Thyme dwarf (T. pigmeus) - a low-growing species up to 3 cm in height, with small, dark green, very fragrant leaves. Forms a dense cover. The leaves are dense on thin, highly branched shoots. The leaves are small, green, and overwinter under the snow. The flowers are pink. Blooms from mid-May to July. The flowers are collected in cone-shaped inflorescences and appear in June-July. Grows best in a dry, sunny, non-fertile place. Plant in rock gardens, front gardens with herbs, along paths, and among sedums on flat roofs.
Location: prefer sunny places. Plants can withstand partial shade and even shading, but in such conditions they stretch out and bloom poorly.
The soil: areas with light, fertile, well-drained soil that is alkaline or neutral.
Landing: can be carried out at any time - the plants are unpretentious and drought-resistant, but not in late autumn, since the plants must take root well before frost.
Care: There is no need to fertilize the plants; at best, you can add a little ripe compost or horn flour to the soil. If thyme bushes are regularly pruned, they will be dense and compact. Do it in early spring or after flowering. The shoots are shortened by about two-thirds - to the lignified part. Watering is necessary only in dry spring and summer, when young shoots are actively growing and the plants are preparing to flower. There are no diseases or pests on thyme. Harm to plants is caused only by excess moisture on heavy clay soils during prolonged periods. rainy weather and winter warming. The best measure to combat this evil is good drainage and mulching the soil around the plants with fine gravel.
Thyme - frost-resistant, unpretentious plant. Under snow cover, it easily endures winter. In open areas with little snow in the winter, it is necessary to cover with spruce branches, which protects the plants from spring sunburn.
Black thyme is used by gardeners for landscaping. It is planted on alpine hills and small flower beds. It harmonizes perfectly with the paths lined with decorative stone.
Thyme blooms almost the entire season: flowering begins in May and ends at the end of August. But even without buds the plant is very decorative. If you stir the curtain a little, the air will smell like resin. Plant phytoncides have a beneficial effect on the body.
Thyme has medicinal properties. It is successfully used in traditional medicine. Brewed herbal tea with a spoonful of honey will pleasantly warm a gardener on a winter evening.
Description of the plant
Thyme belongs to the Lamiaceae family. Thyme has a short stem: 20-40 cm. It is crowned with branches creeping along the ground. They resemble blueberry shoots. The plant also covers the soil with a continuous carpet. The green twigs and stem are covered with fine hairs.
The elongated leaves are attached to the stem by short petioles. They have scent glands. They produce essential oil. The taste and smell of thyme are determined by the number of such glands.
Flowers are collected in a bunch. They come in white, lilac, purple, pink. The inflorescences are very compact, located tightly on the branches. After flowering, fruits - nuts - are formed. They have an elongated shape. Their length is 5-6 mm.
In the wild, this unpretentious plant is found on roadsides, mountain slopes, and sunny forest edges. It feels comfortable on scattered rocks.
In the garden, thyme grows quickly. It reproduces by seeds and rooted shoots (vegetatively). If you do not limit the area, thyme will cover all the beds in the garden.
Varieties of thyme
This plant belongs to the Lamiaceae (Lamiaceae) family. There are 400 known species of this unpretentious shrub. They differ in the size of the stems, their ascending or creeping position, the color of the corollas, and their aroma. The most famous types of wild thyme are common and creeping thyme.
Breeders are creating new varieties of thyme. Their characteristics are improved relative to their wild counterpart. They are more decorative, their aroma is brighter. Gardeners have plenty to choose from. You can dig up a bush from the wild and plant it in the garden. Or you can buy a cultivated plant.
Purple violet
This subshrub has short shoots (10 cm). The corollas of the flowers are painted a bright purple-violet color. Covers the soil with a dense carpet. A variety that is aggressive towards other plants. Such shrubs should be planted in limited areas. Gardeners use sheets of steel, plastic, natural or artificial stone as a barrier.
Mountain
This is what people call flea thyme. This low plant has woody roots. They produce low shoots (15 cm). The stems creep or slightly rise above the ground. The stem is found bare or covered with hairs, and can be faceted or rounded. The leaves are also covered with hairs.
It blooms with soft pink or rose-red flowers. The air around him is saturated with ether. Settles in dry rocky areas. Does not tolerate excessive soil moisture.
Garden
Gardeners choose varieties of Bogorodskaya grass in accordance with their own preferences and characteristics of the plant. When planting in the garden, the resistance of thyme to frost is taken into account. You should not plant heat-loving species in regions with cold winters.
When the area is flooded, you should choose moisture-resistant varieties. For planting on an alpine hill, flea or mountain is recommended.
Gardeners must consider the combination of the plant with other inhabitants of the garden. The color and height of the cover should fit harmoniously into the existing landscape.
Chalky
Prefers chalk hillsides. Feels great where limestone comes to the surface. Drought resistant.
Has bare short stems. They branch heavily. Shoots up to 12 cm long rise vertically upward. The flowers are inconspicuous: the corolla is greenish, the petals are pink and purple. The plant is not particularly decorative. But the aroma is strong. A wonderful honey plant. It should be placed near beds with tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants to attract pollinating insects.
A decrease in nutrients affects the condition of the bush: it becomes less lush. But the aroma intensifies. Chalk thyme retains its aroma when dried, even if stored carelessly.
