Creeping thyme: variety description, outdoor cultivation, planting and care

Thyme is a perennial, profusely flowering plant found throughout the wild in European Russia and Siberia. Commonly known as savory, it is revered for its medicinal properties and the unrivaled beauty of its flowering shrub.

Planting and caring for thyme outdoors is a simple and quite enjoyable activity. In a relatively short time and with minimal effort, you can grow a beautifully flowering plant that will also help cure a cough and calm your nerves.

Biological characteristics of the plant

Creeping thyme (Bogorodskaya grass) belongs to the group of perennial herbaceous plants of the Lamiaceae family.

This is a miniature shrub, 15-20 centimeters tall, with creeping stems that, as they grow, create a picturesque carpet. The stems become woody at the base. The plant is usually petiolate, with side shoots growing from a single shoot, which will later produce flowering. The leaves are ovate, bright green, medium-sized, and up to one centimeter long. The edges of the leaves have deep, even teeth that cut the blade almost in half.

Thyme blooms with small, pale purple flowers that gather in large, capitate inflorescences. The voluminous, loose inflorescences are located at the very top of the stems. After flowering, the remaining fruit consists of four small nuts. Thyme has a strong, aromatic scent. It blooms in June and July.

The healing properties of thyme

Thanks to its rich chemical composition, thyme has a therapeutic effect on the human body. The herb of various thyme species is used for colds. Herbal infusions are drunk for coughs, bronchitis, and other respiratory ailments. Furthermore, the herb has disinfectant, anthelmintic, and antispasmodic properties. It helps cope with fever and cramps.

Thyme's above-ground parts are used for medicinal purposes; they are harvested during the period of intense flowering. Only the green branches are cut, avoiding the woody parts.

Dry the mixture in the shade in a room with good air circulation. The stems, ready for making medicinal tinctures, must be completely dry. You can tell when they're ready by breaking a twig – if it snaps with a crunch, the herb is ready.

Thyme is used to make more than just infusions. Dried flowers and leaves are included in many medicinal preparations. Thyme is also used in the liquor and vodka industries, and its essential oil is used in soap and perfume making.

Composition of thyme:

• essential oil;
• mineral salt;
• resin;
• various acids;
• flavonoids.

Varieties of thyme

Thyme has several varieties, which are used both for medicinal purposes and for garden decoration. The most popular varieties are:

1. Marshallii is a subshrub up to 30 centimeters tall. It blooms with airy, pale-lilac corollas. It prefers rocky slopes.
2. Talieva – a variety named after the Soviet botanist Valery Taliev. The plant is often found in river valleys. It blooms all summer with light blue flower heads.
3. Silver Queen is a 20-centimeter shrub that grows silvery leaves topped with dense purple flowers.

Creeping thyme belongs to the Thyme group, which also includes:

1. Thyme is a heavily branched dwarf subshrub. Its small green leaves are covered with fuzz. It blooms with white or lilac flowers.
2. Lemon-scented – known for its pleasant aroma with hints of lemon. The ovoid leaves are yellow-green.
3. Early – blooms in the first half of summer. The shrub covers large surfaces with its shoots. A small scattering of flowers creates a vibrant purple carpet.

Creeping thyme: planting and care

Thyme is grown as an annual or triennial plant. It thrives in well-lit, level areas with fertile, weed-free soil. It's best planted on the southeast side of the plot, near the house or fence, away from drafts.

Landing

Creeping thyme can be grown from seeds. They are planted in the spring, when the soil warms to 13 degrees Celsius. Sow the seeds on the soil surface, without burying them. Cover the seeds with a layer of sand. The sand will prevent water from pooling on the soil surface and also provide the seeds with essential minerals. If frost or precipitation is expected in the region, it's best to cover the bed with plastic to keep the thyme warm. This will speed up germination.

After 2-3 weeks, when the seedlings have grown sufficiently, thin out the bed. Leave at least 30 centimeters between plants.

Open ground planting can also be done using seedlings. Thyme seedlings are sown in early March in seedling trays. Thyme germination conditions are no different from those for any other seedling. The plants require watering, ventilation, a comfortable temperature, and consistent daylight. After a month, the seedlings begin to harden off by briefly placing them on the veranda. In mid-April, they are planted and subsequently cared for in the open ground. However, until early May, the seedlings should be kept under temporary cover.

Care

Thyme is very easy to care for. Home care for newly planted plants consists of occasional watering and pruning. Fertilizing is not essential, as the roots use up nutrients quite slowly, so the chemicals added at planting will last for at least two years.

Trimming. Immediately after planting, thyme plants are pinched. This will encourage the growth of numerous side shoots, which will form a lush crown. The plant needs to be pruned regularly to maintain a beautiful shape and direct the shoots in the desired direction of growth. This procedure is performed in early spring or fall, after the leaves have fallen. The shoots are trimmed back to the base. This will allow the plant to grow more lush and vigorous shoots for the following season.

WateringThyme tolerates weeks of heat well and is undemanding when it comes to watering. Watering should be done no more than once every two weeks. If there is frequent rainfall, stop watering altogether.

Soil cultivation. The soil under thyme should always be clean and weed-free. Since the plant grows rather slowly, any weeds that appear will rob the plant of nutrients, causing it to stop growing altogether. It's important to loosen the soil after watering to ensure the roots have constant access to fresh air. When growing perennial thyme, it's necessary to cover the plant for the winter. Straw, peat, or sawdust can be used for this purpose.

Fertilizer. Thyme doesn't require much fertilizing, as long as the soil was well-amended with organic matter and mineral fertilizers when planted. Once a year, usually in early spring, nitrogen-containing compounds, such as urea or ammonium nitrate, are added to the soil. In the second year, the soil is supplemented with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Thyme responds well to regular wood ash, which enriches the soil with minerals and simultaneously deacidifies it.

