Lemon Thyme: Variety Description, Outdoor Cultivation, Planting, and Care

Lemon-scented thyme from the Lamiaceae family grows in the central and southern parts of the country. This small subshrub blooms from June to August. The plant is frost- and drought-resistant, prefers sunny locations, and doesn't require frequent watering. Lemon thyme is easy to care for and tolerates damage from trampling. Its healing properties are used in folk and traditional medicine.

Description

This perennial, native to France, grows up to 30 cm in length. Its smooth leaves reach 10 cm in length and 1-3 cm in width. The oval-shaped leaves are small, green, and emit a lemon-like scent when crushed.

The bell-shaped flowers are lilac or pink, about 4 mm wide. They are gathered in spikes and also have a lemony scent. Small fruiting capsules contain four black seeds. A single bush grows up to 70 cm.

Varieties of lemon thyme

Over the past 30 years, many varieties and hybrids of this aromatic plant have been developed. All are sun-loving and can grow in partial shade, but they dislike shade. Without sun, growth slows, and flowers appear few. Thyme is frost-hardy and drought-tolerant.

Main varieties

These ornamental bushes retain their beauty throughout the growing season. The leaves, stems, and flowers have a pleasant lemon scent.

Donna Varley

The bush grows up to 10 cm. The foliage is green and yellow, about 1 cm long. Small, light purple flowers are gathered in clusters. The lemon plant blooms from May until late summer. It prefers sunny spots; in the shade, the yellow leaves turn green.

Silver Queen

A tall subshrub up to 20 cm tall and 30 cm wide. The erect stem bears racemes of pale pink flowers. The leaves are green-gray with a white border. Flowering occurs in June and July. The fragrance is most intense in midsummer.

Golden Dwarf

This variety has gained popularity among gardeners thanks to its light green foliage. The beautiful bushes grow no more than 10 cm in length. They bloom with lilac-pink flowers in the second half of summer. It is undemanding of soil and loves full sun.

Bertram Anderson

The 8-10 cm tall plant forms a green and yellow mat. The 8 mm long leaves have a yellow border. Light lilac flowers appear in July. Anderson's lilac is most often used to decorate rock gardens and alpine beds.

Growing from seeds in open soil

Planting and caring for thyme Lemon thyme is applied in the summer. Thyme prefers porous, slightly acidic soil. In the fall, dig up the area, remove all weeds, and sprinkle with manure (5-6 kg of fertilizer per square meter). You can also add phosphorus and potassium supplements. After wintering, dig up the area again, add urea (100 g per 5 liters of water), and sow the seeds after a couple of days.

Thyme seeds can be collected at home. They are harvested in August or September, when the seed pods are formed. The berries are carefully picked, dried, and stored until spring. Thyme seeds can also be purchased in stores. Be sure to check the expiration date on the label before purchasing.

For rapid germination, soak the seeds in warm water for 14 hours. It's a good idea to spray the soil mixture with a potassium permanganate solution for disinfection.

Planting is done in May, when the weather is warm and dry, with temperatures above 13 degrees Celsius. Furrows are made and the seeds are sown in rows, spaced 30 cm apart. Cover with sand, water, and cover with plastic wrap until sprouts appear, which should last for 15 days. After sprouting, dense plantings should be thinned.

Growing thyme at home

Grow a plant in a pot It's not difficult. Before planting thyme in a container, you need to choose a location. A well-lit windowsill is recommended, preferably on the south side of the house. During winter and on cloudy days, additional lighting will be needed for the plants.

To plant seeds, you'll need a shallow pot and nutritious soil. The container should be about 15 cm high. Place a 2 cm layer of drainage at the bottom. The soil substrate should consist of equal parts turf, peat, and sand. A cactus mix mixed halfway with black soil is suitable. Once the drainage and soil are in place, sow the seeds in the moistened soil, cover with no more than 1 cm of sand or soil, and water. You can cover with plastic wrap to speed up the emergence of seedlings. Once sprouts appear, move the pot to a shaded area. If too many seedlings sprout, transplant them to another container. Once the seedlings grow and become stronger, return them to a sunny spot.

