Lemon thyme emerged from a cross with real thyme and field thyme and has been cultivated in farm and monastery gardens for centuries. A fully aromatic, lemon-heavy taste and the fresh scent of the hybrid plant gave this plant its name. Even today, the traditional spice plant is still a real insider tip for the home kitchen and should therefore not be missing in any garden or window sill.
Table of Contents
Location and soil
A location in full sun and warmth are the two most important requirements that promote the growth and aroma of this popular herb. South facing places in the garden or on the balcony are therefore preferable. Like other Mediterranean plants, lemon thyme is sensitive to waterlogging. Upgrade the humus-rich and particularly loamy substrate with sand and a drainage system made of pebbles. This prevents large amounts of water from being stored and allows excess liquid to drain away more quickly.
Fertilizing and watering
If the garden is mulched annually and large amounts of compost are mixed under the soil, very few plants need a regular supply of additional nutrients. The Thymus x citriodorus is no exception. Treat the hybrid plant to a cure made from horn shavings or compost in late autumn or early spring. That is enough for the perennial plant to slowly conquer the garden with its creeping growth.
Lemon thyme does not make any great demands on the gardener when it comes to the water supply. During the growing season, the substrate must be kept moderately moist, but short dry periods do not cause any major damage to the plant. Water in the early morning or late evening to keep the rate of evaporation as low as possible. If possible, use hard water and pour slowly so that dry soil can better absorb moisture.
Multiplication
As a cultivated and natural hybrid, the lemon thyme is not able to produce germinable seeds. Instead, resort to cuttings or a division if you want to propagate the useful aromatic plant. These methods have been used successfully since the 16th century.
Cuttings: Choose lignified or semi-lignified shoots for propagation from cuttings. Young wood from Thymus x citriodorus does not take root well and instead tends to rot.
- Remove the leaves from the lower end of the approximately 10 centimeter long shoot. It is completely sufficient if only about 2 pairs of leaves remain on the side facing up.
- Rooting powder helps the roots to develop more quickly. If available, coat the lower end of the cutting with it.
- A high nutrient content in the soil can damage the cutting at this stage. You should therefore use a poor substrate such as sand or peat. If you are planting several pieces of wood at the same time, use wide planters for this. The cuttings are placed there at a distance of about 10-15 centimeters.
- Warm temperatures and high humidity are the best components for lemon thyme to root quickly. The window sill at home is just as suitable as the space in the greenhouse. However, avoid direct sunlight. You can use a water atomizer or an indoor fountain to increase the humidity around the cuttings. However, a perforated film, which is wrapped around the entire planter and the plants, has also proven its worth. This significantly reduces the rate of evaporation of the water.
- It can take several weeks for the roots to form. As soon as new shoots and leaves appear on the plants, you can move them to their final location. Protect the young lemon thyme from direct sunlight and slowly get the plants used to it.
Early summer is the best time to grow cuttings. In this way, you can move the young plants outdoors before autumn.
Root division: To rejuvenate the plants, you should regularly divide the roots every two to three years. To do this, dig up the lemon thyme completely and use a sharp ax or spade to divide the roots of the plant into evenly sized parts. Proceed carefully, the roots of the Thymus x citriodorus are less massive than those of other plants. The individual parts of the plant are cultivated as usual, special measures are not required here.
plant
You can put the thyme outdoors from April to the end of August. Choose a suitable location, the fully aromatic taste and lemon scent of the aromatic plants only develop in direct sunlight. Weed the soil completely and dig a planting hole. This should be twice as wide and deep as the roots of lemon thyme. Enrich the excavated earth with sand and small amounts of compost.
A certain distance between the individual plants is important, the Thymus x citriodorus has a creeping habit and spreads accordingly. You can plant about 7 plants in one square meter. Immediately after the lemon thyme has been inserted, the planting hole is filled and the substrate is carefully pressed into place. Lime-based water is poured on firmly, this makes it easier for the plant to take root. The substrate should have constant moisture for about two to three weeks and never dry out completely.
