Is thyme hardy? How to properly overwinter it

Thyme is a popular addition to the herb garden - but is it also hardy? Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, because breeding and variety determine how the plant reacts to freezing temperatures. When wintering, you must therefore pay attention to a few factors. Especially if the plant is to remain outdoors. The climate and the variety decide whether protection is necessary and how it should be designed.

Winter-resistant varieties

If you leave the thyme - or thymus, as it is also called - outdoors and in the If you want to protect as little as possible in winter, you should choose a variety that is or is hardy one great tolerance to frost having.

This includes:

• Sand thyme down to -30 ° C
• Cushion thyme and Cascade Thyme each down to -28 ° C
• Real thyme, Scented thyme and wild thyme down to about -22 ° C each

Unless these varieties are planted in a particularly harsh climate or if sharp drops in temperature are to be expected, they hardly need any protective measures during the winter. Only the location should be optimally matched to the needs of the crops.

This includes for successful cultivation and appropriate winter storage:

• sufficient light: The thymus should be exposed to light for at least four to six hours a day in summer. In winter it should also not be completely in the shade, as it is an evergreen plant that needs light.
• Reduce temperature fluctuations: The robust thymus species are disturbed and weakened less by frost and more by temperature fluctuations. A very exposed location is therefore unfavorable for successful wintering. Cultivation in planters with a diameter of less than 30 centimeters is also not recommended.
• no waterlogging: The roots of the thyme suffer quickly when they are in too moist soil or even exposed to waterlogging. However, this can also happen quickly in rather dry areas during autumn and winter. In addition to a dry location and adequate drainage, protection from precipitation should also be offered in rainy areas. For example, needle sticks, which are distributed around the thymus, are suitable for this.
• Avoid marjoram: If marjoram and thyme are planted close together, they mutually hinder their growth. The plants go into hibernation already weakened. This increases the risk that the thymus will die - even if it's hardy.

Frost-sensitive varieties

Cultivated forms of thyme are clearly more sensitive to frost. Spanish thyme, for example, can only tolerate temperatures as low as -10 ° C. Caraway thyme, lemon thyme, hybrids and variegated leaves are also not suitable for wintering outdoors. If you are unsure which variety it is, you should overwinter the plant for safety in the house.

Winter protection

In the field

If the thyme was planted outdoors and it is not certain that it is a variety that is hardy, or if extreme minus temperatures have to be expected, the following protective measures can make sense be.

• Cover the ground: Leaves, straw and brushwood protect against frost and also help to avoid sudden temperature fluctuations.
• Protection against moisture: In heavy snowfall or continuous rain, the ground can quickly become very wet. As mentioned above, coniferous branches create a certain protection against precipitation. An alternative are foils that cover the floor and can specifically keep water away in the immediate vicinity.
• Sheathing the plant: Thymus is evergreen and therefore needs sufficient light even during winter. If the temperature drops very sharply, it may still be necessary to protect leaves and twigs. For this purpose, the plant can be covered with fleece, jute or garden foil. On warmer days, however, the cover should be accepted so that the plant receives sufficient light.

Overwinter

In the bucket

If the thyme is grown in the bucket and is to be overwintered outdoors, it always needs appropriate protection. Because even hardy varieties those with a high tolerance to frost are inadequately protected due to the lower volume of soil in the planter. The following points must therefore be observed.

• Light: The plant needs a light and sheltered place. The south side near a wall or wall is ideal.
• Isolation from below: So that the roots and soil are protected from frost below, the planter should be placed on a thick piece of wood or a thick styrofoam plate. This also applies if the bucket is on the balcony and is therefore already elevated.
• External protection: The bucket must be jacketed to compensate for the small volume of soil and to allow less frost to penetrate. Suitable materials are base foil, jute, styrofoam fleece, fleece or special frost protection coatings for plants.
• Size of the planter: If the planter has a diameter of less than 30 centimeters, the protective measures described are usually not sufficient. The more soil volume is available, the better the crop is protected against the cold.

In the house

Wintering in the house is the safest and easiest way for the thyme, as very little needs to be considered. The following factors are necessary.

• a sufficiently bright location: Window sills are ideal. A bright room, hallway or basement with windows is also sufficient.
• a frost-free place: The spicy-aromatic herb can be overwintered cold or warm - the main thing is that it is frost-free. Therefore, the kitchen is just as suitable as the cellar.
• adapted watering: The warmer and lighter the plant is, the more water it needs. In general, the substrate should never dry out. With a warm and light-rich winter, watering is of course more necessary than in a cool cellar.

Our tip: The cool overwintering means a power-giving break for the plant. If possible, varieties that are not hardy should also be cooler in winter.