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Thyme can be grown from seeds outdoors by direct sowing or through seedlings. It is important to correctly select and prepare a place, material, organize proper care. Thyme seeds can be bought or collected by yourself to grow.
What do thyme seeds look like?
Thyme seeds are very small – there are more than 1 of them in 4000 g. They have a dark color, an oblong shape. The seeds are contained in a small ellipsoidal or almost spherical nutlet. Ripening, depending on the type of plant, occurs in July-September.
To grow, thyme seeds are harvested on their own after flowering. For storage, they are dried in a warm place, but without access to direct sunlight.
The germination of thyme seeds lasts three years – to grow them, it is better to use them in the first season after harvesting.
When to plant thyme seeds
Thyme seeds are sown in open ground in spring or autumn. In the first case, the germination rate is higher, the second option is attractive due to natural stratification. For spring planting, a temperature of at least 12-15 ° C should be established, and the threat of return frosts should be over.
How to grow thyme (thyme) from seed outdoors
To successfully grow thyme, it is important to correctly select and prepare a place for it. Compliance with the rules of sowing, compliance with the recommended dates is also important.
Site Selection
To plant thyme in a country house from seeds, it is important to choose the right place. The plant prefers sunny areas, but light partial shade is also acceptable. If the perennial is not provided with sufficient lighting, its growth and development will slow down. The bushes will be weak and elongated, flowering will be pale or completely absent.
The selected location must also meet the following requirements:
- fertile and light soil;
- good drainage;
- pH level is neutral, alkaline reaction is acceptable;
- remoteness of groundwater;
- protection from strong wind, draft;
- according to the composition of the soil, sandy loam or loam is preferable.
Thyme is used in landscape design, it can be grown in different places. Perennial feels good surrounded by stones, suitable for vertical gardening.
Thyme is unpretentious, often grows in unexpected places, and it is difficult to trample it.
Soil preparation
To successfully grow thyme, the site for planting it should be prepared in advance. If spring sowing is planned, then work begins in the fall. Preparation consists in digging the site and applying organic fertilizers. Usually use compost or humus. The introduction of a potassium-phosphorus complex is also recommended.
It is difficult to grow thyme in areas with high acidity, since it will develop poorly. To neutralize the reaction, fluff lime or dolomite flour is added.
In the spring, digging is repeated. Do this 1-2 days before planting, when the temperature is not lower than 12 ° C. After digging, the beds are loosened and spilled with a solution of urea. 10 kg of fertilizer is added to 0,2 liters of water. This amount is enough to process 10 m².
Seed preparation
To grow thyme from seeds, they do not need special preparation. To improve germination, the seed is treated with a growth stimulator. Appin, Zircon will do. The drug is diluted according to the instructions and the seeds are soaked in it. The duration of treatment depends on the drug chosen.
Thyme seeds are very small, so before planting it is better to mix them with clean river sand. The seed material must be dry.
Rules for sowing thyme seeds
Planting thyme seeds is easy. On the prepared site, it is sown in rows. You can make small grooves or holes. The interval between rows should be 35 cm. Depending on the type and variety of the plant, this distance is adjusted.
Thyme seeds are very small, so they are sown freely. The number of plants is adjusted in several steps after emergence. As a result, an average of 30 cm should remain between adjacent bushes. When thinning, the strongest specimens are left.
The sown seeds are sprinkled with river sand. It not only protects them from being moved by the wind, but also contains valuable minerals. To speed up the emergence of seedlings, the bed is covered with a film.
Thyme seeds germinate after sowing in open ground in at least two weeks
When and how to sow thyme for seedlings
It is better to plant thyme seeds for seedlings in the second half of May. Bushes are moved to open ground after mid-May. The soil should warm up to 15 ° C. The optimal age of seedlings is 70 days.
The algorithm for sowing thyme for seedlings is simple:
- Prepare the soil mixture, a tandem of peat and sand is suitable.
- Disinfect the soil – treat with a solution of potassium permanganate or ignite in the oven.
- Fill containers with earth.
- Soak the seeds in warm water for 12 hours, dry, combine with river sand.
- Superficially sow the prepared material.
- Pour a small layer of sand.
- Moisten the crops with a spray bottle.
- Organize a film or glass shelter.
Thyme seedlings are regularly moistened and ventilated. Shelter is removed after germination, but gradually, starting from two hours. Seedlings are best kept in a cool place with good lighting. In the phase of two real sheets, a pick is carried out.
Features of care
It is not difficult to grow thyme, because it is quite unpretentious. Water the perennial as needed, but not more than twice a week.
They begin to feed thyme from the second year, since at first there are enough fertilizers introduced during the preparation of the site. In the future, you can use them twice a season:
- spring urea, ammonium or ammonium nitrate;
- during flowering potassium-phosphorus complex.
Thyme is regularly weeded and loosened. Do this after watering or rain.
In order to grow denser and more compact thyme bushes, they are shortened by 2/3 in early spring, but the lignified parts of the shoots are not affected. Be sure to get rid of dried and frozen branches. Re-pruning is carried out when flowering ends.
Winter hardiness is different for different types of thyme. Creeping thyme withstands frosts down to -34,4 ° C, so it survives the cold season well. Less winter-hardy species need to be covered. For this, different materials are used:
- cardboard;
- lutrasil;
- fallen leaves;
- peat.
Shelter is removed in early May. If there is little snow in winter, then it should be raked up to thyme – with insufficient cover, plants often freeze out.
Diseases and pests
Thyme is easy to grow, partly because of its good immunity. Excess moisture is fraught with fungal diseases for thyme, because of which it withers, rots. Fungicides are used for treatment and prevention:
- Abiga Peak;
- Bordeaux liquid;
- Ridomil;
- Speed;
- Strobe;
- Topaz;
- Phytosporin;
- Fundazol;
- Horus.
A common fungal disease is rust
Thyme can be harmed by a sandy linger. In addition to thyme, this beetle infects many other crops. To combat it, use the drug Diazinon or Bazudin.
To prevent the appearance of sandy lingering, it is important to regularly weed thyme, destroy plant debris
A common enemy of thyme and other crops is aphids. The following drugs help against it:
- Aktara;
- Biotlin;
- Confidor;
- Corrado;
- Tanrek.
Effective against aphids and folk methods – soap solution, tobacco or onion infusion, tobacco dusting
Thyme can be harmed by a meadow moth. The following drugs will save him:
- Bitoxibacillin;
- Dendrobacillin;
- Lepidocide;
- Fitoverm.
Damage is caused by caterpillars of the meadow moth, which eat different parts of plants.
Thyme can suffer from weevil. To combat the pest, the following drugs are used:
- Aktellik;
- You decide;
- Carbaphos;
- Metaphos;
- Fufanon.
To combat weevils, beetles are harvested by hand, folk methods are used.
Conclusion
It is not difficult to grow thyme from seeds; you can sow them directly into the ground or get seedlings first. Thyme prefers sunny areas, light soil of neutral acidity. It is important not to overmoisten it, regularly weed and loosen it, if necessary, cover it for the winter.