Rainbow
The second name is vegetable. Its value is its fragrant, juicy shoots. They are used for cooking.
The stem rises 25 cm above the soil surface. The leaves are green-gray, fragrant. It takes 30 days from germination to the first cutting. Sensitive to soil moisture. When cultivated in cold regions, solar thyme requires shelter.
Pygmy
The smallest of the thymes. The trunk rises only 3 cm above the soil surface. It blooms in May-July with pale pink flowers. Does well without fertilizer. But it needs regular watering. Decorative all season. Value: dense soil coverage and maintaining a pleasant appearance throughout the warm period.
Klopovy
Subshrub up to 15 cm high. Creeping shoots, easily rooting. It blooms with pink flowers from May to August.
Grows on rocky chalk slopes, carbon outcrops, exposed soils of pine forests. Sometimes settles on sandy soils. Drought resistant. Has value as a medicinal plant. An alpine slide will decorate the garden.
Bush
Gardeners have to choose: to plant bush or creeping thyme. The first one rises 20-25 cm above the soil surface. It has looser clumps. Bush thyme looks great as a border around paths or as a colorful border.
You should choose varieties that are suitable for the region. The soil for planting perennial shrubs must be prepared in a special way.
Altaic
Subshrub with strongly branching shoots. Stem height 15-20 cm. Settles on rocks and mountain slopes. Selects chalky, gravelly and sandy soils. Blooms in June-August purple flowers. Excellent honey plant. Grows in the valleys and foothills of Altai.
Species value: high content essential oils, decorativeness, unpretentiousness. The plant will decorate an alpine hill in the garden, attract pollinators and provide the gardener with medicinal raw materials.
Forest
Thyme can also be found in the forest zone. It settles in well-lit clearings and forest edges. The subshrub selects dry sandy or podzolic soils. Blooms with pink flowers from May to August. The stems grow up to 12 cm tall.
Value of the species: unpretentiousness, ability to grow and bloom on dry, poor soils.
Handsome
Stem height - 30 cm. Shoots are long, creeping. Leaves are elongated. It blooms with large purple flowers collected in a spike. Prefers steppe, sunny areas. Forms dense thickets. It is undemanding to soils and moisture. The value is decorativeness and unpretentiousness. An endangered species. Gardeners can maintain the population by growing it on their site.
Sommertime
This variety is distinguished by the fact that heavily pubescent shoots do not lodge. They form a bright green ball with a diameter of 25 cm. Sommerteim exudes a strong aroma. Gardeners grow it in pots to decorate the garden. Thyme overwinters at home.
Perennial
Thyme is a perennial plant. Its stems and leaves are green in color. The corollas of flowers are lilac, pink, violet, even green. For successful cultivation on summer cottage you should carefully study the characteristics of the variety or species.
Ural
Thyme is found in the foothills Southern Urals. It grows on rocky, gravelly, chalk, sandy, and chernozem soils. Does not like loams and clays. Characteristics:
- stress resistance;
- drought resistance;
- demands for good lighting.
Gardeners can decorate the site with an undemanding creeping plant with large pink flowers.
Mossy
Low Bogorodskaya grass. The stems of the subshrub rise 1 cm above the soil. The dark green leaves are 3 mm long. There are no flowers. Forms a moss-like coating. Gardeners use thyme as a low-maintenance, aromatic replacement for moss.
Crimean
The subshrub has become a favorite of the Crimean Peninsula. Thyme grows on rocky and sandy soils in valleys and mountains. The height of the stems is up to 15 cm. The flowers have a purple-pink hue and open in June-July. The fruits are black nuts. Value: rich aroma, drought resistance.
It is difficult to tolerate cool winters. If there is enough snow, it overwinters well, but during “black frosts” the thyme freezes. Gardeners in regions with cold winters should cover the plant.
Talieva
Subshrub with stem height up to 12 cm. Flowers pink-violet. For growth it chooses marls, rocky screes, and crushed limestone. Begins to bloom in June. The nuts ripen at the end of August. It grows wild in North-Eastern Europe and the Urals.
It grows slowly. The height of the stems of this thyme variety is 5-10 cm. The pubescent leaves are small and emit a strong aroma. Blooms earlier than other varieties: in June. The leaves are colored lilac or light purple. Gardeners use it to decorate alpine slides.
The height of the stems is 5 cm. Red flowers bloom in June. Grows in sun and partial shade. The variety prefers light, fertile soils, but can also exist on poor, rocky soils. Created for decorating gardens.
The stems of this thyme variety rise a maximum of 30 cm above the soil. The shoots are decorated with small yellow-green leaves. A distinctive feature is that the leaves smell like lemon. The inflorescence is capitate, loose. The flowers are light pink.
Forms dense clumps. Does not tolerate heavy soils and overwatering. In winter it may freeze. Valued by gardeners for its decorative properties and unusual aroma.
Compact subshrub. The height of its stems does not exceed 15 cm. The shoots have a cylindrical profile. The bottoms are pubescent. The leaves are small, oval, lanceolate. Color - dark green. The soft pink flowers have a purple tint. They bloom in July-August.
Works great on fertile, light soils with good drainage. Prized for its neat jackets.
Creeping
Subshrub with creeping shoots. Thyme flowers are light purple in color. The inflorescence is a discontinuous spike. The leaves are dark green, lanceolate. The bottom is pubescent.
