Growing Thyme Indoors Made Simple

Herbs are a culinary joy, especially when they are fresh and readily available. What could be better than having the kitchen’s fragrances and flavours close at hand? Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a useful herb that can be used in several ways. It gives any dish a light scent and almost grassy spice. To grow thyme indoors, you need a lot of light and soil that drains well. Growing thyme indoors is one of the easiest things you can do with herbs. 

The word “thyme” comes from the Greek word “thumus,” which means “courage.” In the Middle Ages, knights wore thyme sprigs on their armour to show they were brave. In this blog, we’ll talk about everything you need to know for growing thyme indoors, including the basics, what you’ll need, how to set it up, how to grow it, how to care for it, and how to pick it.

Can thyme be grown inside? 

When it comes to herbs, thyme is one of the easiest ones to grow. The hardest thing about growing thyme indoors is making sure the plant gets bright light all the time. Besides that, thyme is easy to take care of. It likes average quality soil, average amounts of water, and average temperatures, which makes it a great herb for beginners to grow indoors.

(a) Using soil for growing thyme indoors 

• It’s pretty easy to grow thyme indoors, but remember that they don’t do well in wet soil. The roots are not used to being too wet, so they will rot if it gets too wet.
• On the other hand, if the soil dries out completely, the roots will die back, and the plant won’t get better.This can catch you off guard because the plant isn’t very expressive (its leaves don’t wilt), so it will look fine right up until it dies.

(b) Using hydroponics for growing thyme indoors 

Thyme doesn’t do as well as other herbs in hydroponic systems like the aero garden. It is because it prefers drier environments.

(1) Care for Growing Thyme Indoors

(a) Sunlight 

• Thyme is well-known as a plant that likes to be in the sun. It grows best when planted or put in a spot where it can get full sunlight for almost the whole day.
• The ideal is a windowsill that gets six-eight hours of sun a day, but if your home is mostly shaded or you want to keep your thyme growing through the darker winter months, a cosy spot under some fluorescent grow lights will also work. 

(b) Soil 

• The soil may be the most important thing if you want to grow thyme successfully. Choose a soil mixture that is very dry and drains well since thyme is especially prone to root rot and dying from too much water. 
• The best choices are sandy mixtures. If you want to use potting soil you already have at home, mix it with a bit of sand or gravel to help water move quickly through the soil. 
• It’s also important to use a pot with good drainage for growing thyme indoors. Pots made of clay or terracotta can help pull extra water out of the soil. Thyme doesn’t care too much about the pH level of the soil. It can grow well in a wide range of pH levels, from 6.0 to 8.0.

(c) Watering 

• Once established, thyme plants can handle drought and often do better with less water than with too much. Please wait until your thyme plant’s soil is completely dry, then give it a lot of water.
• Let the soil dry out again before you give it more water. Remember that thyme will flower, but unlike other herbs, this doesn’t mean it’s getting too much water or going to seed.
• If you cut it back to encourage new growth, it will continue to grow and thrive even after it blooms. 

(d) Fertilizer 

•  Thyme grows best in soil that is low in nutrients, so you don’t need to add extra fertilizer. It also means that it’s best to plant the herb by itself in a pot or container since mixing it with other herbs might make the soil too rich for it to grow well. 
• If you want to give your thyme a boost:Feed it a diluted liquid fertilizer at the beginning of its growing season.
• Choose an organic fertilizer if you plan to cook with or eat your herb.Pay close attention to the fertilizer package to ensure you add just enough to help your thyme plants and not hurt them. 

(e) Temperature

• Thyme comes from the Mediterranean and does best in a dry, hot climate. Try to keep the temperature in your home between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit for effectively growing thyme indoors.
• Ensure there isn’t too much humidity (that means keeping your plant away from rooms that tend to be more humid, like kitchens or bathrooms). 

