Is Elfin thyme drought tolerant?

Publish date: 2023-06-11
Native to Europe, this little creeping variety of thyme is not only drought and heat tolerant, but deer and rabbit resistant, making it a lovely option for a natural garden landscape.

Beside this, how do you care for elfin thyme?

Shaded areas of growing elfin thyme will tend to clump more while sun exposure encourages the thyme to become more of a ground cover, spreading to a width of about 4 to 8 inches. When growing elfin thyme, the plants require at least five hours of sun per day and should be spaced 6 inches apart.

Furthermore, does thyme need a lot of water? Water: Most varieties of thyme are drought-resistant, so only give a thorough watering, when the soil is completely dry. Companion planting: Thyme thrives in sunny conditions, so if you are growing thyme in containers, plant with rosemary, which also has similar watering needs.

Likewise, people ask, can you eat elfin thyme?

Just like other thyme varieties, creeping thyme is edible with a flavor and aroma akin to mint when crushed or steeped for teas or tinctures. To harvest creeping thyme ground cover, either remove the leaves from the stems or dry by snipping from the plant and hanging upside down in a dark, well aerated area.

How fast does creeping thyme grow?

The less space between leaves, the slower your thyme will spread. Longer segments mean faster growth. Generally, creeping thyme takes one year to get established, and then begins to spread in its second season.

Will creeping thyme choke out other plants?

Or plant it by walls, along borders, and in other areas that are difficult to weed. Red creeping thyme adds attractive, deep green color to your landscape throughout spring, but it's most beautiful in summer when it erupts in gorgeous crimson flowers. It really, really chokes out the weeds, forming a thick mat.

Is creeping thyme poisonous to dogs?

Safe Herbs for Dogs Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and creeping or wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) are drought-tolerant evergreens that are safe for dogs and bloom in the spring and early summer. Creeping thyme grows to only 2 to 3 inches tall and up to 1 foot wide.

Can you root thyme in water?

Herbs You Can Root in Water This easy propagation technique involves snipping a stem from a mature herb plant, putting the cutting in water, and waiting until it grows new roots. For woody herbs like rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme, take cuttings from new, green growth; older brown stems do not sprout roots easily.

Does creeping thyme stay green in winter?

Winter Care Depending on your location, creeping thyme will either remain evergreen or it will lose its leaves and some stems will die over the winter. You don't need to prune it, but to protect it as much as possible you can cover it with sand or gravel over the winter.

How long do thyme cuttings take to root?

The medium should be kept slightly moist but not sopping wet, so allow the surface to dry out between waterings. Check for roots in one month, but don't be surprised if it takes up to two months for the cutting to root.

How do you keep thyme alive?

Water completely each time but allow the pot to dry before watering again. Fertilize thyme with a weak solution of fish emulsion or liquid seaweed, diluted by half every two weeks. Cut back overly woody stems on the thyme plant to force fresh new growth. Trim off flowers and dry them for a sachet or use them in tea.

Can you eat flowering thyme?

Are the flowers of thyme edible? A The way to pick most herbs is to cut the stalks as you need them. They grow back best if you cut directly above a new bud or set of leaves. And yes, Julie, do eat the thyme flowers: they are perfectly edible and very pretty.

Is Mother of Thyme edible?

There are a great many selections of Thyme grown in gardens, all of them with edible leaves and some degree of fragrance and flavor. This is a vigorous mat-forming species, with dark green leaves and clusters of bright rose-purple flowers.

Does thyme dieback in winter?

Sage and thyme will survive without any protection over the winter, but you probably won't be able to crop any of them unless the winter is unusually mild. Oregano will die back altogether over winter, and even in a cold frame may not put on any new growth (though it's worth a go).

Which Thyme is best cooking?

Culinary thyme varieties with the best flavor are narrow-leaf French, broadleaf English, lemon thyme and mother-of-thyme, recommends Master Gardener Joyce Schillen of the Oregon State University Extension Service's Jackson County office. The plants have the best flavor just before their flowers open.

Why is my thyme dying?

Water Stress Thyme grows well in slightly dry soil. It can develop root rot or mildew problems if it's kept too wet. As the roots suffocate and die in wet soil, the foliage will also begin to die back. Drought and overly dry foliage can also cause dieback, although usually the whole plant declines at the same rate.

Can I divide thyme plants?

Thyme can be divided in spring or autumn. To divide thyme, dig up the whole plant and break it into sections. Three or four divisions per plant is usually enough as small divisions take longer to establish than larger ones.

Why is my thyme turning black?

All of the species of thyme currently being sold as creeping or elfin thyme require similar soil conditions. All thyme tends to rot in moist or wet soil particularly during the winter months. (Actually, the leaves will all turn black and the plant will die a slow and lingering death if you over-water.

What is the difference between thyme and French thyme?

French Thyme is one of the thyme plants that did not make it through last winter in my herb garden. The big difference between each of these Thyme plants is not so much the flavor or the look, but rather the hardiness. Place the pepper and herbs in a food processor and grind to a powder.

How many creeping thyme seeds do I need?

Keep the seeds consistently moist. If you want to get a jump start on the Creeping Thyme ground cover plants, sow the seed indoors 6 - 8 weeks before the last frost. Transplant the young seedling into the garden 6 - 12 inches apart. Approximately 2,700,000 seeds per pound.

Will creeping thyme kill grass?

The advantage of creeping thyme is that you can mow it hard to say two inches and it will bounce back and even flower abundantly if you and the bees are lucky, but the grasses give up after a while. As the thyme gets thicker you have to mow less, but the thyme will survive where the grass eventually gives up.

Can wooly thyme be used in cooking?

Cooking with Herbs – All About Thyme. Thyme is the last herb in this series. Woolly thyme, however, is not good to cook with, but it makes a great ground cover and works well in planters.

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