An excellent ground cover. It grows quickly: it can populate an entire area within a season (under favorable conditions). Used in alpine slides and for fragrant borders. The value of the thyme species: unpretentiousness, availability of planting material.
Flea
The second name is mountain. Prefers rocky, poor soils with good drainage. Easily tolerates drought. Does not tolerate waterlogging. The stems rise 15 cm. The flowers are red-pink or mauve. Valued for its unpretentiousness and persistent aroma.
Dorfler
A native of the Balkan Mountains. Does not tolerate frost. Blooms with pinkish-gray flowers. The curved leaves are covered with dense white hairs. Very decorative, but capricious.
Lemon-scented (Archers Gold)
This is an artificially created variety of thyme. Recently introduced into culture. The leaves have a characteristic green-golden color. The flowers are pale pink. During flowering, the plant presents a solid pink carpet.
Sensitive to waterlogging. Does not work on clays and loams. Used by summer residents on alpine slides. Valued for its decorative effect, bright aroma and medicinal properties.
Subarctic
Subshrub with erect stems inhabits forests of Eastern Europe. The type of thyme is easily recognized by its characteristic sharp carpet. Quickly forms turf. Drought and cold resistant. Purple flowers are collected in capitate inflorescences. The stems and leaves are pubescent. Valued for its high content of essential oils.
Choosing a suitable growing location
Thyme is an unpretentious plant. But to get a healthy, beautiful plant, you must fulfill the requirements of agricultural technology:
- The planting site should be sunny or with light partial shade. When planted in the shade, thyme stretches out. The bush becomes loose and loses its decorative effect.
- Thyme varieties do not tolerate drafts. The shrub should be planted in an area protected from northern and northeastern winds. It is a good idea to place the plantings on the south side of the buildings.
- The planting site should not be flooded with melt or rain water. It is advisable to organize drainage.
- The soil should be prepared in the chosen location. To do this, it is recommended to study the characteristics of the plant and its growing conditions in the wild. Heavy soils (clays and loams) should be structured. It is required to add sand, chalk crushed stone (if necessary), and mature compost.
- Particular attention should be paid to the acidity of the soil. For thyme, a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction is acceptable. On acidic soils, lime or ash should be added.
If placed correctly, the shrub will delight the gardener with a dense, fragrant curtain already in the year of planting.
How to plant thyme
Thyme is a cold-resistant plant. It can be planted immediately after the snow melts. When planting with a bush or rooted shoot, do not bury the plant. After completing the work, the soil around it should be mulched. Stone chips, crushed stone, and pebbles are suitable.
Thyme also takes root during autumn plantings. The best time is early September. The shoots and bushes will have time to grow the root systems necessary for wintering. This ensures the plant's survival during the cold period.
Reproduction methods
The unpretentious ground cover is easy to propagate by seeds or vegetatively.
Seeds
This is a labor-intensive method. To obtain a flowering plant in the first year, gardeners grow seedlings at home:
- In early February, seeds are sown in seedling boxes to a depth of 0.5 cm.
- They are covered with a film with drainage holes for air access. Condensation from the film is regularly removed.
- Thyme seeds germinate in a warm place. The tray should be placed closer to the heat source.
- After germination, the film is removed and the thyme bushes are thinned out. They leave strong. Weak ones can be added to tea.
- When the soil dries, thyme is sprayed. It is important not to overwater the soil: this will lead to rotting of the roots.
- Thyme bushes are regularly hardened off: the procedure will help them quickly take root in the garden.
- Thyme is planted in a permanent place after the soil has warmed up. 4-5 degrees is enough.
- For the first 2-3 days, thyme needs shading with lutrasil. You cannot keep thyme in the shade: the shoots will stretch out.
The advantage of this method: obtaining a large amount of planting material.
Cuttings
Thyme shoots take root easily. For propagation, select a non-lignified cutting and cut off a piece of the required length from it. For low-growing varieties, the cutting should have a maximum size of 5 cm. For tall varieties, it should be 10-15 cm.
The cuttings are immediately planted in a permanent place. A mini-greenhouse is being built above it. After 2-3 weeks, the gardener has a new plant.
Sometimes thyme cuttings are rooted in a greenhouse. A signal of root regrowth is the appearance of new green leaves.
Often thyme shoots take root on their own. The gardener only needs to cut off the branch with roots and replant it in a new place.
Advantages of the method: preservation of the characteristics of hybrids and simplicity.
Dividing the bush
Used when it is necessary to reconstruct an alpine slide or border. The entire mother plant is dug up. Roots and shoots straighten out. The bush is cut with a sharpened shovel or cut with garden shears. The cut areas are powdered with crushed activated carbon. The delenki are transplanted to their designated places.
Disadvantage of the method: the mother plant is injured. The gardener requires skill and caution.
Features of plant care
Thyme requires little care. The gardener gets a beautiful plant with minimal labor.
Watering
A feature of the shrub is drought resistance. It should only be watered during severe drought. In this case, you should only slightly moisten the top layer of soil.
It is useful to spray the bushes before flowering. This will allow the plant to gain strength.
Overwatering thyme is very dangerous: the plant is easily affected by root rot and disappears. In case of prolonged heavy rainfall, the bushes should be covered with film.
It is important to remember: thyme produces ester only in dry, hot weather..
