From Seed – Sow seeds indoors, in a greenhouse, or immediately outdoors when frost risk has passed. At 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, seeds normally germinate between seven to twenty-one days. Sow seeds in organic potting soil in trays or two-inch pots for indoor cultivation.
- For germination, sow seeds on top of the soil or gently covered to a maximum depth of 1/16 of an inch, and maintain regular hydration.
- Reduce the number of seedlings per pot to two to three.
- After the seedlings have formed roots and reached a height of one to two inches, they may be transplanted outside.
The plants may be acclimatized by taking them outside during the day and bringing them back inside at night, gradually increasing the amount of time they spend outdoors by about an hour every day. This helps the seedlings to become accustomed to their new surroundings and lowers the danger of shock when they are put outside.
Before putting seeds outside, you must prepare the planting space. Remove weeds and sweep off any dense dirt clumps. Spread the seeds across the allocated area and firmly press them into the earth, or sow two to three seeds 12 to 18 inches apart in staggered rows. No deeply than 1/16 of an inch, sow seeds.
After scattering seeds, be careful to water them well so that they are not blown away by the wind or an inquisitive animal. The most crucial (and difficult) aspect of direct seeding is maintaining a constantly wet planting space. Maintain frequent watering after sprouts begin to emerge and gradually reduce watering as plants grow. 
Can thyme be grown from its seeds?
How to Grow Creeping Thyme From Seed: Plant Creeping Thyme seeds immediately outside after all risk of frost has gone. Prepare a seed bed by aerating and weeding the soil. Spread the ground cover seeds of Creeping Thyme and push them firmly into the soil.
How Many Thyme Seeds Do I Require? The quantity of land that may be sown with thyme seed is highly dependent on the technique of sowing, as thyme seeds are quite minute. Due to planting a 1 “gap between pavers, we would recommend one package each 6-10 feet.
For instance, if you were planting a two-foot-wide route comprised of eight-foot-long, one-foot-square pavers with a one-inch gap, you would need around 22 feet and seven inches “linear area for planting. If you rounded it up to 23′ for safety and assumed 8 feet per pack, you would want around 3 packs of seed.
Because we do sell out, you may wish to have a “just in case” back-up pack on hand. If you intend to plant a big lawn or slope, you might want to consider purchasing Mother of Thyme in bulk. Expect roughly 400 seeds each package of creeping thyme, but 150,000 seeds per ounce of Mother of Thyme! Using the saltshaker approach, one ounce of seed will cover between 500 and 600 square feet.
- Hello Thyme Garden, Earlier in the spring, I purchased a large quantity of “Creeping Thyme 1/2” seeds (thymus serpyllum sp).
- Even though your web description of this thyme recommended against direct-seeding it as a lawn (and included your own tale of doing this), I chose to chance doing so because I live in a moist temperate environment (coastal Maine) and it was spring.
I wanted a mowing-friendly, weed-suppressing ground cover beneath my raspberry rows, and I believed it would be an inexpensive experiment. I am contacting you today to let you know that this has worked magnificently. I am in the process of keeping it weeded, but not excessively, as it becomes established.
- Daily weeding takes around 10 to 15 minutes.
- Thank you, Gail in Maine’s Blue Hill CA Alexa Young Advice for Planting Creeping Thyme – Once you have chosen the kind of thyme you wish to grow, you must decide how you will sow the seeds.
- Very little thyme seeds must be kept wet throughout germination; a single instance of drying out would kill the seed.
Therefore, we recommend beginning your seeds in plug flats. What is a flat plug? It is essentially a collection of small containers joined together for convenience. Using a plug flat separates the roots of your seedlings, making transferring easier. Each cell contains a drainage hole.
We employ plug flats with a 1 “The cells are square (called “128s” for the total number of cells per flat; see image). You may get plug flats from your local garden center or online. You will need to fill your flats with sterile seedling mix and compact the surface with your hands. Sprinkle the thyme seed on the soil’s surface and press it lightly into the ground, but do not cover it.
When planting, fully mist and maintain a wet environment at all times. Replace with a 4 “pot or on your path once the seedlings have established themselves. Check out how one of our clients in Oregon utilized this strategy using Creeping Thyme to achieve success.
Observe how swiftly the vegetation grows in just three months. How Many Thyme Seeds Do I Require? The quantity of land that may be sown with thyme seed is highly dependent on the technique of sowing, as thyme seeds are quite minute. Due to planting a 1 “gap between pavers, we would recommend one package each 6-10 feet.
For instance, if you were planting a two-foot-wide route comprised of eight-foot-long, one-foot-square pavers with a one-inch gap, you would need around 22 feet and seven inches “linear area for planting. If you rounded it up to 23′ for safety and assumed 8 feet per pack, you would want around 3 packs of seed.
Because we do sell out, you may wish to have a “just in case” back-up pack on hand. If you intend to plant a big lawn or slope, you might want to consider purchasing Mother of Thyme in bulk. Expect roughly 400 seeds each package of creeping thyme, but 150,000 seeds per ounce of Mother of Thyme! Using the saltshaker approach, one ounce of seed will cover between 500 and 600 square feet.
Hello Thyme Garden, Earlier in the spring, I purchased a large quantity of “Creeping Thyme 1/2” seeds (thymus serpyllum sp). Even though your web description of this thyme recommended against direct-seeding it as a lawn (and included your own tale of doing this), I chose to chance doing so because I live in a moist temperate environment (coastal Maine) and it was spring.
I wanted a mowing-friendly, weed-suppressing ground cover beneath my raspberry rows, and I believed it would be an inexpensive experiment. I am contacting you today to let you know that this has worked magnificently. I am in the process of keeping it weeded, but not excessively, as it becomes established.
Daily weeding takes around 10 to 15 minutes. Thank you, Gail in Maine’s Blue Hill CA Alexa Young
Is thyme easy to cultivate from seed?
Thyme Thymus vulgaris, or common thyme, is a perennial plant. Easy to cultivate from seed, however germination takes 14 to 28 days. Best started inside in a greenhouse where the temperature may be maintained about 70 degrees. There are around 170,000 seeds per ounce of thyme.
It takes one ounce to grow one acre. Sow thyme seed in sterile growth material in either shallow rows or as a scattering with minimal or no cover. After they have taken root, been transplanted into 2 1/4-inch peat pots, and reached a height of 2 to 3 inches, they can be relocated outdoors to cooler temperatures.
For small gardens, plants should be spaced 9 inches apart; for field production, plants should be spaced 12 to 18 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart. Thyme loves sandy, well-drained soil. Avoid planting in dense, soggy soil. Thyme has modest nutrient needs, thus the soil should only get a minimal amount of fertilizer.
- In early summer, fish emulsion diluted with water may be utilized.
- Important to suppress weeds since they compete with slow-growing young thyme plants for nutrition.
- Once the plants are established, they would benefit from mulch to prevent weed growth.
- This also maintains the lower branches clean, as opposed to open cultivation, which exposes the lower branches to the effects of rain on bare soil.
Before the blooms begin to open, harvest thyme by cutting the plant 1.5 to 2 inches from the ground. A second growth will arise, but it should not be trimmed in any way. This would diminish the winter hardiness of the plant. Despite being a hardy perennial, thyme plants require winter care to withstand the cold.
- After harvesting, place the cut plants on sheets of newspaper or fine screen and dry them in the warm shade.
- When the leaves are dry, they will readily detach from the woody stalks with a little rub.
- Each spring, trim thyme plants to half their previous height in order to preserve their sensitive stems and bushy growth habit.
After three to four years, plants turn woody and must be replanted from seed. See our whole : Thyme 
