If you are looking for an easy herb to grow in your kitchen, thyme is a perfect choice. Fresh thyme not only adds flavor to your dishes but it also has several health benefits as it is rich in antioxidants and iron. It is also easy to care for and drought tolerant, making it easy to maintain in an outdoor garden. When planted outdoors, the tiny flowers attract pollinators. It is also a good choice as an indoor plant because its fragrance keeps pests away.

Thyme can be grown outdoors, but this guidewill tell you how to grow thyme indoors in a pot. If you like, you can follow our advice and place the pot in your kitchen or transplant the thyme to your garden later.

Where To Place the Pot?

Thyme grows best in direct sunlight, so if you are growing it indoors, place the pot where it will get a few hours of daylight.

Note: Thyme is a natural sun-loving plant, but it can tolerate quite a bit of shade, so if you are growing it outdoors, you may want to place it in the shade. It also makes a great enclosure for a vegetable garden.

How to Grow Thyme?

Remove the leaves from the lower part of the cut stem.

How To Prepare the Soil?

Try to replicate the environment where thyme grows naturally in the Mediterranean, mixing soil and sand to ensure proper drainage.

Planting and Growing Thyme in Pots

Place the cuttings in a plant pot and mix in the soil. Make sure the back of the cutting is fully inserted into the soil.

How To Water Thyme?

Thyme is used as a dried herb since it is native to the Mediterranean coast and can go for several days without water. It is best to water sparingly and check the moisture content by sticking your finger in the soil. Watering should be done only when the soil feels dry. Watering after the soil is completely dry is undoubtedly effective.

How to Feed Thyme?

Thyme is a low-maintenance plant, so there is no need to feed it regularly. Just add some organic matter to the pot once in spring.

Pruning Thyme

Pruning thyme stems encourages the plant to grow; cut off the young stems about 5 cm long and use them to grow new seedlings.

How To Grow Thyme From the Roots?

It is also possible to propagate thyme from the roots of an adult tree. Separate the roots and plant the thyme in a separate pot.

Note: It is easier to propagate from the roots when thyme is planted in the ground because the plant will grow like a shrub. If you are planting more thyme than you need, cut it back to prevent the stems from becoming woody. The excess cuttings can be microwaved to dry and stored in an airtight container to be used as a dried herb on the table.

Harvesting Thyme

You can harvest several leaves and small green tips in the first year. The plant is encouraged to produce more twigs and leaves by harvesting these tops.

Harvesting can be done from the second year. Prune a maximum of 2/3 of the plant and keep a minimum of 1/3 so that the thyme will have enough energy to recover. Note: Always use clean and sharp pruning tools.

Why Has My Thyme Stopped Growing?

If your thyme has stopped growing, it is usually due to over-watering or over-fertilizing. Other causes include prolonged strong frosts and excessive pruning. Do not trim thyme more than 10 cm, especially when winter is approaching.

Let us know if these few tips have helped you in the comments below!