Caring for thyme

This unpretentious plant requires no special care. Simple treatments are performed as needed.

Watering

Thyme tolerates drought well, but flowering depends on sufficient moisture. During the rainy season, watering should be stopped for a few days until the soil dries out. During dry periods, watering once or twice a week is sufficient, especially during flowering.

Loosening

Thyme requires light soil. Regularly loosen the soil around the bushes. This should be done carefully, as the thyme's carpet of flowers is very dense and there's a high risk of damaging the roots of the young plants. Don't forget to remove weeds and weed regularly.

Top dressing

If the soil was sufficiently fertilized in the fall, lemon thyme doesn't need additional feeding. Once a year, you can apply urea or a complex fertilizer before planting the bushes. The nutritious soil is sufficient for the development and growth of flowers.

Trimming

Bushes are pruned to create shape and volume. Pruning is done after flowering. The shoots are trimmed back by two-thirds of the bush, leaving only the woody part of the plant. Pruning can also be done before flowering, in the spring. This results in a dense, colorful carpet in summer.

Home care

The south side of the house is ideal for thyme. Only a few conditions are necessary for successful growth:

• room temperature 13-15 degrees;
• good lighting;
• loosening the soil in the pot is not deep, the root system is located superficially;
• watering as the soil dries out, excessive moisture can destroy the young plants;
• Complex mineral fertilizers are added twice a year.

At home, the leaves and flowers for tea are picked gradually to avoid damaging the plant. This is done during and after flowering. In the second year, the bushes can be repotted in other containers.

Propagation of thyme

Thyme propagates by seeds, division, and cuttings. The seed propagation method is described above. You can sow the seeds for seedlings in March. Grow them in containers, then, after the seedlings have established themselves, transplant them into the garden after a couple of months.

Cuttings

When pruning, the cuttings are not discarded but replanted in a greenhouse for strengthening or immediately in a new location. Cut a green petiole approximately 5 cm long and place it in water until roots appear, or you can plant it directly in soil under a jar. The soil is lightly moistened to encourage rooting. They take root within 15-20 days. Propagation by cuttings is carried out throughout the growing season.

Dividing the bush

The bush is dug up after flowering. Carefully separate the roots, freeing them from the soil. Small plants are replanted in pots or directly into the garden in a new location during warmer times of day. Holes are dug, the seedling is placed in the soil, covered with soil, lightly compacted, and watered. Rooting occurs within a couple of weeks.

Lemon thyme in landscape design

Lemon thyme covers the area with a dense, colorful carpet. This carpet serves as an alternative to grass. If you want lush greenery, trim the bushes and prevent them from blooming.

Lemon thyme is used in alpine gardens and rockeries. Its yellow foliage, combined with purple and pink flowers, looks beautiful in mixed borders, rock gardens, along paths, and in flower beds.

Culinary uses

Thyme stems are used as a spice. Both fresh and dried leaves are used. A tablespoon of fresh thyme yields a small spoonful of dried spice.

Thyme imparts a piquant flavor, a slight bitterness, and a unique aroma to dishes. It pairs well with meat, vegetables, eggs, and cheese. Bean dishes, when seasoned with thyme, acquire a fresh and new taste. The herb is used to make sauces, marinades, and various gravies.

Thyme additives extend the shelf life of foods. This herb can be added when canning tomatoes and cucumbers. It's perfect for stews, soups, and for adding a tart and bitter flavor to alcoholic beverages.

Medicinal properties

Thyme contains amino acids (valine, lysine, isoleucine, threonine, tryptophan), saturated fats, carbohydrates, sterols, and proteins. It also contains vitamins A, D, E, K, the entire B group, H, and PP. Minerals include calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, selenium, manganese, zinc, and copper. This rich composition allows this medicinal plant to be used for the treatment of a variety of ailments.

