Thyme is a perennial herb meaning it will grow back every year in spring. You should cut it back in Autumn but even if left to it´s own devices Thyme will survive the winter without any issues. Thyme can live for 6 years and more.
Thyme plant that is turning brown, dry and dying back. Slow growth of leaves and foliage because of a lack of sun or nutrients. Drooping or slow growing thyme due to small pots or containers or a lack of drainage holes in the base of the pot. Thyme plant that requires reviving after Winter.
So, does thyme need to be replanted?
You see, perennial herbs like sage, thyme, lavender, chives and mint do not need to be replanted each year. To make matters more confusing, dill, fennel, and a few other annual herbs reseed each year. Once planted, they often return year after year.
Does thyme come back every year?
Its tiny gray-green leaves remain evergreen, and most thyme varieties can even be harvested in winter in the zones where it is a perennial. Thyme can be planted at almost any time. It will mature enough to allow for harvest within a few months, then will reliably return year after year in the climate zones where it is hardy.
However, as thyme is a Mediterranean plant used to very dry conditions, you may lose plants in winter if conditions are too wet. It’s therefore a good idea to bring your thyme plants indoors for winter. Avoid watering them, and plant them back outside again in spring.
How to grow Thyme in the garden?
The plants should grow 6 to 12 inches in height. In the garden, plant thyme near cabbage or tomatoes. If you are growing thyme in containers, plant with rosemary which also likes sunny conditions and has similar watering needs. Water deeply only when the soil is completely dry. Prune the plants back in the spring and summer to contain the growth.
This begs the query “Do you cut back thyme after flowering?”
Cut back thyme after flowering and protect tender species in winter. Originally from the Mediterranean, thyme thrives in well-drained soil that’s low in nutrients. Planting it in full sun brings the essential oils to the surface of the leaves and gives it great flavour.
One more question we ran across in our research was “Can you grow Thyme with other herbs in pots?”.
Let us dig in! thyme thrives in almost drought conditions with minimal soil nutrients, so it won’t grow happily alongside other herbs in a mixed container. Here, Monty Don plants up a pot of Mediterranean herbs, including thyme. Find out which herbs grow well with thyme and how to create the best growing conditions for them: Video Player is loading.
Is Thyme a perennial?
Thyme plants are low maintenance perennial herbs that is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe and they are adapted to the growing conditions of the Mediterranean. Thyme is a relatively short lived herb and can produce leaves for culinary use for around 5 to 6 years if the plant is cared for properly.
One of the next things we wondered was: is Thyme a perennial or annual?
You see, culinary thyme is a hardy perennial that is evergreen in most gardening zones. If you grow your thyme in a container, feel free to leave it outside and let it enter a dormant state over winter. New leaves will emerge within the early spring.