Bushes are demanding of sunlight. In the shade they wither, lose compactness and decorativeness. Thyme shoots stretch and turn pale. The curtain is crumbling.
A beautiful and fragrant plant will delight the gardener when placed in a sunny place.
Feeding
Thyme does not require special soil fertility. Most species in the wild grow on poor chalky or podzolic soils. Thyme varieties require a moderate application of mature compost.
When growing thyme in the garden, it is sometimes necessary to add lime or bone meal. It is not necessary to fertilize thyme with organic matter or mineral complexes.
Weeding
Thyme does not tolerate shade. It needs bright sunlight. Weeds deprive him of a comfortable existence. They definitely need to be weeded out.
Draining around the thyme with stone chips will prevent harmful plants from appearing. Adding chalk and constantly loosening the soil will help.
Pruning and shaping thyme
To obtain a dense covering and long flowering, thyme must be pruned. For this procedure, shoots with a small number of leaves are selected. Their removal provides the gardener with beautiful thyme throughout the summer.
Sometimes it is necessary to give the thyme a special shape. On alpine slides it must occupy a certain place. In this case, the thyme is trimmed at the gardener’s request using a topiary frame.
Gardeners often carry out a healing pruning procedure after the thyme has faded. Thyme is mowed, leaving 2-3 cm above the ground. This event is a success in regions with warm winters. In cold areas, thyme may freeze.
Diseases and pests
If you follow the growing rules, thyme is resistant to diseases. In rainy summers or with excessive watering, thyme is affected by fungi. In this case, the entire bush is dug up, and the soil is disinfected with a solution of copper sulfate.
Thyme is loved by aphids, weevils and sand borers. But they settle on weak bushes. Healthy plants do not attract pests. Prevention is done by timely weeding and loosening. Compliance with growing rules is the main condition for the existence of beautiful thyme shrubs in the garden.
Combination with other plants
All varieties and types of thyme go well with other plants. The ground cover has a surface root system. This allows it to be grouped with plants with deep roots.
Gardeners often choose to place thyme as a tapeworm. It is planted in hanging pots and filled into a clearing in the recreation area. The ground cover looks lovely in these cases too.
Gardeners look for interesting combinations of colors and aromas when creating plantings. Flowers are odorless, but with large bright petals, complement the thyme ether.
Gardeners often place thyme near strong-smelling flowers. They fill it open ground. In this case, you should be very careful: mixing of flavors can lead to negative consequences. The existing composition will have to be destroyed.
Thyme is an excellent honey plant. It is specially planted next to vegetables that require pollination. The presence of thyme ground cover in the garden increases the yield of cucumbers and tomatoes.
The unpretentiousness of thyme allows it to be grown in an apartment. It is necessary to create comfortable conditions for thyme:
- pick up the container a little more roots thyme (planting material is taken when dividing the bush);
- pour soil inside for succulents or cacti;
- add chalk crushed stone;
- mulch the top with stone chips;
- place on a sunny windowsill;
- protect from drafts.
The advantage of thyme: it perfectly tolerates dry winter air in rooms. Watering is required as the earth clod dries. On cloudy days, thyme should be provided with additional lighting for up to 18 hours.
By placing thyme on the windowsill, gardeners will be able to enjoy the ether of thyme throughout the year.
Pros and cons of use in landscape design
The presence of a subshrub in the landscape will bring many positive emotions to the gardener:
- The plant can serve as a background for large plantings or act as a tapeworm. There are no limits to imagination and creativity.
- The aroma of spice saturates the air with ether, making it healthier. While walking in the garden, a summer resident receives an aromatherapy session.
- The honey plant enlivens the area: it attracts bright butterflies and bumblebees. City dwellers like this unity with nature.
- Beauty is not the only advantage of having thyme in the garden. A gardener can stock up on medicinal herbs for the winter.
- The bush provides material for bouquets. Bogorodskaya grass goes well with mint, lovage and silver wormwood. Popular belief ascribes to this collection the ability to protect against evil spirits.
There is only one drawback to the presence of a subshrub: rapid growth and aggressive takeover of territory. This problem is solved by mechanically limiting the landings.
Where is thyme used?
The shrub has an interesting chemical composition:
- acids (ursulic, quinic, chlorogenic, caffeic, oleanolic);
- fats;
- vitamins (C, A, PP);
- mineral salts;
- flavonoids;
- gum.
This makes it possible to use the leaves and stems for medicinal purposes. The oil obtained from thyme is used as a bactericidal and antiviral agent. The home medicine cabinet contains many recipes for various ailments.
The plant is an excellent aphrodisiac. Thyme extract is part of natural medicines to increase potency.
Essential oil is popular in scent healing. Its aroma is used to relax and calm stressed people. It is dripped into the container of the aroma lamp. A candle lit below evaporates water and saturates the air in the room with vapor.
An infusion or decoction is prescribed as a preventative or aid for the treatment of diseases nervous system. Drinking drinks relieves irritation and improves sleep. Often canvas bags with dried thyme are hung indoors. The room is filled with the smell of a flowering meadow. The mood of the people in it improves.
Thyme improves immunity and strengthens the body. Increases resistance to colds, ARVI and flu. The infusion effectively treats wet cough.
