Last updated on September 23rd, 2022 at 02:39 pm
The creeping thyme is one popular aromatic herb. Its benefits are numerous, and knowing this, it’s no surprise why one would want to plant them in your local garden or ceramic pots at home.
Depending on the species of the creeping thyme planted, the rate at which they spread varies a lot, some are faster, and some have slower growth though this does not affect the length of the growing period.
So, how fast does creeping thyme grow? Well, creeping thyme is not very fast in growing. They take some time to grow, and the rate at which they spread varies quite a lot based on the species of creeping thyme. Some species of creeping thyme spread faster in the same time length for growth as other creeping thyme species. However, it may seem, the growth of any species of creeping thyme is not fast.
How Long Does It Take for Creeping Thymes to Grow?
If you are looking for the fastest-growing herb for specific reasons, creeping thyme isn’t your best option. The creeping thyme is known for its numerous benefits and characteristics, but its growth speed isn’t one of them.
How long does it take for the creeping thyme to grow? The creeping thyme is a perennial crop, meaning it has more than two years of the life cycle.
It takes about one year for the creeping thyme to grow up to the point where it starts spreading and about one more year for it to spread completely before being ready for harvest the following year after the passing of the blooming season.
How Do I Grow Creeping Thyme?
Whether used for its aromatic nature, erosion prevention, or culinary use, it is not uncommon to want to grow this herb.
The creeping thyme is elegant.
Therefore, its growth can be beautiful and seemingly intimidating. As such, you may be worried and looking for ways to grow the creeping thyme efficiently.
The creeping thyme is a very resilient herb variety, and as long as it is provided with all the essentials it needs to survive, it would do well regardless of the type of plant.
The first step in growing thyme is determining whether you would like to grow them by seeds, transplanting, or division.
1) Growing creeping thyme by seeds.
If you have decided to grow your creeping thyme by seeds, then the first step is to:
Get good quality seeds from an experienced farmer or a trusted online source. Like all plants, the creeping thyme needs viable seeds to be able to germinate and germinate well.
In addition, the seeds should be free from diseases that can grow with the creeping thyme and affect them later.
The second step is deciding where to plant your creeping thyme. Your creeping thyme can be grown in a vase serving as a nursery bed or planted in your garden directly.
The third step is preparing your garden.
Unwanted weeds need to be cleared out properly to remove unwanted competition, and the land needs to be cleared and leveled.
Also, ensure to select a place that isn’t easily water-logged. You should quickly drain water away from the area.
The next step is figuring out the right weather conditions for planting. It is best to plant your creeping thyme in early summer as they do not need much moisture as soon as they germinate.
Plant the seeds either by broadcasting them and covering them with soil lightly or for more accurate and efficient spacing.
Based on your use of the creeping thyme, you should give a spacing of about four to six inches or 12 to 18 inches.
After planting, ensure to water them properly. The soil on which your creeping thyme is planted must be kept moist during seed germination and after seed germination.
This process is essentially crucial as creeping thyme thrives with sunlight and less water when they mature. Checkout our Article about Does Creeping thyme grow in shade?
As such, the plant gets most of the water needed during its first germination stage. Therefore, if the area is flooded, your creeping thyme will not germinate and will die off.
They usually take about seven days to germinate via seeds.
2) Growing creeping thyme by transplanting.
Transplanting is done after the creeping thyme has been planted via seeds in a nursery bed, vase, or flower pot, and they have germinated and grown for a little while.
You should loosen the soil around the creeping thyme and the plant gently pulled. Make sure this does not damage the plant stem or root.
Carefully shake to remove excess soil that may have followed and take it to your garden for planting.
Dig a shallow hole, deep enough to house the roots of your creeping thyme but not too deep to bury the entire plant.
Gently place your plant in the hole and cover the roots with the soil.
Water your transplanted creeping thyme enough to keep the soil moist and to prevent transplant shock. Water your creeping thyme for about a week before slowly withdrawing it.
3) Growing creeping thyme by Division.
The division is a method where the adult plant is split into several others and planted independently. Again, a process of transplanting, if you may put it in that way, but for adult creeping thyme.
Dig up an adult creeping thyme plant with a trowel and separate them into portions.
Plant each portion of the plant independent of each other and take all the steps, just as in the case of transplanting a seedling.
The plant will grow separately and into new creeping thyme.
Why Is My Creeping Thyme Not Growing?
Creeping thyme is a surprisingly resilient plant. Some varieties can even handle trampling and still be able to recover and do well.
They barely need any fertilizers to flourish. As such, your creeping thyme not growing might be a little odd but not out of the ordinary. It happens!
One reason your creeping thyme may not be growing may be due to overwatering. Creeping thyme is an aromatic herb that enjoys the sunlight and does not do well with too much water.
Giving your creeping thyme enough water to keep the soil moist during germination is enough.
However, the watering should be reduced significantly when the creeping thyme has passed the seedling stage and is regulated on rainfall.
Another reason your creeping thyme may not be growing is possibly lack of proper sunlight.
The creeping thyme needs about six hours of sunlight a day. If you have planted your creeping thyme indoors in the nursery, it may be possible it is not getting the adequate sunlight it needs to grow.
Take your creeping thyme seedlings outside during the day to soak enough sunlight before bringing them in again.
Your creeping thyme may also be failing to grow as a result of poor weather conditions. Therefore, it is best to grow your creeping thyme in late spring or the early summer.
Growing creeping thyme in frigid weather is not suitable for them. The optimum temperature is critical, and as such, your thyme may be stunted in growth because the weather conditions are not ideal for it.
Lastly, pests and diseases. Your creeping thyme may be riddled with diseases or little tiny pests eating away your creeping thyme, and you may not have noticed.
Several diseases can affect your creeping thyme. They range from fungal to bacterial, leaving signs like holes in leaves or progressive death of your creeping thyme.
Early detection can save your creeping thyme, and prevention also helps as some diseases cannot be cured and requires complete removal of your creeping thyme.
Pests such as aphids and spider mites may also prevent your creeping thyme from growing.
Conclusion
How fast the creeping thyme spreads depends on the variety; however, they take a long time to reach full maturity, provided the steps are taken to ensure its proper growth.
Division, seed propagation, and transplanting are all effective ways to grow your creeping thyme, and each has specific steps to follow to make sure they grow to become healthy.
Though they may take a long time to reach full maturity, you can sometimes use them for many purposes in their vegetative state, and it sure is worth it to grow them.
The length of time should not matter because its benefits cannot be overemphasized.
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