Several plant arrogate the name creeping thyme , include Thymus longicaulis , Thymus serpyllum and Thymus praecox , which all enjoy alike growing condition . ironic , tender , sunny spots are best for this low - growing , aromatic perennial , for deterrent example , the edges of garden bed , rock’n’roll gardens and between stepping Stone . Thymus longicaulis grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6a through 9b ; Thymus serpyllum grows in USDA zone 4 through 8 ; Thymus praecox grows in USDA zone 5 through 8 .
Step 1
Creeping thyme thrives in juiceless , gritty , well - drain filth and full - Sunday sites . The plants do n’t grow well in partial shade ; cold , wet soils can spell disaster . Growcreeping thymein sandy or stony loose soils in areas that pick up six or more hour of sunlight every day . Thymus longicaulis and Thymus praecox grow in clay dirt , provide the ground is well - drained . Thymus longicaulis grows in sulfurous , impersonal and alkaline filth . cringe thyme is usually grown as an decorative plant life , cascading over rocky Earth’s surface or creeping along pathways . Thymus serpyllum tolerate moderate foot traffic . Spacecreeping thymeplants about 9 inch aside , or according to the variety ’s final grow width .
Step 2
Step 3
Watering Plants
Established crawl thyme plants only demand water during prolonged dry weather . piddle creeping thyme when the grunge is teetotal to a profundity of 2 inches and the plants are actively growing . Newly engraft creeping thyme should be watered during the first growing time of year when the soil is dry to a depth of 1 inch . weewee creeping thyme plants until the water begins to puddle on the soil surface , and then blockade immediately . Creeping thyme commonly stops develop during the winter , though in mild wintertime it remains immature . plant that are n’t growing do n’t necessitate water , and creeping thyme also does n’t need fertilizer .
Winterizing Creeping Thyme
During very cold wintertime , creeping thyme can suffer damage . Rock garden , nerve pathway and other areas where creeping thyme often grow can be exposed to abstruse frosts in winter , but you may protect the plant with a light mulch . Spread a 1/2 - inch layer of pine needles over creeping thyme after the earth freeze , and brush the mulch away in spring when the plant begins turn again . trim back plants back in saltation to manipulate their bedspread and to remove woody development . desexualise pruning shear by wiping the leaf blade with a cloth soaked in itch alcohol , and crop one - third of the duration of the stems , or prune the stems at the desired length . Sterilize the pruning shears again when you ’ve finished .
Dividing Overgrown Plants
When the centers of creeping thyme plants give out back or become woody , divide the plants to renew them . After three or four years , Thymus praecox plants perish back at the center , and Thymus serpyllum plants can arise slow and woody . comprehend the plants up in late winter , and commit off the numb leafage and etymon . Pull the plant life into hand - sized sections , and embed one section in the original develop spot at the same growing depth . set the other segment elsewhere in the garden , or give them away or put them on a compost pile . If you need to expend pruning shears to separate the plant into section , sterilise the blades before and after use .
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