Cooks didn’t ignore the shrub either. Mediterranean cuisine has many recipes that use the spice leaves. Every gardener has at least once tried black or green tea with thyme and bought spicy mixtures with this plant. Thyme extract often makes the composition of dishes original and unforgettable.
Cosmetologists use the bactericidal properties of the shrub to refresh inflamed, acne-prone skin. Baths with infusion soothe and saturate the skin with vitamins and minerals.
Thyme infusion recipe
Tincture in a water bath is used for rinsing the mouth and throat, inhalation, and rinsing hair instead of store-bought products. How to cook:
- chop equal parts of mint and thyme (dried or fresh);
- pour a tablespoon of the mixture into a glass of water heated to 80 degrees;
- wrap the dishes and leave for an hour in a warm place;
- After filtering, the finished infusion is divided into 4 equal parts.
Take the drug regardless of food. For taste, it can be diluted with water and sweetened with honey.
A decoction of thyme is prepared as follows. Dry or fresh grass should be crushed (the fractions of the plant will more fully release all the elements). Pour 1 liter of cold water and bring to a boil in a water bath. Wrap, cool, strain. The decoction is taken in equal parts throughout the day.
Alcohol tincture of thyme
- chop a glass of fresh thyme shoots;
- Place in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid;
- pour 0.5 liters of good vodka;
- keep in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks;
- shake once every 7 days.
Strain the finished infusion and store in the refrigerator. Take half a teaspoon orally once a day. To cleanse the skin, wipe your face with a cotton pad soaked in the tincture. It is recommended to add the product to water when rinsing hair (a teaspoon per liter of warm water).
Advantages of the product: alcoholic infusion of thyme is stored for a long time (up to 1 year), prepared in June (the herb gains maximum beneficial properties). Disadvantage: not everyone is allowed to drink alcohol.
The benefits and harms of the plant
There are no absolutely beneficial or harmful plants in nature. Before using drugs, you should familiarize yourself with the properties and contraindications. If necessary, you should visit a doctor before treatment.
Thyme has a strong effect on the body:
- The shrub has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Infusions are used for toothache as a mouth rinse. Decoctions help reduce inflammation in sore throat or stomatitis.
- Thyme helps normalize blood circulation.
- Traditional medicine recommends using a decoction or oil as a disinfectant for minor cuts and skin injuries. This is especially useful for gardeners who work with the soil.
- The oil promotes the healing of wounds and cracks. Children will like this aromatic medicine. Every gardener should have it in their home medicine cabinet.
- Herbal tea strengthens the immune system. It will help improve the condition, helps with furunculosis, diabetes mellitus. But you need to visit a doctor to prescribe a treatment regimen.
The beneficial properties of the aromatic herb are used in preparations for treatment colds and flu. Vitamin tea from thyme is useful for spring vitamin deficiency.
Contraindications
Not everyone is allowed to use thyme preparations without harm to health. You should limit the use of drugs and teas:
- pregnant and lactating women;
- patients with liver and kidney diseases;
- those suffering from stomach and duodenal ulcers;
- for allergy sufferers;
- people with high blood pressure.
Thyme will not be useful for people with individual intolerance to its components. Thyme has the property of warming. Using it as an antipyretic will lead to undesirable consequences. The patient's condition will worsen.
It is important to remember: long-term use of medications will cause nausea and vomiting. You should stop using the products and consult a doctor.
Thyme, or also called Bogorodskaya grass, is popularly called thyme. Its varieties are found not only in Europe, but also in Southeast Asia, as well as in northern Africa. Today we will introduce you to the most common varieties of thyme, describe in detail the process of growing, planting, care in the open ground, and also pay attention to how to propagate the plant.
Creeping thyme is a type of low-growing shrub. The height of the plant rarely reaches more than 15 cm. It is called so because of its ability to spread along the soil, forming a soft, fragrant carpet. The flowers have a bright purple hue and are collected in capitate inflorescences. This type most often used by gardeners. Applicable in landscape design because it blooms continuously all summer. The most common varieties of thyme are:
- "Colchis" - has light lilac flowers and spreads low (10 cm) along the ground;
Variety "Colchis" - “Donna Valley” - grows in a dense carpet, the leaves are bordered by a yellow stripe, the flowering is constant pink;
- “Silver Queen” - forms a rather high (20 cm) loose carpet, the leaves are gray with a white edge, the inflorescences are densely arranged and have a pale lilac tint.
Creeping thyme is a type of thyme, among which you can also find:
Planting a plant
Thyme is grown in light, loose soil. Sunlight has a beneficial effect on its development, so planting in open ground is carried out in a well-lit place.
In order for perennial plants to take root well, the site must be carefully dug up in the fall. And add organic fertilizer (compost or manure). In the spring, when the weather is warm outside with a temperature of at least 13°C, the soil is dug up again and the seeds are sown.
Advice! After thyme has been sowed, you can sprinkle the seeds river sand. It will provide young shoots with additional nutrients and prevent water from stagnating on the surface.
After the seedlings sprout and grow a little, it is necessary to thin out the planting. The ideal distance between plants is 30-35 cm.
Fertilize and dig up the soil before planting thyme In open ground, planting can also be done using seedlings. To do this, at the end of winter, thyme is sown in prepared trays. Watering the seedlings is carried out regularly, but not abundantly. Thyme grows under glass, which creates a greenhouse effect. After 3-4 weeks, the seedlings are taken out into the open air for hardening, and after another 2 weeks they are planted in a permanent place.
