Sowing and growing

Sowing and growing

Sowing Thyme seeds in spring is the best, which the temperature is more than 13 degrees Celsius, so thyme seeds should germinate within two weeks. 

Thyme plants are sowing or transplanted in late spring and early summer. Thyme can also be planted at other times but avoid high temperatures or cold weather.

Once the seedlings are grown enough to handle, move them to individual pots, keep them in a warm, bright area and water them regularly. They can be planted outside so they can grow well and grow vigorously. check the steps below.

Thyme prefers dry environments and is considered as the best environment for its cultivation, meaning that thyme is better cultivated in the yellow sandy soils than in the clay soils of Upper Egypt and the Delta…

Dry lands help the plant to enhance its flavor and fragrant aroma, and this is what thyme growers prefer to extract the active substances or oils and other extractions…

Sowing

• Sowing in seedling trays

1. Thyme needs light, well-drained soil, as thyme naturally is a wild plant that does not prefer heavy clay or loamy soil or slow-draining soils, so it is preferable that growing media preferred to use could be 70% cocopeat – 10% vermiculite – 5% perlite – 15% plant compost.
2. Prepare the soil mixture in the seedling tray and place the seeds at a depth of 0.5 cm. 
3. spray the seeds with water using a sprinkler or sprayer until the soil is completely wet so that the soil is moist enough to germinate the seeds (you can check the moisture of the soil by rubbing the soil between your fingers and sticking your finger in the soil, and if the soil is sufficiently moist, you will feel the moisture of the soil on your fingers) and cover them with a plastic bag to speed up the germination process, and don’t forget to make holes in the plastic bag so that the seeds can breathe.
4. Incubate the tray for about 14 days (inside the plastic bag), and do not uncover it except every 48 hours to renew the aeration until germination.

     5. After germination, the trays are growing in the nursery for a period of not less than 20 days, and then the plant              is ready to cultivate in open fields.

     6. It was also mentioned that the re-planting or transfer thyme takes during spring and autumn seasons, so the                  transplantation takes place during months from the beginning of March to June, as well as from the beginning             of August to October.

• Sowing directly in the soil.

Thyme can be grown in all types of soil, especially sandy yellow soils, it is better to choose soil with good drainage and ventilation, as it has properties that withstand soil acidity and difficult and harsh climatic conditions, but the needs are different when we talk about seed germination.

1. Thyme seeds are planted in soil from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn, avoiding planting during frost days.
2. Thyme seeds must be planted at a depth of six millimeters (0.6 cm) or less to germinate after about two weeks due to the small size of thyme seeds and their extreme sensitivity during germination.
3. Get rid of any stones, pebbles, or weeds present in the soil, which could impede the germination and cultivation of thyme.
4. The seeds are placed on the soil and covered with a very thin layer of soil not exceeding 0.5 cm.
5. Irrigated the soil carefully and softly to keep the seeds from spreading due to the pressure of the water. Irrigation is also done in moderation to avoid excessive moisture that could cause damage to the seeds or the appearance of meld.

Irrigation

Thyme is a drought tolerant plant, but it must be watered at least 2 times to produce an average yield. Care must be taken not to over-irrigate, especially in soils with poor drainage.

After the first irrigation, and accordingly the seeds germinate, it is forbidden to irrigate the soil again for two weeks to avoid root rot (root rot is considered the most important injury that affects thyme and causes its destruction) in clay soils.

The root system of thyme is medial and not deep, and therefore a suitable moisture content must be maintained in the root area continuously.

Thyme can be grown alongside other plants without any problem, provided that the cultivated plants are compatible with it in irrigation.

Thyme is a drought-tolerant plant, so it is recommended to be moderate in irrigation with thyme to protect the plant from root rot.

When reducing the period between irrigation and the other, this leads to a delay and a reduction of flowers in thyme.

Thyme cannot, in many cases, tolerate water salinity levels higher than 2500 parts per million, and this is one of the most significant obstacles to cultivating thyme in thyme reclaimed lands.

Irrigation of plants is completely stopped about 10 days before harvesting, and irrigation and fertilization are done immediately after harvesting, because it has already been mentioned that the longer the period between one irrigation and the other, the greater the reduction of thyme flowers, and the drier the environment, the more this helps. Ali enhances its flavour and aroma.

Thyme Fertilizing

Fertilizing thyme is obligatory, but thyme is by nature a mountainous plant, and excessive fertilization causes the plant weakness in general, so that the plants are tall, juicy and weak, so a large amount of fertilizer should not be added in general.

The soil in which thyme is planted is prepared with about 1 ton of organic fertilizer (Compost) per acre.

It is preferable to use a plan for fertilization under the supervision of Agronomist due to the different type of land cultivated.

According to the analyzes and the nature of your soil, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur fertilizers are added periodically.

Thyme is a sustainable plant, meaning that thyme is a plant that is grown in the ground once and harvested from it many times over successive years.

– Sometimes it is recommended to add the nitrogen after each harvest, and for all of this it is not a binding thing, but it is more dependent on feeding the plant properly, as the nitrogen encourages the plant to grow green, but an increase in the nitrogen ratios leads to a general weakness in the plant.

It is preferable to use ammonium sulfate instead of urea in nitrogen fertilization of thyme.

Some Plant Needs

• Type: Herb
• Pot size: 15 – 50 cm
• Days to Maturity: 40 Days
• Planting: April – September 
• Planting Depth: 1 cm
• Plant Distances: 15 cm – 50 cm 
• Preferred Soil for Transplanting: 70% Cocopeat 10% Vermiculite 5% Perlite 15% Plant Compost
• Preferred Soil for Germination: 60% Cocopeat 7% Vermiculite 3% Perlite 30% Plant Compost
• Germination period: 3 – 15 Days
• Light: Full sun
• PH: 5.5 – 6.5
• Electrical Conductivity (EC): 0.8 – 1.6 ms
• Total Dissolved Salts (TDS): 512 – 1024 ppm
• Color: Green
  

As thyme is evergreen, you can pick sprigs all year round, although the new growth in spring and summer has the best flavor. You can use the leaves fresh or dried in many dishes, and they’re a key ingredient in traditional bouquet garni and herbs de Provence. The flowers are also edible.