Here in lower 7A, the Thyme that was so doing so well last summer has of course gone brown with the fall.
Any suggestions on how this should be wintered so that we can enjoy fresh herbs next spring and summer?
FACE
Thymus vulgaris should be fully hardy to zone 4 and over winter with ease in zone 7. It is also evergreen. Where/how did you have this planted?
pam - gardengal
That puts a different light on the situation. It might be that it is planted in a non-draining pot and that has caught up with it. (Planted in a pot on the patio, 1/2 sun.)
FACE
That puts a different light on the situation. It might be that it is planted in a non-draining pot and that has caught up with it. (Planted in a pot on the patio, 1/2 sun.)
Ten minutes later......
Wife planted it. I just read the tag. It has just been replanted in a draining pot.
FACE
You should not have to do anything. Resist any temptation to fertilize it.
FACE expounded:
You can't plant it in the ground somewhere? It'll do better there.....
Hate to say it, but it might be too late. Once an evergreen has gone totally brown, that is usually a pretty good indication it has bitten the dust :-( For the future, most herbs, specially ones that originate from the Mediterranean area, like FULL sun, minimal watering, excellent drainage and no fertilizing.
pam - gardengal
Cie la vie say the old folks.... :-)
I just asked her, she paid about 1.98 for it in early August so no big loss.
FACE
Although I can't make a blanket recommendation to do this, I have overwintered thyme for 3 winters (including 22 below zero last winter) in an
18 square pot - albeit in a somewhat sheltered location. This is zone 5/6 usually. "Ann" You can't plant it in the ground somewhere? It'll do better there.....
I'm in 5/6 (Rochester NY). Common thyme laughs at winter. I have it in very well drained soil on the East side of the house. I've been hacking at it, shaping it, eating it and using bad language in front of it for 20 years. No problems.
I'm sure I'm wrong when I say this, but if you were going to put 100 different plants in pots and didn't want to read about their drainage needs, I think you'd be better off with drainage in pots for 95 of those plants. If you have to guess, lean toward "holes in the pots". And, Thyme wants drainage.
Thyme comes in both annual and perennial flavors. Make sure which one you have before putting any effort into trying to overwinter it.
Thyme comes in a mat-like perennial form commonly used as a groundcover and in shrubby forms ranging in height from a few inches to a few feet with winter hardiness ranging from zone 4 upwards. But it is most definitely evergreen and it is most definitely NOT an annual. Perhaps you were thinking of salvia?
pam - gardengal
Thanks. This tag says perennial. I was not "in on it" till yesterday when I was told that it was dying. At that time, I went out and read the tag and found out about the drainage.
FACE
I suspect that dps was implying that some thymes are annual in some climates. We don't find lemon thyme as hardy here as common thyme for instance, although it will overwinter just fine in a sheltered location most years - but yes, in ideal climates, thymes are all of a perennial nature and are only treated as annuals in hostile climates. On the other end of the spectrum, I think that some are done in after a season in the heat and humidity of the deep south.
"Pam - gardengal" > Thyme comes in a mat-like perennial form commonly used as a groundcover and
Zone 5 here and I just leave it in the ground. More times then not it comes back. Colleen
LOL!!! I for one love the look and smell of thyme.... at the old house I had finally had it fill in nice and here now I have to start all over. It loves it out by the pond right next to a nice big rock where it bakes all summer and winter long.I have a four square prairie style house with large eaves.... all herbs will be making their way to the west side of the house where it gets Full sun most of the day and minimal water... Colleen Zone 5 CT
I was growing "Summer Thyme" and made an unwarranted assumption. I looked again at the package and it said to treat as an annual below zone
gregpresley wrote:
I had thyme overwinter outside in a large pot here in Chicago, zone 5. Only a very small portion of the plant survived a rather mild winter last year but I was able to extract it to a smaller pot and it flourished in the summer albeit starting from practically seedling size.
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