(f) Trimming

• Once established, indoor thyme plants can be picked at any time, just like plants that grow outside. Just cut the stems off when you need the herb for a recipe. 
• After three or four years, potted plants can get woody, at which point you should take them out, break them apart, and replant the smaller pieces in separate pots with fresh potting mix. 

(g) Size of Container

• Thyme doesn’t need much space to grow, so you can use even a small pot with a diameter of four inches to grow young plants.
• This plant might do best in clay or terracotta pots. Make sure there is good drainage in the container for growing thyme indoors.

(2) Planting and Repotting Thyme

• When a thyme plant grows woody stems instead of soft leaves and shoots, it’s time to move the plant to a new pot. Carefully take it out of its pot and cut the root into pieces.
• Select the smaller pieces to move into new pots. Choose a small pot that is about 4 inches across. Put the plants back in their pots with the right potting soil mix, as explained above. 
• Thyme is being moved outside for the summer. 
• Thyme grows best in full sun and is a great plant to grow outside. Move the pot outside when the temperature stays above 60 degrees Fahrenheit and is pleasant most of the time. 

Other Tips for Growing Thyme Indoors

(a) Considerations for Growing Thyme Indoors

Thyme grown in pots can grow tall, so put it somewhere where strong winds won’t blow it over. During the growing season, keep an eye out for pests and treat them correctly if you see any. Since this is a food plant, you should use only organic treatments for growing thyme indoors.

When to Bring Thyme Indoors Again ?

Thyme grows best in a climate similar to the Mediterranean, so bring it inside when the weather gets cold enough to bring a chill. As a general rule, when the temperature drops to around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, bring thyme plants inside and put them on a sunny windowsill.

(b) Pest and Diseases

Even though thyme is easy to take care of, it can get a few pests and diseases that, while not usually fatal, can be a pain to deal with while growing thyme indoors.

• The first is grey mould, which can grow on wet leaves. Grey mould looks like fuzzy grey spores on the leaves of the thyme plant. The only way to get rid of it is to cut off the infected stems or throw away the plant.
• When kept indoors, thyme can also get whiteflies and mealybugs. Neem oil can be used to prevent and treat infestations, but be sure to follow the directions on the bottle.

(c)Harvest and Use

Harvest

For the best flavour, cut the plant about 1.5″ from the ground right before the flowers start to open. 

How to Cook with Your Freshly Picked Thyme ?

Most herbs are used by everyone, from the best chefs in the world to people who just like to cook at home. One of them is thyme, a herb that can be used in many different ways and tastes earthy and a little bit minty. There are many ways to use thyme herbs: 

• Soups, pasta, sandwiches, and pizza. 
• Added to savoury dishes to give them a unique taste 
• Used to make teas and drinks. 

How to keep Thyme Fresh ?

There are many ways to keep herbs fresh or keep them from going bad, but here are some of the easiest and ones we recommend the most: 

1. Lazy person technique is Keeping the fresh herbs in their original packaging and putting them in the fridge is all needed. 
2. You will keep the herbs in a glass of water in the refrigerator. To do this, cut off the bottom of the herb’s stem, fill a glass jar or cup with water, and put the herb inside. Almost like a vase or a bunch of herbs in a bunch! 
3. Put in a glass of water and keep where there is natural light. 
4. Wrap in a wet paper towel loosely. 
5. Freeze their herbs! Yes, you can save fresh herbs like thyme for later use by freezing them. You just need ice cube trays and a freezer.

Conclusion

Thyme is a fantastic perennial herb that can be grown effectively inside, and it does well with only the minimum of care and attention. Thyme is quite adaptable. Even though thyme seeds take a long time to germinate, the plant’s upright, woody stems can reach a height of 6 to 12 inches in only one growing season. It gives gardeners an abundance of wonderful fresh herbs, which can also be dried and stored for use throughout the year. So what are you waiting for? Growing thyme indoors is easier than you think. Follow the tips mentioned earlier.