How to Rejuvenate Thyme

A sharp pair of shears is all you need to rejuvenate your thyme plants

Thyme plants need help in looking their best. Rejuvenate this herb and keep it producing a healthy harvest by learning how to perform the necessary maintenance. Thyme comes in many varieties and does well as both a formal border and a sturdy addition to rock gardens.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp pruning shears

Instructions

1. Determine the condition of your thyme plant. A neglected thyme will have lots of woody growth and be very unruly. It will need the most extreme pruning. Otherwise, thyme that is just looking a little out of shape or that needs to be prepared for winter can be lightly pruned.

2. Perform hard pruning on neglected plants after the first frost in late fall. Cut one-third of the woody stalks of the plant down to half their size. Repeat each year until tender leaves replace the majority of the woody stalks.

3. Prune a thyme plant normally in the late summer after the herb has bloomed. Choose one-third of the plant and cut it back by two-thirds. Pruning in this way prevents woody overgrowth yet maintains the growing size of the plant.

4. Shape a thyme plant in the spring. Both upright and creeping thyme can become very wild looking without shaping. Decide how you want your thyme to look and then lightly shape with sharp shears. Continue each year until the thyme has been trained into the shape you desire.

5. Harvest thyme throughout the spring and summer. Using the new growth keeps the plant the healthiest it can be.

Tips & Warnings

• Only prune one third of the plant at a time. Choose the oldest, woodiest stems each year to cut back.

• Creeping thyme can attract bees to your garden

References

• NC State University: Winterizing the Herb Garden
• Gardening Know How: Tip for Pruning Thyme Plants for Best Growth

Resources

• The Herb Spiral: Recipes Using Thyme