Cultivation in planters
The labiates are also suitable for keeping in pots. When choosing a flower pot, its width is more important than its height. Put a drain on the bottom of the pot so that excess water can drain off better. The location also plays an important role for lemon thyme when cultivating in a tub, because places that are too shady are not well tolerated by the plant. Water regularly and fertilize with regular liquid fertilizer about every 6 weeks. Repotting only takes place when the roots completely fill the planter.
To cut
Shorten the spice plant to about 15 centimeters immediately after flowering. This promotes the bushy and vigorous growth of lemon thyme. Sick and / or dead shoots can be removed all year round. Use only well-sharpened scissors, as unclean cut surfaces heal more slowly and provide an ideal breeding ground for fungal pathogens.
Overwinter
Lemon thyme is extremely hardy – but with a few exceptions. Freshly planted plants have to be covered with a thick layer of brushwood as early as late autumn. In winter hardy regions, however, you should also adequately protect older aromatic plants. However, the plant is considered to be extremely robust and vigorous, so that even minor frost damage does not impress the lemon thyme. In the cold season of the year, potted plants do not need to be relocated to a frost-protected room. Wrap the pots with a special fleece or burlap. This prevents the substrate and the roots from freezing through.
dry
To avoid damage in winter, the last lemon thyme harvest should be done in early September. In the remaining time, the regrowing shoots can lignify, which is important for the survival of the plant in the winter months. You can dry the shoots and leaves and store them for a few months so that you can enjoy the aromatic and intense lemon-scented thyme all year round.
Air drying
The simplest and most traditional way of preserving is to let the cut shoots slowly air dry upside down. Choose an airy, shady place for this and make sure that the tufts of herbs are not too thick or touch each other. This will prevent the formation of mold. After about three to four weeks, the lemon thyme will have lost all moisture.
Oven
If you don’t have the space or time to air-dry the collected shoots, you can speed up the entire process in the oven. Line the grid with baking paper and place the freshly harvested crops on it. The temperature during drying should not exceed 30 ° C, otherwise too much aroma will be lost. The oven door should be ajar so that the evaporated moisture can escape more easily. Overall, this process takes several hours.
Choose an airtight container for storage and keep it in a cool, dark place. In this way you ensure that the intense taste does not disappear and that the dried herbs cannot rot. With lemon thyme, shoots and leaves are used equally in cooking and frying. Do not wash the freshly collected parts of the plant with water, but instead carefully knock off insects and foreign bodies.
Tips on cultivation and use
- Lawn carpet – Small-stature varieties of lemon thyme can be used as a non-slip lawn substitute on small areas. Even accidentally pruning with a lawnmower will not damage the robust plant.
- Flower – The flower of the plant is small and inconspicuous. Nevertheless, you can use the flowers – just like the shoots – as a spice and to make tea.
- Herbal spiral – The hybrid plant should not be missing in any herb spiral or hill bed. Just make sure that you only plant the Thymus x citriodorus on the south-facing side.
- Humidity – Not absolutely necessary, but beneficial for the resilience of the plants, is regular spraying with a water atomizer on hot days.
- Lack of light – If the lemon thyme suffers from a lack of light, the shoots ginger and the plant tends to grow uncontrolled and unsightly. Immediately move the plant and cut back the affected parts of the plant.
Pests and diseases
The essential oils of lemon thyme, which are also responsible for the intense aroma, have a deterrent effect on pests and many fungal pathogens. Just avoid waterlogging, which could promote infestation with root rot and powdery mildew. In the case of aphids, which are not very picky about the choice of their host plant, you can use a brew made from nettles or field horsetail. Fungicides and insecticides should never be used on aromatic and useful plants.
Conclusion
Lemon thyme is versatile in its application and easy to cultivate. The plant can also be kept in planters on the window sill without any problems if there is no private garden or balcony available. Use the aromatic herbs, which smell intensely of lemon, to add variety to food and drinks.
