Growing Thyme: 5 Secrets to Success
Thyme is easily my favorite herb in the garden. I love the flavor it adds to just about everything—soups, vegetables, roasted meats, even eggs. For years, I could never seem to grow enough of it. But over time, I’ve figured out the secrets to growing thyme successfully, even here in the low desert. And today, I’m sharing them with you.
This post will teach you how to grow thyme, harvest it often, and keep your plants healthy and productive for years. Whether you’re gardening in Arizona or anywhere else, these tips will help you grow thriving thyme plants. And if you’re wondering what to do with all that thyme, don’t miss my Blue Cheese Thyme Scalloped Potatoes recipe—my favorite way to enjoy this flavorful herb.
If you’re just getting started with herbs or want to expand your collection, my Arizona Planting Guide is a great resource for timing, spacing, and tips tailored to the low desert.
Article Outline:
- Plant Several (and Different) Thyme Plants
- Time It Right for a Head Start
- Give Your Thyme Some TLC
- Harvest Often for the Best Thyme
- Use Fresh or Preserve for Later
1. Plant Several (and Different) Thyme Plants
The best way to grow thyme successfully is to plant more than one. Having several thyme plants increases your chances of success and ensures you always have one to harvest from, even if another is flowering, going dormant, or recovering from a trim. I like to spread them throughout the garden in the corners of my raised beds.
Beyond quantity, variety also makes a difference. There’s more than one kind of thyme, and each brings something unique to the garden. Planting a mix means you’ll enjoy a variety of aromas, leaf colors, and growth habits.
Here are some of my favorites:
- Common thyme – Classic culinary thyme; about 16 inches (40 cm) tall; white or purple flowers.
- English thyme – Softer, mounded form; slightly milder aroma; purple flowers.
- Lemon thyme – Strong citrus aroma; great for cooking; 12 inches (30 cm) tall.
- Creeping thyme – Bright green leaves; low and spreading (4–6 inches / 10–15 cm); perfect for containers or pathways.
- Golden thyme – Eye-catching gold leaves; about 6 inches (15 cm) tall.
- Provençal thyme – Smaller leaves with a strong aroma; compact 12-inch (30 cm) growth.
By planting multiple thyme plants—both in number and variety—you’ll always have a healthy plant ready for harvest and ensure your herb garden is well-stocked all year.
Want to expand your herb garden even more? Here’s my guide to growing oregano and how to grow rosemary successfully. Want a quick visual reference? My Visual Guide for Low Desert Herbs makes it easy to see which herbs to grow and when at a glance.
2. Time It Right for a Head Start
Thyme can be grown from seed, but I’ve had the best luck with strong transplants. Starting with an established plant gives you a head start and earlier harvests.
If you do want to grow from seed:
- Start indoors 8–10 weeks before your planting date.
- Press seeds lightly into moist seed-starting mix and barely cover.
- Keep the soil around 70°F (21°C) for best germination.
When shopping for thyme transplants, choose:
- Short, bushy plants with growth spilling over the pot.
- Avoid dry, leggy, or discolored plants.
Plant thyme outdoors once the risk of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. Space plants 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) apart.
In the low desert of Arizona, the best time to plant thyme is from October to April, before or after the peak heat. The earlier in the planting window the better. This gives the plant longer to become established before the heat.
3. Give Your Thyme Some TLC
Thyme doesn’t need a lot of fuss, but it does appreciate the right growing conditions.
Sunlight:
Thyme prefers at least 6 hours of full sun, but in hot climates, it benefits from afternoon shade during the hottest months.
Soil:
Well-drained soil is essential. If your soil is heavy or slow to drain, consider planting thyme in raised beds or containers filled with a high-quality potting mix.
Curious which herbs thrive in similar conditions? Best Perennial Herbs for Hot Climates highlights tried-and-true varieties that love the heat, just like thyme does.
Watering:
Once established, thyme is drought-tolerant. Let the top few inches of soil dry out before watering again.
