Thymus citriodorus
Lemon thyme boasts cheerful chartreuse - ting leaf and a ticklish citrus aroma .
As one of the most flavorful culinary thyme , this lemony - earthy herb accentuates the natural savour in Pisces and poultry , and gain for a beautiful addition toyour herb garden .
Not only does this plant provide gastronomical machination , it also appeals to beneficial insect and pollinator .
Photo by Eleanor Wells.
coil of lavender - pink flowers throughout the summertime encourage an influx of ladybugs , hoverflies , and parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant , make this herb an excellent fellow plant for your veggie garden .
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Likeother thymes , Thymus citriodorusrequires full sunshine condition and is easy grown in average , dry , well - draining grease .
Photo by Eleanor Wells.
originate to about six to 12 in tall by 12 to 18 inch wide , the heavyset , aromatic nature of lemon thyme enable it to attend as a squeamish margin works along your garden bed or edging a path .
It can tolerate some weak metrical foot traffic and will unloose aristocratical wafts of citrus into the air if step upon . Fun fact : this redolence actually acts as a defense mechanism to discourage herbivores from gnawing forth at the leaf .
Nevertheless , humans are undeterred and actively look for out such fragrant plants for our enjoyment and to accomplish our culinary desires . Hmm … are we the ones cultivating lemon thyme , or is this aromatic plant perhaps cultivating us ?
Thanks to a small root arrangement , it may also become launch well in a rock-and-roll garden or retaining wall . Wow , what a plant !
Keep reading to learn how to seed and grow this herbal faggot in your own garden .
What You’ll Learn
Cultivation and History
T. citriodorusis a perennial herbaceous plant well develop alfresco inUSDA Hardiness Zones5 to 9 .
For many long time , lemon thyme was think to be some kind of hybrid works in theThymusgenus , but recent DNA studies have turn out that indeed , our dear friendT. citriodorusis its own industrial plant metal money .
Both chefs and herbal medicine Godhead are drawn to the sharp odor of citrus tinged with the earthy herbal core of thyme .
The leaves can be comprise into various soups , salads , and sautees , both as a reinvigorated or dried flavoring herbaceous plant , and accent the natural flavor profiles of Pisces and meat dishes in particular .
With a acute , lemony fragrance , the plant is often included in perfume , skincare products , and cosmetic , and can also be utilized in homemade insect repellant and essential oil colour aromatherapy .
Lemon Thyme Plant Propagation
PlantT. citriodorusin the give . Though plants are most easy acquired from your local nursery as young starts , you’re able to also choose to circularise from seed , or from a friend ’s plantthrough root divisions .
From Seed
Thyme seeds can be tedious to germinate and gardeners typically choose to propagate from cuttings or divisions instead . However , if you so opt to inseminate , here ’s what to do .
Sow seeds indoorsin other spring or flat out of doors after all danger of frost has passed . In either vitrine , broadcast the seeds on top of the ground , mildly pressing each seed no further than 1/16 of an inch into the solid ground .
The trickiest affair with inseminate seminal fluid is to ensure that the soil stays consistently moist , but not waterlogged . Gently irrigate the pots or sow in area on a daily basis to ensure succeeder . Transplant as discover below .
From Cuttings
you could take stem cuttings from established plants in early spring , when young growth is unmistakable .
rationalize a three- to four - inch length of stem , and get rid of the leaf from the modest half . Prepare a small container filled with awell - draining pot sensitive .
you’re able to use pulverised rooting endocrine , if you have some to hand , though it ’s not strictly necessary .
Make a hole in the potting spiritualist with a pencil or your finger , and place the cutting one and a one-half to two inch deep . water system deeply .
Keep the cutting in a sheltered emplacement , out of unmediated sunlight , and conserve even wet in the potting medium . You may cover it with a humidity dome or a pliant bag to maintain a moist environment .
It should start to root after four to six week , evidenced by new leaf growth . Transplant out into the garden as described below .
From Divisions
After your thyme flora has become constitute and senesce for a few years , it is ready to be spread by rootage division . separate either in the spring or in the fall .
First , dig up the whole antecedent glob of the plant . lightly shake out the surplus soil to expose the roots . Then break the industrial plant into three or four sections , teasing out the tangles in the roots as gently as potential .
Once the plant is divide , replant one section into its original home and transplant the other sections into new parts of the garden , or spring up them first in pots to permit roots to reestablish .
Water two to three multiplication a workweek so as to help the plant readjust .
From Seedlings/Transplanting
PlantT. citriodoruseither as seedling , class transplants , or start from the nursery .
moil a hole the same profoundness but twice as wide as the container , order the seedling in the hole , and mildly backfill the soil .
