Try A Simple Propagation Technique To Fill Your Garden With More Fragrant Thyme

Thyme is more than just a popular culinary herb. In the garden, it can attract pollinators, deter certain pests, and even serve as a fragrant ground cover. You can enjoy a garden full of thyme without spending any money on seeds by using this simple propagation technique, which involves taking cuttings from your current thyme plants.

With more than 50 varieties available, thyme can be easily grown in a variety of settings, from containers to garden beds, as long as the soil is suitably dry and there's plenty of sun — it's native to the Mediterranean, after all. While there are plenty of tips and tricks for growing the best thyme in your garden, it's a pretty low-maintenance plant overall.

Growing thyme from seeds is an option, but it can be tricky since the germination process is inconsistent. Luckily, you can easily propagate this delicious herb from cuttings. It's a more reliable way to get new healthy plants since each young seedling is a clone of the plant that the cuttings came from. Aim to start the propagation process 6-10 weeks before the last winter frost in your region, moving the plants outdoors two to three weeks after the last frost.

To propagate thyme from cuttings, first, grab a pair of sterilized scissors or a knife. Choose a firm, healthy stem that has several leaves on it but is not woody and has no flowers. Make your cut roughly three inches below the tip of the stem, just below a leaf node (where a leaf meets the stem). Cut at a 45° angle, which is ideal for helping the plant absorb water and grow roots. Then, strip the lower leaves from the stem.

From here, you can choose whether to put the cutting in a growing medium or water. Vermiculite is one popular growing medium; it's a lightweight, sterile mineral found in many potting mixes, and you can buy bags of it at the gardening store. You can also propagate your plants in sand or compost. If you go one of these routes, first apply a rooting hormone to the cut end of the cutting, such as HydroDynamics Clonex Rooting Compound. Keep the cutting away from direct sunlight, and water it frequently enough to keep the growing medium moist. You should see roots within approximately six weeks, after which you can transfer the cutting to a bigger pot.

If you choose to put the cutting in water, skip the rooting hormone. Instead, use fresh filtered water. Change the water every few days, and only allow the leafless part of the stem to be submerged. Otherwise, the process is the same as above — you'll see roots within a few weeks and can then transfer the cutting to soil.