Too much moisture = root rot. If stems start to yellow or plants wilt despite moist soil, drainage is likely the issue.
Fertilizing:
Thyme doesn’t need much. A spring application of compost is usually enough. Avoid heavy fertilization—it reduces the flavorful oils in the leaves.
Mulching:
Use a light mulch like straw or wood chips to regulate soil temperature and suppress weeds. Avoid thick layers that trap moisture.
Pruning:
Regular snipping encourages fresh growth and keeps plants bushy. You can let a few stems flower to attract pollinators, but prune them back afterward to refresh growth.
Don’t cut back heavily during extreme heat or cold—wait until new growth appears.
Propagation Tip:
A simple way to multiply your thyme plants is to bury a low-growing stem in a bit of soil. It will form roots along the buried portion. Once rooted, snip it from the parent plant and replant it elsewhere.
4. Harvest Often for the Best Thyme
Once your thyme is established—usually 6 to 8 weeks after transplanting—you can start harvesting. Snip off the top leafy portions of stems and leave the woody parts behind.
For the most flavor, harvest just before the flowers appear. The tiny flowers are edible too, but milder in taste than the leaves.
Frequent harvesting encourages new growth and keeps the plant compact.
5. Use Fresh or Preserve for Later
Fresh thyme adds incredible flavor to:
- Roasted potatoes and meats
- Vegetable dishes
- Soups, sauces, and more
Thyme grows nearly year-round in the low desert, so I often harvest just what I need. But it’s also easy to preserve:
- Refrigerate: Wrap fresh sprigs in a damp paper towel and store in a container. Lasts up to 2 weeks.
- Freeze: Strip leaves and freeze flat in a single layer, or use ice cube trays with a bit of water or oil.
- Dry: Air-dry or use a dehydrator. Rub the leaves over a screen to separate them from the stem (picture below). Store in a sealed jar in a cool place.
Want to preserve herbs for maximum flavor? Check out this post on how to freeze-dry herbs.
How to Grow Thyme in Arizona
Growing thyme in the low desert presents some challenges—but it’s absolutely doable with a few smart strategies:
- Plant thyme from October to April to give it time to settle in before summer. Remember, the earlier in the planting window, the better. This gives the plant longer to become established before the heat.
- Provide afternoon shade once temperatures heat up.
- Use raised beds or containers if your soil doesn’t drain well.
- In early spring and late fall, give thyme a light trim to stimulate new growth.
- Harvest frequently to prevent blooming and encourage leaf growth.
- Allow thyme to rest during the hottest months. Wait until temps cool and new growth appears before pruning again.
For even more advice on keeping herbs happy through Arizona’s extreme temperatures, check out How to Grow Herbs in Hot Climates—it’s packed with practical strategies for success.
Final Thoughts
Once you figure out what thyme needs, it’s one of the most rewarding herbs you can grow. It smells amazing, looks beautiful in the garden, and adds flavor to so many dishes.
Have a favorite thyme recipe? Share it in the comments—I’d love to try it. And don’t forget to try my Blue Cheese Thyme Scalloped Potatoes recipe. I think you will love it!
Hi, I have a thyme that looks good & healthy, I bought it in the garden shop of my neighbourhood who are good profesionals. I recently planted (last week) and just noticed that their under leaves are purple. Looking other thyme plants in the internet can`t find this attribute in thymes. Have you ever seen this? Do you know what might be happening? Are this edible? I bought them cause Im a chef and wanted to use them on m plates 🙂
Best!
Santiago from Argentina!
Hi Santiago. Plants grown in soil deficient in potassium may have purple leaves. A lack of potassium is also a cause of poor root growth and poor overall plant growth. Organic sources of phosphorus include rock phosphate, bone meal, and guano.
It may need a little organic fertilizer to get it back on track. Water well before and after application and use a light hand. The affected thyme is still edible. Best of luck to you.