Diseases and pests

Thyme is a very disease- and pest-resistant plant. Infections rarely affect the bushes, but insects do. To be fair, it should be noted that even with minor pest attacks, thyme retains its attractive appearance and almost never dies. The most common pests attacking the plant include weevils, aphids, sand beetles, and meadow moths. Of all, the meadow moth can be particularly damaging. In large numbers, it attacks the stems and leaves of the plant, leaving holes where it was found. The meadow moth, a voracious black beetle, also attacks the above-ground parts of thyme.

At the first signs of pests, insecticides are used (Akarin, Actellik, Inta-vir and others).

Methods of reproduction

Cultivation of varietal thyme is possible with the help of:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• dividing the bush into parts.

Seed propagation

Thyme can be propagated by seed, but this method isn't the most successful, as seeds germinate poorly in open ground. This is most often due to insufficient or excessive moisture, temperature fluctuations, frost, or cold soil. However, if there's no other option, this method is worth trying. So, here's the principle of propagating thyme by seed:

1. After flowering, thyme stems produce seed pods (fruits). These seeds are carefully removed from their "house" and poured onto a piece of paper.
2. They are spread out in a thick layer on paper and left on a windowsill to dry in the sun. Once completely dry, they will acquire a golden hue.
3. The seeds are stored until spring in a paper envelope in a dry, dark place.
4. If you decide to grow thyme using seedlings, then the seeds are sown at the end of winter; if using the ground, then in May.

Cuttings

When pruning, the strongest and healthiest cuttings (in this case, twigs) are selected for propagation by cuttings. They are cut close to the base, where the area has already become woody. The following steps are taken:

1. The branches are placed with their lower ends in water for 2-3 days so that the buds swell and open slightly.
2. The branches are then transplanted into a soil substrate enriched with minerals. Several branches can be planted in a single seedling container.
3. If weather permits, cuttings can be taken from a greenhouse bed. To do this, dig a small trench and plant the thyme sprigs there.
4. Before planting, remove all leaves and shoots from the branches.
5. The cuttings are planted in the soil shallowly, approximately 2-3 centimeters below the surface of the earth.
6. Cuttings root well in a warm, sunny location. If they're growing in a nursery, place the container on a windowsill; if outside, build a hotbed.
7. The first roots will appear after a few weeks. The branches should take root after 5-6 weeks. Only then can the thyme be planted in its permanent location.

Dividing the bush

This is a less effective propagation method. This is because the plant does not tolerate division very well. However, if other methods are unavailable, division of the bush can be used. However, not every plant is suitable for this procedure: mature plants with a well-developed root system take root best. It is preferable to divide a three-year-old bush. Propagation technique:

1. A well-rooted bush is completely dug out of the ground.
2. The roots are cleared of soil lumps.
3. The bush is divided in half so that each part has a piece of the mother root.
4. They dig two shallow planting holes.
5. Each of them is supplied with organic fertilizers.
6. The roots are watered with a manganese solution, then soaked in a growth stimulator.
7. Each bush is planted strictly vertically and covered with soil.
8. The soil is compacted from above and watered.

Thyme in landscaping

Cultivated thyme is readily used to decorate borders and frame group flower plantings. Since thyme is a dwarf plant, it is typically placed along the lower front tier of front gardens. It looks wonderful where a wild nature atmosphere is created, such as on the slopes of alpine gardens, in rockeries, and in rock gardens. When combined with a rocky landscape, thyme, with its numerous delicate flowers, looks very natural. The simple herb blurs boundaries, softening the hardness of the stone. Creeping varieties require ample space, so they are best planted in open areas at the edges of vegetable beds or next to fruit trees. A composition of several thyme species creates a delicate effect. Regardless of the varieties you plant, they will always complement each other thanks to their subtle floral shades. The mixed border will remain impressive even after the plants have finished blooming.

Combination with other colors

Thyme pairs beautifully with virtually any flower. Its bright green foliage contrasts harmoniously with lush and luscious peonies, vibrant chrysanthemums, understated roses, charming tulips, corner lilies, and other flowers. In group plantings, creeping thyme creates a variegated carpet, over which taller flowers rise majestically. Thyme pairs beautifully with conifers, whether perennial spruce or low-growing juniper.

Reviews

Maria

I know thyme primarily for its medicinal properties. This fragrant herb is excellent for coughs. That's why we always have a tea bag of dried herb in our house, which we brew whenever someone in the family starts to get sick. My mother told me that in the past, newborn babies were bathed in water with thyme added. It turns out that many people grow thyme in their gardens as a flower crop. Indeed, the plant is not fussy. It doesn't "offend" a lack of water and grows well in the shade. Basically, if you want to decorate your garden, thyme is the best choice.

Elizabeth

We live in the countryside, and the fields around our village are covered in thyme. We have several varieties, but the creeping thyme is the most beautiful. It spreads like a carpet along the hillsides and grows gracefully along the banks of streams. In midsummer, everything around is covered in small purple flowers, emitting a strong herbal aroma that can be smelled even in the house. I've heard that landscape designers favor this herb. It's no surprise, because thyme is such a resilient plant that it can withstand long droughts and pest infestations. Diseases don't even bother it. It's truly a wonderful herb, and most importantly, it's beneficial.

Conclusion

Thyme is a wonderful, versatile plant. Possessing medicinal properties, it also boasts magnificent decorative qualities, as evidenced by the many photos of gardeners who already enjoy the splendor of fluffy bushes, fragrant with a pleasant spicy aroma, in their gardens. Planting and caring for thyme in open ground is within the reach of even a novice gardener. The plant is undemanding in terms of growing conditions and care, so creating a colorful flowerbed from this low-growing shrub is effortless.