Thyme care
The first thing you need to do for thyme after planting is to pinch the tip of the stem, so the plant will form into a beautiful lush bush. Perennial crops require seasonal pruning. In the fall, when the thyme has stopped flowering, it is necessary to shorten the bushes. In the new season you will see how this procedure helped the plant become denser and acquire a decorative shape.
As it grows, shape the plant to get a beautiful bush Regular weeding and removal of weeds, which draw most nutrients from the soil, are very important for thyme. Since thyme already grows rather slowly, “undesirable neighbors” will further inhibit its growth.
Caring for the plant also involves watering it, which should be done no more than twice a week in dry weather and even less often if the summer is not very hot.
Important! Cover perennial plants with peat or fallen leaves for the winter.
Fertilizer and feeding
It is undesirable for thyme to add fresh manure to the soil. Growing thyme in open ground allows the use of wood ash. It will not only add nutrients to the soil, but also reduce acidity.
Feed the perennial with mineral fertilizers The first fertilization of thyme is carried out with urea in early spring. If this is the first year, then before germination, and in the second and subsequent years during spring pruning.
Advice! Mineral fertilizers can be applied from the second year of life of creeping thyme.
Thyme propagation
Reproduction of creeping thyme varieties in open ground is carried out in three ways:
Diseases and pests
Creeping thyme is very resistant to attacks by pathogenic bacteria and pests. Planting and caring for it is not difficult. It is unpretentious, but the only drawback is its slow growth.
The main pests of Bogorodskaya grass are:
- weevil;
- meadow moth;
- sandy sluggish.
Sand slow beetle Thyme can also be affected by some fungal diseases. This happens due to violations of agricultural cultivation techniques. Excessive watering, infrequent weeding, and shading of the plant lead to the spread of fungi on it.
Deep plowing, regular loosening of the root area of the soil, and timely weeding will save you from insect pests. Pests can also be removed by applying fertilizer containing lime or other alkaline fertilizers.
Creeping thyme: combination with other plants
Thyme looks great in group or joint plantings. It can be used as a background for plants with large textured leaves. Often they play on the contrast of colors in combination with heuchera.
Thyme in landscape design Creeping thyme attracts with its powerful aroma a large number of butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects. Therefore, it can be planted next to cucumber beds. By flocking to the smell of thyme, bees will help pollinate other vegetable crops.
Thyme or Bogorodskaya herb is the main component in the composition of bouquets made for the holiday of the Holy Trinity. These bundles also contain wormwood, mint and lovage. Since ancient times, it was believed that the combination of their aromas would drive away all evil spirits from the home.
Creeping thyme in landscape design
Being a low shrub that creeps along the ground, thyme is used in landscape design as a background for alpine slides and mixboards. But he can act there in the leading role. Looks very good on rocky screes.
Decorating a rock garden with thyme Growing creeping thyme will bring you a lot of pleasure. You will be able to enjoy not only the beautiful appearance fluffy cushion bushes, but also its wonderful spicy smell. And what bright and rich photos you get against the backdrop of thyme is simply a sight for sore eyes.
Growing thyme: video
Thyme is grown to decorate the garden plot and to obtain a useful herb that will cure a runny nose and cough, give strength and energy, and save you from the blues. In ancient times, thyme was idolized and considered a miraculous remedy against all diseases. Today we have not stopped believing in this.
Thyme is a representative of the Lamiaceae genus and belongs to the Lamiaceae family. This is a perennial plant that can be cultivated as an annual within the garden. In nature, different types of grass grow everywhere, and large populations are concentrated in the mountains, steppes and floodplains. This low bush likes sunny, windless areas and clear weather. Black thyme is not picky about the mechanical composition of the soil, since, thanks to its developed root system, it can obtain water from great depths.
Thyme is unpretentious and resilient. The grass does not need fertilizing or frequent watering. All she needs is space for her long creeping shoots to grow. Flowering begins early, already in mid-June and lasts until the cold weather.
Note!
In nature, thyme does not grow as quickly as in a cultivated summer cottage. This is because in the garden the soil is more enriched with minerals, which contribute to the rapid growth of creeping shoots. This must be taken into account and timely pruning must be done.
The world of herbs is large and diverse. If we are already accustomed to dill and parsley, then basil, tarragon, hyssop not so long ago...
Thyme Mossy
The lowest representative of the species. The height of the coating is 1-2 centimeters. Creeping thyme. Long curved stems cover the entire surface in their path, entwining foreign objects (stones, fences, other plants). The foliage is small, dark green, and grows in a cup-shaped form. Due to the density of the covering, a dense terry carpet is created, which blooms with lilac flowers in mid-summer. There are few of them. Mossy thyme is primarily planted as a moss substitute. Great for landscaping bare areas of the garden.
Crimean Thyme
This variety of thyme grows on the Crimean Peninsula. The bush is a low, highly branched, densely leafy plant. In the south it can be found in river valleys at the foot of hills and hillocks, next to cliffs and mountain ranges. Like all types of thyme, Crimean thyme is unpretentious to soil fertility, so you can safely plant it where other plants will definitely die. Not capricious to watering and fertilizers. Flowering occurs in the first ten days of June and lasts a month. The fruits are small black seeds that can be used to propagate the species. All above-ground parts can be used to make healing agents.
