Garden Tips & Resources

The future, with the threat of global warming looming, it’s a great time to start growing thyme. With planting thyme and other vegetation, gardeners have found a way to renew the soil with organic nutrients, helping to save the earth.

Gardeners have contributed to the ‘going green’ process, long before it was considered hip!!

Thyme, sometimes named Thymus vulgaris, is a tasty smelling, hardy plant of the mint family. Thyme has been grown and utilized for hundreds of years. Little, aromatic petals grow and can add an attractive border to gardens. The flavor is a combination of lemon with mint, so is ideal for seasoning.

Growing–

Sow the seed inside in a location with direct sunlight towards the beginnnig of spring. Growing thyme can be as easy as child’s play. Also, you could include the kids in the gardening fun. This will begin another generation in the right direction of protecting the environment. After roots are established, it is time to bring it outside, for the real fun to kick off!

When growing Thyme out-side, the plant prefers direct sunlight. Thyme is not too picky regarding soil requirements (see, it’s not so hard!) and a bright, sandy bed that drains well will do fine. Growing thyme in arid, lean soil usually produces a higher fragrance and flavor in the plant.

It is not generally healthy for your body or the plants to use toxic garden chemicals. Unknown to most, plants actually have an immune system that naturally resists pests and disease. You can even make your own natural compost from kitchen waste or simply buy organic mixtures.

As another alternative, cornmeal is an effective insecticide. Mulch with straw to take care of the weed population. Clipped grass and trimmings from trees or bushes can be re-used for purposes of mulching.

Thyme requires minimal plant food. Too much can be a hazard when growing thyme, as when fertilizers get washed away, it ends up polluting the important water system.  Poisonous chemicals contaminates drinking water, and it kills the marine life. 

Using minimal phosphate, earth-friendly fertilization when growing thyme, so you can feed the herbs without damaging the course of nature.

Give water at regular times while growing thyme and try to avoid saturating the ground. One of the biggest plant killers is too much watering. By conserving water, you can save a large amount of water, time, and energy. Be responsible and try to remember that Thyme doesn’t require a lot of watering.

Growing Thyme can invite birds, insects, and butterflies to your yard. These kind of visitors are nature’s pest control.  

To maintain the best yield throughout the season, don’t let the growing thyme come to flower. Harvest time is around mid summer, just before flowering. Simply snip a few stems for harvesting. When growing thyme from seed, allow around four before cutting. An advantage is that Thyme can also be cut late into the winter.

Thyme’s mint like taste is tasty in meats, soups and stews. Casseroles and boiled vegetables has a naturally sweet taste when cooked with the herb. For a nice tasting meal, try baking fish with a few sprigs of thyme. 

Try to use recycled landscape materials instead of buying new stuff, when designing plans for growing thyme in the garden. Out door gardening is an excellent project for the whole family. It provides us with fresh air, exercise, a healthy diet, and more cash in our banks!

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