Planting and care
How to grow thyme
Warm season · Woody perennial
Rooted nursery transplant or division
6–12 in tall and 12–18 in wide
Light sprig harvest about 30–60 days after transplant once new growth is strong; allow the first season for establishment.
Light feeder
Compact Herb
How to prune
After flowering, shear leafy tips lightly to keep a compact mat. Never cut below all green leaves into bare woody stems; remove dead stems and avoid hard fall pruning.
How to harvest
Snip small leafy sprigs with clean scissors after dew dries. Take no more than about one-third of growth at once and leave healthy green foliage on every retained branch.
Harvest and kitchen use
Small leaves and sprigs for soups, roasts and sauces; strip leaves from woody stems.
Nutrition and garden value
Aromatic herbs provide flavor and small amounts of vitamins/phytonutrients
High customer value in small space; flowers on many herbs support pollinators/beneficial insects
Common challenges and troubleshooting
Bolting, winter injury or root rot varies by herb