Thyme lives in Crimea for several years, and it needs to be covered for the winter, especially in snowless and frosty winters, since the fragile shoots do not tolerate cold weather.
Thyme Talieva
The variety was named in honor of the famous Soviet botanist Valery Taliev. It is a spreading subshrub up to 15 centimeters high. The centimeter-long leaves are located on long petioles and are sparsely spaced along the stem. Dark pink flowers with purple edging are collected in paniculate racemes.
Grows mainly on rocky soils and marls. Flowers bloom in mid-June. The nut fruits fully ripen at the end of summer. In nature, it can be found in the Urals, Siberia and the European part of Russia.
Thyme Early minor
Slow-growing, low-growing perennial groundcover shrub. The height of the cover is only 3 centimeters. Peduncles grow 15 centimeters. Early minor has a highly developed root system that goes underground to a depth of two meters. The leaves are small, round, arranged in pairs on tiers. The wood of the stems is practically invisible due to the densely dotted leaves. During flowering, loose paniculate inflorescences of pink color, smelling of honey, bloom above the greenery. Flowering lasts four months (from June to September).
Grows well in sunny areas, but does not mind partial shade. Drought-resistant, not susceptible to diseases and pests. Low sensitivity to cold, needs shelter for the winter. The variety is well suited for decorating an alpine hill.
Thyme variety Red Carpet
Characterized by abundant, long-lasting fragrant flowering. Burgundy flowers completely cover the stems and leaves. The height of the covering layer is only 5-7 centimeters. The shoots are long and flexible and grow quickly. The leaves are silver-green, cornerstone. An ideal variety for decorating garden plots. It is unpretentious, grows well on loams, but performs better on sandstones and rocky areas.
Blooms from June to August.
Red Carpet thyme sprigs are suitable for brewing delicious aromatic tea that has a calming effect.
Dorfler variety
Found in the Balkans. Rare view. Prefers warm regions and has low sensitivity to low temperatures. The leaves are pointed, pale green, heavily pubescent with white hairs. It blooms all summer with gray-lilac flowers. It is unsuitable for cultivation, as it is capricious and in the central part of Russia, as well as in the North, full growth is difficult.
Lemon-scented Thyme
Hybrid of French selection. Known for its citrus aroma. The plant has an original leaf color - they are green-yellow. As the plant ages, its color changes to dark green. The flower petals are pale pink. Before flowering, the thyme carpet is light yellow, and during flowering it is pink. Such beauty will relieve the garden plot from everyday life.
Sensitive to humidity and cold. Does not tolerate life on loams well. When growing thyme as a perennial crop, you should cover it for the winter. Watering should be rare. Thyme should grow only in open sunny areas. The following varieties are used in landscape design:
- Silver Qeen is a variety with green foliage edged with a gray stripe.
- Bertram Anderson - light green foliage with yellow streaks.
- Golden Duarf - blooms with lilac flowers. The stems emit a strong lemon aroma.
Archers gold is especially popular. It is famous for its large yellow leaves and purple flowers.
Thyme Common Compactus
The most common. Successfully used in landscaping. A compact, low-growing shrub grows no more than 20 centimeters. Its ovoid, dense leaves are glossy on top and pubescent on the inside. The color of the flowers can be white, pink, lilac, lilac, burgundy, purple. There are bicolor species. Common thyme blooms throughout the summer. Compactus has no complaints about the composition of the soil; it works well on depleted, weakly filled soils.
Common thyme is usually used to decorate garden paths and arrange hedges. The variety is classified as medicinal. It is included in many medications with different effects.
Known varieties:
- Alba - blooms with white flowers.
- Splendence - the color of the petals is dark red.
- Elfin is a dwarf plant, the height of the stems is no more than 5 centimeters. Blooms with purple flowers.
Thyme variety Donne Valei
Belongs to the lemon-smelling group of thymes. Compared to other species, it is a tall plant (height up to 35 centimeters). Long curved shoots are decorated with lemon-colored leaves with green veins. At the ends of the stems, multiple flowers are collected in spike-shaped racemes-inflorescences. Donne Valeya blooms with purple flowers.
The variety is not winter-hardy, so you need reliable shelter. Afraid of overflows, picky about soil composition. It is valued by gardeners for its decorative effect, which lasts throughout the summer, and a pleasant strong citrus aroma.
Thyme Soddy
What is characteristic of this low-growing shrub is that even in winter it does not shed its fleecy, needle-like leaves, which emit a bitter orange aroma. Very frost-resistant, never gets sick, and is not attacked by pests. It blooms in mid-summer with white or light lilac flowers.
Thyme Creeping
A group of thymes with long shoots spreading along the ground. The branches are densely overgrown with tight, glossy, cylindrical leaves. Flowers can be of different, unusual colors. There are varieties with white, carmine, pink-violet, and coral flowers.
Known for his unpretentiousness. It is easy to propagate using seeds or cuttings. He is not afraid of frost or drought. It performs well in well-lit, quiet areas, although it is not averse to growing in light partial shade. It begins to bloom in the second half of July. It gives beauty until the very end of summer.
Note!
It is creeping thyme that is popularly called thyme or Bogorodskaya herb.
