![]() It is suitable as a lawn substitute in small areas, an ideal ground cover to use between stepping stones or near to patios and walkways. There are very few ground covers that can be walked-on, but creeping thyme is one of them. The leaves are very small, but dense and cover the low growing plants.īlooming from May through to August with clusters of flowers in shades of purple-violet, the plants flower so prolifically, you can hardly see the evergreen leaves below. Older plants can be dug up and divided from March till May.One of the best low growing ground covers, Thymus serpyllum forms evergreen dense cushions The stems creep along the ground rather than rise vertically and grow up to 30cm (12in) long. Make sure that there are always new buds visible and don't cut under this new growth. Never cut too deep because thyme will not grow back if cut too deeply. Don't cut the plants in the first year, but wait until the 2nd year to cut them carefully. You can eventually put the thinned plants in another spot.Ĭover the young plants in the winter months with mulch to prevent freezing. Once the seedlings are big enough to handle, thin them out to 30 cm. Don't cover the seeds as they need light to germinate. Because the seeds are very fine, it's useful to mix them with some sand so that the seeds can be spread more easily and you can see where you have sown them. Sow the seeds from May until August outside in a sunny spot with good drainage and lime rich soil enriched with compost. This method is especially suitable if creeping thyme is used to fill small spots in a border or other small spaces. It's also possible to sow directly outdoors. Provide a sunny spot with good drainage and lime-rich soil enriched with compost. Remove the top leaves from each plant to ensure that the plants grow sideways rather than upwards. As soon as the plants are big enough to handle, they can be planted outside when there is no more frost, or they can be re-potted in larger pots and grown further before being put outside. Once a large proportion of the seeds have germinated, the cling film can be removed. Keep them well moist by covering them with e.g. Provide sufficient light, but don't place them in direct sunlight. Sow the seeds shallowly and don't cover them with soil as they need light to germinate. To do this, sow the seeds in a plug tray with well moistened potting soil in spring or possibly in autumn. If creeping thyme is going to be used to cover large areas, the best method is to sow the plants indoors and plant them outdoors, after a hardening off period of 10 - 15 days, later in the year when there's no more frost. Harvesting period: March - October (from the 2nd year after sowing) Indoor sowing: March - end of April or September - November Harvest the leaves from March till October from the 2nd year after sowing. Protect especially the young plants against frost by mulching them. This ground cover is very attractive to bees. Place this plant in a sunny spot with good drainage and possibly limey soil. Creeping thyme is also delicious with lamb, beef and cheese. Use the leaves of this thyme in sauces, stews, stir-fries, pasta dishes, soups, marinades, salads, with potato dishes, in dishes with egg (e.g. It's important, however, to make the conditions for the plant as good as possible. It doesn't grow very fast, but it spreads and forms dense cushions, so it can also be used for larger pieces of ground cover. It's a plant that stays low and, if in a good spot, is very tough so that it can even be walked on. Creeping thyme can be used for various purposes. Creeping thyme is a perennial evergreen that blooms with attractive and wonderfully fragrant purple flowers.
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