Thymes need nutrient-poor, well-drained soil and at least six hours of direct sun every day. Rich soils and excess water will cause them to grow lushly at first, before going lanky and rotting out in the center. Tliymes can easily by shaded by larger companions. The lack of light and air circulation will also lead to rot. Once youVe placed and planted your thymes, you have little left to do but wait for them to establish and thrive. Avoid fertilizing thymes in the ground more than once or twice a season. If you grow thyme in a container, a monthly dose of weak fish emulsion in the usual watering will be sufficient food. Tliymes require litde maintenance.
They should be sheared lightly after the last spring frost to rejuvenate the plants and stimulate new growth. Cut them back heavily after flowering as well. Avoid cutting thymes back hard before a heav)'- frost. Because of their shallow root systems, thymes are prone to frost heaving. Freeze and thaw damage is especially problematic when plants are growing between pavers. If the amount of soil available is small enough, the roots will freeze solid and the plant will die.
Most thyme varieties are hardy to Zone 5. Tliymes tend to layer themselves around the edges. Creeping varieties are especially prone to rooting along their stems. Separate rooted stems from their parent plants and grow them in pots or a nursery bed. Thymes are rarely grown from seed. Caleb Melchior grows unusual herbs and perennials at Sugar Creek Gardens in Kirkwood, Missouri. He is also studying for a Master of Landscape Architecture degree at Kansas State University.
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