Thyme Subarctic
Thyme of this species is a low subshrub with slender thin stems, which form strong wood at the base by the end of the season. Peduncles are erect, slightly pubescent. The branches reach 7 centimeters in length. The leaves are elliptical in shape, sometimes with cilia or entire edges. Small purple flowers are collected in loose capitate inflorescences. Over time, the flowering inflorescences lengthen and become narrower.
Subarctic thyme is common in the forests of Eastern Europe (Scandinavia). In Russia it mainly grows in the Murmansk region. It is in a state close to being included in the Red Book. Grows on sandy soils, near rocky seashores, and mountain streams. Flowering occurs at the end of July and lasts for a month and a half. The variety is valued for its high content of essential oils.
Conclusion
Thyme is an amazingly versatile plant. It is valued for its decorative properties, long-lasting flowering, pleasant aroma and healing properties. And what a carpet of flowers blooms in the middle of summer! No photo can convey such beauty! This herb will be useful to everyone who has their own garden - it will decorate the garden and cure colds. It is also added to various dishes. Thanks to its unsurpassed aroma and specific taste, this spice will make any treat special. Which thyme to plant in your garden is up to you. Luckily there is plenty of choice.
Family: Lamiaceae (Lamiaceae).
Motherland
Thyme is found in the European part of Russia, lives on the outskirts of pine forests, in rocky tundras, in the steppes of Siberia and Kazakhstan, in Crimea, and in the Urals.
Form: herbaceous plant or shrub.
Description
Thyme (thyme) is a perennial plant up to 35 centimeters high. The stem is recumbent, spread out or ascending; pubescent The rhizome is woody, taprooted. The leaves are tough and vary greatly in shape and size among different species. Flowers are collected in inflorescences, from white to purple. The fruit is a capsule. Flowering period is June-August. Known in culture different kinds thyme, but most often used in gardening are common thyme and its subspecies, as well as creeping thyme. Bedbug thyme (Thymus cimicinus) is listed in the Red Book of Russia.
Common thyme , or common thyme (T. vulgaris) - very miniature thyme (5-15 centimeters tall). The leaves are small, pubescent below. The flowers are white or light purple.
creeping thyme , or creeping thyme (T. serpyllum) - a subshrub up to 15 centimeters high, forming a dense cover. The shoots are recumbent, the peduncle is erect. The flowers are purple, bright, collected in capitate inflorescences. Creeping thyme blooms all summer. This is the most used type of thyme.
Thyme purple-violet (T. purpureo-violaceus) - low-growing (about 10 centimeters) thyme with creeping shoots. Forms a dense turf.
Lemon thyme (T. citriodorus) is a subspecies of common thyme. Lemon thyme has a pronounced spicy aroma with lemon notes. Young leaves are almost yellow in color, while mature leaves are light green.
Thyme dwarf (T. pigmeus) - a low-growing species up to 3 cm in height. Forms a dense cover. The leaves are dense on thin, highly branched shoots. The leaves are small, green, and overwinter under the snow. The flowers are pink. Blooms from mid-May to July.
Growing conditions
Thyme is a rather unpretentious plant. Thyme prefers sunny areas. Can tolerate light partial shade. The soil is preferably light, non-acidic, well-drained, preferably sandy.
Application
Creeping thyme is used as a ground cover plant in and on. All types of thyme can be used when decorating rocky areas and in group plantings. By combining different varieties with white, pink and purple flowers, you can achieve interesting results. Thymes go well with plants that have larger textured leaves, preferably contrasting in color: with,.
Thyme is widely used in cooking and folk medicine. Thyme leaves are used to flavor tea. White thyme (Thymus zygis) is also used in perfumery.
Care
Periodically requires loosening the soil and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. Watering is moderate. Frost-resistant plant. Thyme does not tolerate stagnant water. It can grow in one place for up to five years.
You can learn how to grow thyme from publications in the literature section.
Reproduction
Thyme can be propagated either by seeds or by dividing the bush. The last method is used most often. To divide, the bush should be dug up and divided into several parts with roots. When propagated by seeds, sowing is carried out immediately in open ground in a permanent place. Sow in April.
Diseases and pests
Thyme is practically not susceptible to diseases and pests. It can rot and rot due to excessive soil moisture. In this case, regular loosening is recommended.
Popular varieties
Common thyme variety "Elfin"- a very low-growing variety, 3-5 centimeters high.
Varieties of lemon thyme
"Silver Queen"- Very decorative variety, distinguished by dark green leaves with a white or pink border.
"Golden Dwarf"- salad-colored leaves with yellow spots.
"Golden King"- leaves are green, with a yellow edge.
Varieties of early thyme
"Pseudolanuginosus"- leaves are pointed, pale green, heavily pubescent. Very abundant flowering.
"Minor"- leaves are small, pubescent. It grows slowly.
Varieties of creeping thyme
'Kolhida'- low (10-15 centimeters) variety. From June to August, Thyme ‘Colchis’ is completely covered with small light lilac flowers.
'Donne Valley'- forms a low cover. The leaves have a yellow border that can occupy the entire leaf blade. The flowers are pink.
'Silver Queen'- forms a loose cover up to 20 cm high. The leaves are grayish, have a white border along the edge. The flowers are pale lilac. The inflorescences are dense.
Varieties of lemon thyme
"Aurea"- has a more pronounced yellow color.
"Bertram Anderson"- leaves are green with yellow spots.
