Exposure Full-sun
Season Spring through Fall
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T. serpyllum. Creeping thyme is an ornamental. From a tiny clump of little seedlings comes a spreading mat of scented foliage covered with pink flowers. Plant Creeping Thyme seeds for excellent coverage and easy use in rock gardens. This is a mat forming herb that grows to maximum heights of 15cm (6") and blooms May to August. Grow in full sun, in well drained soil, with moderate to low water. Use in rock or herb gardens, as an edging along paths or as a ground cover. Plant in Zones 4-9. Creeping Thyme is a slow growing plant with dust-like, tiny seeds. To fill in a larger area more quickly, try sowing the seeds sparsely into a 128-cell Plug Insert, and create as many seedlings as possible for later transplanting. The seedlings may have to grow in the flat for the first season, but you will end up with better, more even coverage.
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Latin
Latin
English or Common Thyme: Thymus vulgaris & Creeping Thyme: T. serpyllum
Family: Lamiaceae
Difficulty
Difficulty
Challenging and slow going
Season & Zone
Season & Zone
Season: spring through fall
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: Hardy to Zone 4
Timing
Timing
Sow indoors late winter to mid-spring. Transplant out once soil begins to warm, or direct sow late May through June. Ideal soil temperature for germination: 15-21°C (60-70°F).
Starting
Starting
Sow the dust-like seeds on the surface of dampened, sterilized seed starting mix under bright light with bottom heat. Keep watering to a minimum, as thyme seedlings are prone to damping off. When seedlings are large enough, harden them off and transplant to the garden or to containers, spacing them at 23-38cm (9-15″) apart.
Growing
Growing
Trim plants back after flowering to encourage bushy growth. Protect container-grown plants from cold as winter approaches, and water only as necessary. Damp, cold soil will kill thyme.
Harvest
Harvest
Fresh thyme leaves can be harvested at any time of the year as long as the plants are established. Prune back any dead branches. Whole stems/branches can be clipped and dried whole, or individual leaves can be left to dry in a dark, airy spot for long term storage.
Companion Planting
Companion Planting
An all around beneficial plant for the garden, thyme is particularly worth planting near Brassicas, as it repels cabbage moths, and strawberries, as it enhances flavour.
More on Companion Planting.
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that embraces an organic lifestyle. A group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and services that better the environment. As part of our mission to repair the earth, we aim to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for the state of the planet. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.
For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
We’re a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
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Gardens don’t just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact — always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earth’s stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
Sow indoors late winter to mid-spring. Transplant out once soil begins to warm, or direct sow late May through June. Ideal soil temperature for germination: 15-21°C (60-70°F).
Sow the dust-like seeds on the surface of dampened, sterilized seed starting mix under bright light with bottom heat. Keep watering to a minimum, as thyme seedlings are prone to damping off. When seedlings are large enough, harden them off and transplant to the garden or to containers, spacing them at 23-38cm (9-15″) apart.
Trim plants back after flowering to encourage bushy growth. Protect container-grown plants from cold as winter approaches, and water only as necessary. Damp, cold soil will kill thyme.
Fresh thyme leaves can be harvested at any time of the year as long as the plants are established. Prune back any dead branches. Whole stems/branches can be clipped and dried whole, or individual leaves can be left to dry in a dark, airy spot for long term storage.
