Thyme: grow, harvest and store

Thyme is very useful as a medicinal and aromatic plant. We will show you what you need to consider for the correct cultivation in your own garden.

The real thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a heat-loving subshrub originating on the European Mediterranean coast. In addition to him, more than 200 other species belong to the genus of thyme (Thymus). The diversity is correspondingly large. It ranges from crawling tiny creatures that stay smaller than 10 cm to exotic smells and tastes that are on Caraway seed, Lemon or ginger recall. The real thyme is especially known for its healing essential oil - the thyme oil. However, so that you can benefit from this, a few small things must be observed for the successful cultivation of real thyme in your own garden.

Growing thyme - step by step

• Location: With real thyme, the key to success is right at the start. The location is the most important thing to successfully crown the cultivation of the evergreen subshrub. The Mediterranean mint family prefers dry and well-drained soil. This can also be very stony and calcareous. In calcareous soils, however, not all nutrients are freely available for the plant due to the high pH value. With thyme this can quickly lead to iron deficiency symptoms. Then the youngest leaves first turn yellow, with the leaf veins remaining conspicuously green. Simple methods to lower the soil pH somewhat and to make the iron available again are, for example, the incorporation of coffee grounds or humus based on conifers.
  
  If only loamy soil is available, it is better to avoid growing thyme in the bed. With a little effort, however, these heavy, watery soils could also be prepared for the medicinal herb. A deep incorporation of compost every spring and the sowing of deep-rooted plants, which are suitable as green manure, in autumn loosens the soil structure sustainably.
  A culture of the thyme in the pot is of course also possible. However, it is important to ensure that the selected substrate has a sand content of around 30%. Here, too, permeability is the top priority.

Propagation: For real thyme, on the one hand, there is propagation through sowing and, on the other hand, the Propagation of cuttings in question. If the mint is to be propagated using cuttings, the first young shoots can be removed and rooted in spring. The cuttings should initially be kept in an environment with high humidity. If the air is very dry, more water would have to be absorbed by the cutting via the roots that are not yet available. As soon as sufficient roots have formed, it is important to wean the cutting from the comfort zone of high humidity. This is because it favors the formation of fungal pathogens on the cutting. The propagation of thyme by sowing is better done in a sheltered place in the house. In the open air, the very fine seed can easily be blown away by the wind. Since thyme is also a light germinator, the seeds must not be covered with a protective substrate layer for optimal germination success. The seeds can be spread indoors as early as March. At a temperature of 15 ° C, thyme seeds will germinate within approximately 15 days. In mid-May, the thyme can then be planted as a young plant with a growth advantage in the now frost-free field.

Watering and fertilizing: For those who are lazy about watering and fertilizing, real thyme is exactly the right plant. Even prolonged drought does not bother him. In the meantime, however, it stops growing. Both the fertilization in general, but especially the additional application of nitrogen, should be very cautious. If you fertilize too much, thyme will shoot through quickly. Every six to eight weeks, a supplementary fertilization in the pot is completely sufficient. From August fertilization should be completely stopped. This slows growth and the young tissue has enough time to mature and develop sufficient winter hardiness before winter.

Wintering: The Mediterranean sun worshiper is not completely frost hardy. Therefore, a protective cover should be made before winter. A protective location on a house wall or hedge is also an option. In this way, the winter cold is somewhat buffered and the thyme enjoys somewhat milder temperatures than in the open field.

Cut: To prevent the subshrub from becoming too lignified, pruning should be carried out in spring. It is recommended to cut the plants back to the woody part. But be careful: You have to pay attention to the right time. The cut should be made before the new shoots, but also not too early if there is still a risk of crisp late frosts. Then the frost can penetrate the open interfaces and destroy the tissue.

Harvest: The thyme can be harvested continuously. Young shoots with a length of about 10 cm are cut off with scissors. If great importance is attached to a pronounced aroma, the harvest should be completed by the time the flowers appear (June to October). During flowering, the herb puts all its strength into developing the inflorescence. This is basically at the expense of the intensity of the characteristic aroma. The concentration of aromatic oils is highest when harvested in the morning. With increasing temperatures during the day, every plant logically has a higher water requirement. This ensures a dilution of the essential oils, which are also excreted through the increased breathing of the plant. This can be seen from a more intense smell when the leaves are rubbed in at noon or in the afternoon.

Storage: The possibilities are presented to the durability to extend:

• Drying: shoots 10 to 15 cm long are cut off, bundled and hung upside down. A dark and dry room is ideal for this, so that the essential oils are preserved as much as possible during the drying process.
• Freezing: The small leaves are carefully plucked from the thyme shoots, then washed off and are now ready for the freezer. They can now be removed as required.
• Pickling: Fresh or dried shoots can be soaked in oil or vinegar. At the same time, you produce oil or vinegar with a spicy thyme note. It is important that the shoots are completely enclosed by the liquid. Mold formation occurs when there is contact with air.

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