyard is easy. To do this, prepare seeds, cuttings or divide the bush. Active propagation by self-seeding should be taken into account, as a result of which, over time, it will be necessary to deal with the limitation of space.

Thyme seed

Sowing seed material is possible on a site that has been carefully cleared of weeds. Since small seeds hatch within a month and develop very slowly, weeds interfere with the process. Therefore, it is preferable to grow thyme in seedlings. To do this, at the beginning of spring, a soil mixture of sand and peat is prepared, which is poured into boxes, trays or containers.The sown seeds are kept under polyethylene or glass until sprouts appear. Seedlings require regular moderate watering and good lighting. After 3-4 weeks, plants that look strong are hardened outdoors for two weeks, after which they are planted in a permanent place of growth.

Thyme from cuttings

In the summer, green cuttings are used to propagate thyme. This method is characterized by successful rooting. The procedure is carried out before flowering. The upper parts of the stems should be cut to a height of 10 cm, placed in river sand and covered with a piece of polyethylene. A month later, rooted specimens are planted in open ground.

When dividing a bush, the base is broken and the roots are carefully untangled.

It is recommended to cover the plots with a glass jar for a week in order to increase the survival rate.

Planting thyme

Growing a hardy and unpretentious shrub will not cause trouble for the gardener. Bogorodskaya grass adapts to the proposed climatic conditions and, with the right attitude, responds with the formation of a spherical bush and an increase in useful mass.

Choice of location and soil

To plant thyme, you need to choose a place in the garden that is open to the sun's rays, but without drafts. The soil should be neutral and well drained. Heavy, clayey and highly moist soils require the addition of sand. In order for the grass to feel good in the open field, acidification should not be allowed, for which chalk or lime is added.

It is necessary to take into account the overall design of the garden, so that the luxurious interweaving of thyme blends harmoniously into the landscape.

When and how to plant thyme?

Planting thyme seeds is carried out in autumn and spring after soaking in warm water for 12 hours. Shoots are thinned out, maintaining an interval of 30 cm.

Seedlings are best planted after frost, on a warm, sunny day. A spacious hole is being set up. The seedling is removed from the container and placed in a mixture of earth and sand. The surface of the soil is compacted, after which the plant is watered. When propagated by cuttings, planting is carried out in August.

When planting thyme in open ground with seeds, the flowering of the shrub will occur in the second year of life.

Thyme Care Rules

Due to the unpretentiousness of the plant, it is not necessary to create special conditions for cultivation. Agrotechnical activities include watering, weeding, loosening.

Irrigation features

Thyme is easier to endure drought than waterlogging, leading to root rot. Therefore, watering is indicated only in the case of a long dry period. On rainy days, the soil around the seedling is mulched with gravel, crushed stone, sawdust.

Feeding plants

You don't need much fertilizer to grow thyme. If the soil is fertilized with humus before planting, this is enough for the whole year ahead. Then, an annual top dressing with liquid mineral fertilizers is carried out in late spring or early summer.

It is advisable to use wood ash, which enriches the soil with minerals and reduces acidity.

Pruning thyme

Thyme pruning includes: shortening of shoots and removal of faded inflorescences. Shoots are cut to two-thirds of the length of the stem, this will maintain an attractive appearance and provide the plant with solidity. Cutting the bushes for the winter is optional.

Pinching out the stem will give the adult thyme its density.

Diseases and pests

Aromatic substances secreted by thyme in large quantities serve as a good protection against pests. Violation of the rules of care can provoke an attack of insects.

Significant damage to the plant is caused by:

• Meadow moths attacking stems and leaves. Activated on warm nights. Insecticide treatment helps.
• Sand lingers completely destroy above-ground organs. Fight them with poisoned baits.
• Weevils. They feed on young shoots, flower buds. You can secure plantings by treating with insecticides or setting baits with poisonous preparations.
• Aphids attack thyme stems and leaves. Does not tolerate insecticides.

Preventive measures to protect against pests and parasites are: regular loosening, timely removal of weeds, deep digging and application of alkaline fertilizers.

How does the plant winter?

Wintering thyme rarely brings problems to the owners of summer cottages, unless there is stagnation of melt water in the place of growth. The winter hardiness of the shrub is at a high level. But, if the gardener fears for planting fragrant grass and thinks about how to shelter the plants from frost, it is proposed to use the foliage that has fallen from trees and shrubs, spruce branches or peat. This is what they do in the case of a little snowy winter.

Collection and storage

Cutting thyme herb for human consumption and medicinal use is carried out twice during the growing season. In June, flowering plants contain the maximum amount of flavoring and healing substances, at this time the preparation is especially valuable.Secondary cutting of green mass is scheduled for the end of August.

The days of collecting grass that fall on church holidays are especially revered: the Trinity and the Dormition of the Virgin. There is a belief among the people that in these blanks the positive properties increase many times over.

Weak, shallow root system of thyme does not tolerate manual picking. The only correct method for harvesting aromatic herbs is cutting.

Dry raw materials should be tied in bunches, suspended in a dry place, protected from direct sunlight. A small amount of thyme can be dried by spreading it in a thin layer on paper sheets at home or indoors, sheltered from the sun and rain. An indispensable condition: the organization of ventilation.

The thyme is stored for storage in crushed or grated form, while the stems are removed. Ready for use, the powder is poured into hermetically sealed containers, such as coffee cans.Dishes should be placed in a dark place, such as a kitchen cabinet. Heavy paper bags and canvas bags are fine for dried herbs, but they lose the scent of the essential oils. The properties of the plant are preserved for two years.

Growing thyme is justified in several cases: for use in cooking, decorating and flavoring the garden, for medicinal purposes. An unpretentious culture is able to grow in harsh conditions that are not suitable for other plants. Growing thyme is not difficult due to resistance to changing weather conditions, high survival rate. With proper care, the plant grows quickly and pleases with abundant and long flowering.

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