Be sure to give the plants a full , deep watering and lots of passion to receive them into the space .
What restrict as love for this tasty herb ? More on that in the next discussion section !
How to Grow Lemon Thyme
Locate a site in your garden that receive full Lord’s Day , more than five hours of sunshine per daytime .
ensure the stain drains well – thyme plant bask a variety of poor , bouldered , alimental deficient land , so long as their roots do n’t get waterlogged .
After planting , weewee deeply two or three times per week , or when the soil is teetotal an column inch or two deep , to help establish their root .
After a few weeks of this you may begin to still up on watering until you ’re watering once a workweek , then once every other week , then just once in a while .
or else , you’re able to growT. citriodorusin a container . Select a mint six to 12 inches inches in diameter . ensure to check the container has adequate drainage hole .
Keep in brain thatT. citriodorushas relatively compact roots and the throne does not want to be as cryptical as it is wide .
Plant in well draining potting soil and amend with gumption , vermiculite , or perlite if necessary .
Container planting typically require more regular watering than works in the flat coat , unremarkably two to three times per hebdomad even after they ’re mature .
Before lacrimation , twofold handicap that the dirt is ironical to an in or so deep to avoid root rot triggered by oversaturation .
No need to fertilize these little crony ! Once established , they will hold back their own .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
Once established , T. citriodorusis a somewhat low upkeep herbaceous plant .
After the plant finishes flower , you may deadheadto encourage unexampled maturation and/or shape the flora as you wish . Otherwise , you’re able to elect to take a more hand - off overture and let the plant develop as it pleases .
In Zones 4 to 6 , apply a two to three in layer of mulch at the beginning of wintertime to protect the plant ’s roots from cold stain temperature . T. citriodorusis a robust herb that may fall back some folio but will typically survive abrasive winters .
After a few age , you ’ll start to notice the fore at the foundation of the flora getting progressively woodier . At this clock time , you may choose to divide and replant incision , or you may prune the plant to encourage new increment nigher to the base .
Lemon Thyme Cultivars to Select
In addition to the species industrial plant , there are a turn of cultivars available to the home gardener .
T. citriodorus
you could findT. citriodorusin quart - sized containersavailable at Burpee .
little mutant in leaf , increase habits , and aroma distinguishT. citriodoruscultivars from one another .
For example , ‘ Aureus ’ has a mounding figure while ‘ Golden Dwarf ’ hug the priming .
‘ Archer ’s Au ’ and ‘ Golden Lemon ’ allow lavender - hued flowers while ‘ Golden Queen ’ offer pinkish prime .
‘ unslaked lime ’ provides a similar citrus flavor with more hints of slaked lime rather than lemon yellow .
While the essence of the plant remains reproducible across cultivar bound , these subtle deviation create distinctions between sort .
Managing Pests and Disease
There ’s no motivation to be too interested with cuss or disease when you are growing Citrus limon thyme .
There may be minor issues with aphid or wanderer mites , as with so many other plants in the garden , and only if plant in poor - draining soil or if overwatered will you meet fungal disease .
Insects
In my garden , thyme is one of the most resilient of plant friends . Although other gardeners have reported aphids or spider mites as being a likely menace , never have I ever seen plague bothering these dude .
A classical garden nuisance , aphid will quite literally suck the life juice out of plants , often go around disease through their spittle . These tiny lightsome green bugs are determine on the undersides or bakshis of leaf . Key giveaway include leafage curling , color defacement , and brittleness .
If dealing with a case of the aphid , start by give the plant a hardspray down with the hose , focalize on the areas immediately affected . This mechanically bear on the aphids off the plant . I choose to utilise the “ flat ” scene on my hose nozzle for this task .
If you ’re dealing with a more significant infestation and search for a more acute point of treatment , first spray down the plants with water , then travel along with a heavy spritz of alcoholic soapy body of water . To make your own , combine one loving cup of rubbing alcohol , one quart of body of water , and one to two teaspoons of dish scoop in a sprayer nursing bottle .
A hard spritz of this mixture kills the aphids while go forth the plant whole – just be certain to wash off the unctuous water a few moment after app to invalidate sunburn the leaves . Monitor aphid action intimately , and repeat weekly until they are gone .
understand more about battling aphids in your garden here .
Similarly to aphid , wanderer mites will feast off the industrial plant ’s elan vital , render it washy and brittle . And again , they do not typically posture a serious menace toT. citriodorus .
These small spider - like mites can be hard to spot , but you ’ll notice the mien of their all right webs , which cover the leaves and stems of plant life .
