Last updated on September 26th, 2022 at 09:11 am
Whenever a plant begins to go dry, quick and appropriate measures need to be taken to prevent the loss of that plant. It’s incredibly crucial to take these measures before your plant dies.
Thus, the art of reviving thyme cannot be under-emphasized because of its potential flavorful feature. So, if you have thyme in your garden and it begins to dry out, you may be wondering how to get it back to its former vigor.
So, how do you revive a dried-out thyme plant? To restore your dried-out thyme, you will have to water it delicately because even though dehydration might be causing its dryness, thyme prefers relatively dry soil. You might also consider bringing it indoors for proper care and attention.
Will My Thyme Plant Come Back?
Most gardeners would want to give up hope on trying to bring back their withering thyme plant because they feel it’s not worth the shot.
However, thyme being a hardy perennial plant does not die quickly because it has a winter dormancy. It can last up to four (4) years.
During the winter, the thyme plant becomes dull and looks almost unattractive but becomes very bright with fresh and green leaves during the summer.
Will my thyme plant come back? Your thyme plant will come back. When it comes back, it will be better and more attractive than it was before.
How To Revive Dried-out Thyme?
Overwatering of your thyme plant is the primary reason why it goes dry. It is better under-watered as it is a drought-resistant perennial plant. The roots are adapted to be sensitive to damp soil and withstand harsh conditions.
Your soil type is also a contributing factor to the reason why your thyme goes dry. Always make sure you cultivate your thyme on soil that has good drainage and supports your plant’s growth.
When you plan on carrying out the cultivation of your thyme plant indoors, you should use a good pot that has a sound drainage system as well.
But if the leaves of your thyme should go dry, here are the steps to take to revive it;
1. Check Your Soil Type:
The first thing you should do is inspect the type of soil your thyme plant is growing on.
If you discover it’s planted on a poor draining soil type, transplant it immediately into a suitable soil that doesn’t retain much moisture or, better still, into a pot as you can easily control the type of soil you want when the plant is in a pot.
A moist soil gives room to fungal infestation and root rot which causes wilting of your thyme plant. The suitable soil type should be 0.7% versatile compost and 0.3% sandy loam or grit, and the soil must be an alkaline base soil.
2. Check The Pot It Is Planted In:
If your thyme is cultivated indoors, ensure you take a good look at the pot in which it is planted. You can’t use any pot you feel like using because some pots are incompatible with the thyme plant.
A clay or terracotta pot is better off compared to other pots. The clay pot is undoubtedly the pick due to its porous nature.
Also, make sure it is a pot that is big with reasonable space in it. It should have a perfect drainage system. Holes should be borne below the pot to make sure that the drainage is more effective.
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The soil type in the pot should also be checked and replaced with either sandy, loamy soil, or grit.
If the soil type is suitable, disinfect it with a fungicide or preferably replace the soil entirely because the fungi already live in that soil. You must also pay attention to your plant’s root as it is also a victim of infestation by the fungus.
What you have to do is to carefully dig out the root of your plant and check out any brownish, soft, or rotten portion on the root. There must be a portion, if not all, around the root.
Furthermore, you will have to scrape the brownish and rotten portion out with a sterilized pair of pruners. Ensure to disinfect your pair of pruners after use to prevent further spread of the fungus.Â
It would be best if you cleared every trace of the fungus. Â
3. Restructure Your Mode Of Watering:
Excessive wetness of the soil paves the way for the fungal disease and root rot that dries your thyme plant. You should also know How much and How often to water thyme plant.
Thyme is a Mediterranean herb that thrives best in dry conditions. So it is wise to avoid watering, especially when it is winter, as much as possible, and try to shelter your thyme from excessive rainfall.
Whenever the sun is up, take your thyme out to have a feel of the sunlight. It is very relevant. Water only when it has gone relatively dry to the feel of your fingers.
In conditions of hot weather, water once every week when indoors. It is better to dry than wet, so make sure the watering balances the climatic condition.
Once you consider these steps and follow them religiously, within 14 days, you will start noticing changes, and your thyme plant will probably begin sprouting back to life.
Conclusion
It is one thing to plant a crop and another entirely different thing to care for that same crop. It is also a thing to follow up the care for a plant preventive of any defects and also to relent in the care for your plant.
While some of these defects in plants are inevitable, you can prevent some to the barest minimum. When it comes to drying out of the thyme plant, it is very much avoidable.
This is achievable when you follow up on the care required by your thyme plant.
But if your thyme should still go dry, reviving it is a better option as it will cost you nothing. The only thing it requires is your time and attention. And you will have your withering thyme plant coming back to good health.