Most herbal writers agree that thyme may
be the oldest herb known to man. To the Greeks, it was an emblem of
activity, bravery and energy. The Romans gave thyme as a sovereign
remedy to people burdened with melancholy. Virgil and Pliny both
recorded the antiseptic properties of thyme. The secret society of
the Republicans in France once used branches of thyme to summon their
members to its meetings. Legends abound that thyme is the favorite
herb of fairies and Shakespeare supported that assumption in his writings.
Anyone who has tasted the delicate flavor of thyme honey would be easy to
convince that it was, indeed, fairy food.
There is disagreement over the
origination of this herb’s name. Thyme is the derivative of a Greek
word which means "to fumigate" (alluding to its effectiveness as an
antiseptic). Or, it could come from the Greek word "thumus"
which signifies courage. From ancient and mediaeval days, thyme has
been considered a source of invigoration. Also associated with
funereal traditions, thyme was one of the fragrant flowers planted on
graves. In the language of flowers according to Kate Greenaway,
thyme symbolizes activity ("busy as a bee" may have come from observing
the feverish activities of these industrious insects around a patch of
flowering thyme). Weeding chores are made more enjoyable with
their symphonic sounds in the background.
Down through the ages, the unassuming
thyme has maintained its reputation as a trusted and valuable help to
mankind. In 1753, Linnaeus described eight varieties; over 60
species and cultivars are currently being grown in the U.S. Thyme
was already extensively grown in England even before the middle of the 16th
century. There are two general classifications: upright and
creeping, but all thymes are perennial. Thyme thrives best with lots
of room to spread out. The perfect site for thymes - rocky, slightly
alkaline, well-drained soil and full sun. This plant will rot if
planted in a poorly draining site; it needs good air circulation. If
cultivated in heavy soil, you take the chance of losing some fragrance.
Thyme makes an ideal hedging plant;
with frequent clippings, thyme vulgaris can be kept growing for several
years. Or use the prostrate varieties as an edging plant along your
walks. With stony soil or flagstones providing warm covering for the
spreading root system, it will survive the severest cold. Yet, those
frigid winter winds can kill all or part of a plant sometimes.
Northern climates have the advantage of a snow covering for protection,
but this smothers them and does more harm than good. Compromise by
mulching the soil, tucking close to the base of the plant, but do not
cover the foliage.
Your thyme roots soon deplete the soil, so
add manure or fertilizer to the bed when you rejuvenate the planting.
Sow seed, thinly and shallowly, after ground temperatures have warmed up
in a sunny place of light soil. Seeds retain germination power for
as long as three years. To produce a stronger, quicker-growing crop,
sow seeds in a cluster. Mist daily until seeds germinate which
should take less than a week. If you have started the seed in a
greenhouse, they can be moved to a sheltered, sunny outdoor spot after
plants are four inches high and look well started.
Take cutting anytime from mid-spring to
early summer. Use new green growth for cuttings – when they show new
top growth, you will know they are rooted. Thyme can also be
propagated by layering or division. Ground layering is an easy
method of multiplying your plants. Most of the prostrate varieties
will be self-rooting by the end of summer. Many thymes benefit from
division every third year. Old clumps should be lifted, preferably
in the fall or late spring, and woody dead stems removed. Just save
the younger outside growth for replanting. For those who practice
companion planting methods, this herb is beneficial to eggplant, potatoes
and tomatoes. Use thyme to repel cabbage worms and white flies.
Thyme is a perennial with a woody,
fibrous root. Numerous stems are many-branched. This plant is
a spreader rather than upright; the tallest varieties attain heights of
scarcely a foot and a half. Its tiny leaves are highly aromatic with
varieties emitting distinctive scents such as lemon, caraway, mint, pine
and varnish. Garden thyme (Thumus vulgaris) is a near
relative to our native wild thyme (Thymus serphyllum) which is
commonly known as mother-of-thyme. The majority of thymes have
mauve, lavender or purple-pink flowers. Blooms appear at branch ends
in whorls of blossoms and last from May to August. The first harvest
should be when the plants begin to bloom; cut back the entire plant to
within two inches of the ground. Don’t take your last harvest too
late in the summer as this will affect the plant’s ability to withstand
winter’s harsh weather.
The easiest way to dry thyme is to spread
the branches on screens where they will get good air circulation.
After one day, if the weather is hot and dry, the crispy leaves will strip
off the branches easily. Commercial harvesters must remove up to 15%
of the stems, but we home users recognize that those soft stems can add
flavor also.