Spider mite plague can be plow in the same manner as aphid , with severe spray downs and soapy water treatments .
discover to deal with spider pinch in our guide .
Disease
Perhaps more likely to threaten your lemon thyme plant is some type of fungal disease , the most common being botrytis rot ( caused byBotrytis cinerea ) , root putrefaction ( viaRhizoctonia solani ) , and Alternaria blight ( fromAlternaria brassicola ) .
Fungal activeness typically occurs under affectionate , humid circumstance . Be sure to plant yourT. citriodorusin well drain grime , and countenance grime to dry out out before watering again to avoid oversaturation .
If move by putrefaction or plague , first mechanically remove all infected areas on the industrial plant . Disinfect any equipment before and after pruning to debar propagate disease from plant life to plant .
you may also increase airflow by pruning or stake the plant into an unsloped place . And mulching underneath the plant will foreclose fungal spores in the soil from splash onto the leaves .
Harvesting Lemon Thyme
One of the great delight of grow your own food and medicine is being able to harvest and employ the gifts of the works you ’ve tend .
Though any time of the day is ok , harvesting in the morning just after the dew has dry out is best , to derogate wilting .
That being read , I typically find I ’m the most instigate while I ’m in the eye of cookery and tend to run out to cumulate a few branchlet just after the sun has move down .
Similarly , while you could reap throughout the class as needed , the flavor of the foliage is supposedly most virile just before flowers open .
Harvest by snip a few inches down the stem of the plant , just above a knob of raw maturation .
Preserving
To maximize your harvest and extend the shelf life of fresh leafage , you may elect to wrap clusters of thyme branchlet in a damp theme towel and lay in them in a zip - top bag in the electric refrigerator . This allows you to handily fudge with fresh thyme at any time .
you could also dry and jarT. citriodorusto keep a steady supply on hand . A few technique admit hang drying , oven drying , and dehydrating in a specialized machine . Give these a try :
Hang Drying
The round-eyed method acting , it involves pack fresh sprigs of thyme with twine or a gumshoe band .
Hang the bunches from a nail on the rampart or a hook in a warm , dark place and permit leaves to all dry , for about one to two weeks . Some multitude choose to flow the herbaceous plant in a paper bag to forestall dust from settling .
When full dry , run your fingers down the shank of each twig to remove the leaf . Store them in a mason jar or other airtight container for regular employment .
Oven Drying
A bit quicker , this can be done within a few 60 minutes . On a baking sheet , layer branchlet in between sheepskin paper and broil at 100 ° F for two to four hours . Once leaves are dry and crumble well , take from the oven and allow to cool on the pan .
After the sprig have amply cool down to elbow room temperature , remove the folio from the shank by hand and store in an airtight container .
Dehydrating
The speedy drying method telephone for a food dehydrator . you may register about some of the top recommend modelson our babe web site , Foodal .
localize sprig on the dehydrator tray and set the temperature to 100 ° F . Dehydrate for one to two hours until the leave are completely wry . Strip and store .
Dried thyme can be stored in an airtight jar in a cool , ironic place like your spice cabinet .
Read our full guide to dry herbsor line up more info on preserving new herbson our sis land site , Foodal .
Cooking Tips
An first-class companion in the kitchen , the leaves tote up level of flavor to a variety of dishes , including sauces , salads , soups , seafood , and poultry .
The subtle zest of lemon yellow mix with the herbal discernment of thyme bring out the natural savor in Pisces the Fishes and meat , but cooked too long , the herbaceous plant loses its temper essence .
Fresh thyme is a keen addition to vegetable and seafood sautees and can also be used in a seasoning hang-up . I often incorporate a few branchlet when making hummus or an herb - yttrium sauce .
Leaves can be used fresh or dried , in any formula where you would typically incorporate the standard variety . If you are irksome cooking a lather or build something else that will be on the stove for a while , wait until just before serving to add a few pinches of crush fresh or dry leaves .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Now’s Your Thyme!
One of my favorite thing in the garden is interacting with all of the delightful personalities and perfumes of each plant .
persist my hands through their gentle foliage can be such a jubilant and childlike experience .
softly rubbing my fingers across the delicate small leaves and releasing their perfume triggers tactile sensation of calm and creativity .
Now , I receive you to get to knowT. citriodorusthrough planting and growing it in your own garden , whether herbal or fragrant ( or both ! ) .
For more entropy on turn herbs in your garden , you ’ll need these guide next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Originally published May 1st , 2021 . Last update March 16th , 2023 . Product photo via Burpee . Uncredited pic : Shutterstock .
About
Eleanor Wells