Medicinal herb Used in cosmetology, medicine, and cooking. A powerful antiseptic, it heals and disinfects wounds and inhibits pathogenic fungi and staphylococci. It treats alcohol addiction and improves appetite.

Medical applications:

• depression, neurasthenia, fatigue;
• asthma, tuberculosis, bronchitis, cough;
• helps with bloating and intestinal spasms;
• rheumatism, joint disease;
• bruises, hematomas;
• uterine bleeding;
• acne, rashes, eczema, abscesses, boils.

Thyme-based preparations relieve fatigue and help men restore their health (impotence, premature ejaculation, prostatitis).

Contraindications for use

Before beginning treatment with this herb, consult a doctor. Overdosing can be dangerous. Thyme contains thymol, which is the reason for its contraindications:

• stomach ulcer and gastritis;
• chronic kidney and liver diseases;
• hypertension;
• heart problems;
• individual intolerance to the drug.

The drug is contraindicated for children under 3 years of age, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women. Thyme is harmful even at the slightest increase in blood pressure.

Protection from pests and diseases

Proper care of thyme can help avoid many problems. Diseases aren't harmful to the plant, but they can be triggered by overwatering, lack of weeding, or uncontrolled weeds. Herbs grown in the shade are also susceptible.

Diseases

Fungal infections rarely affect the bushes. The plant is resistant to fungi. Fundazol, Topaz, and Horus are used for treatment.After chemical treatment, plants cannot be used for medicinal purposes or cooking.

Harmful insects

You can see webbing and damaged leaves on the underside of the leaf. These are meadow moth caterpillars that have taken up residence on the plant. Decis will help.

Sand slugs are controlled with pesticides. These products must be used strictly according to the instructions.

Weevils lay their eggs in flower buds. A safer insecticide is Fitoverm.

Harvesting

It's best to harvest the herb from the second year onward. Experienced gardeners remove old thyme bushes after six years, till the soil, disinfect the soil, and plant new plants.

Harvesting is done in dry weather, preventing dew. Damaged, dry, or diseased shoots are not removed. If harvesting is for essential oil, the herb is cut once a year after 50% of the flowers have appeared in July. If plant parts are needed, the herb is harvested 2-3 times per season. The first harvest is during flowering, and the last in September. Between harvests, irrigation and fertilization are performed to restore the plants.

Leave the bushes 13-14 cm above the ground. Do not cut the plants down to the roots or pull them out by the rhizome. Harvesting thyme by machine is not recommended; it is most often harvested by hand. Cut thyme with scissors, pruning shears, or a sickle. Place the herb in baskets to prevent compaction. Drying thyme in the sun is not recommended, as it may lose its beneficial properties. Use special dryers for drying the herb.

Reviews

Tina, 32 years old

I drank chamomile, mint, and lemon balm tea. I brewed oregano, a pleasant herb. None of the other herbs quenched my thirst. Lemon thyme—just what I'd been looking for. It has a pleasant aroma and taste. I sleep peacefully, have good dreams, and my good mood and optimism have returned.

Ekaterina, 49 years old

I've been using thyme for a long time to treat warts. Use 2 liters of water per cup of thyme (fresh or dried). Once it boils, turn off the heat after a couple of minutes. Let it sit for 2-3 hours. Place your hands in the hot infusion and steep for at least 50 minutes every day. Prepare a fresh infusion every other day. Warts disappear within 10 days.

Milana, 28 years old

If you want a little summer in your home, plant lemon thyme in a pot. Its unique aroma brings joy when there's snow outside. Add a few leaves to your tea instead of lemon. Or simply enjoy the beautiful flowers and lemon scent. In the spring, you can transplant the herb into your garden, where it will flourish.

Thyme teas and infusions are both enjoyable and beneficial. Just remember to use the herb in moderation. Proper care of the plants will allow you to reap a bountiful harvest and prepare high-quality herbs for the winter.