Growing Thyme: A Complete Profile
By Growing Home Greens Team · July 18, 2026
Thyme is a low, spreading perennial, not an annual herb you replant each spring. Once established, it comes back reliably year after year and slowly fills in as a groundcover.
Starting it slow, and giving it time
Start seed indoors about 8 weeks before your last frost; thyme germinates slowly and benefits from the head start. Transplants go outside shortly after that frost date. As a perennial in zones 4-11, an established plant will overwinter and resume growth the following spring rather than needing to be started over, though it’s slow to fill in during its first year. Thyme is drought-tolerant once rooted in; it’s one of the few herbs where underwatering is rarely the problem.
Going woody, and the one real threat
A woody, sparse-looking plant after a couple of years is normal aging, not disease. Thyme benefits from a light shearing after flowering to encourage fresh, tender growth instead of letting it get leggy. Wet feet are the main threat: thyme in heavy or poorly drained soil tends to rot at the crown over winter.
A permanent edge, not a rotated bed
Thyme’s scent deters cabbage worms, the same role rosemary and dill play near brassicas. See the full companion guide for thyme. At 4 plants per square foot and a low, spreading habit, it works well as a permanent edging plant in the Garden Designer rather than a bed you plan to rotate crops through.
Companion planting guide for Thyme · Find your planting dates
Typically viable in USDA zones 4-11. Not sure your zone? Look it up by ZIP code.
Mature height: 0.5-1 ft
Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. It needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.
When to plant thyme, by zone
Every zone thyme grows in. Pick your zone in the header and it will be highlighted here. Each zone links to its full page.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a & 4b | Mar 20–Mar 27 | May 22–May 29 | Aug 20–Aug 27 |
| 5a & 5b | Mar 15–Mar 22 | May 17–May 24 | Aug 15–Aug 22 |
| 6a & 6b | Feb 28–Mar 7 | May 2–May 9 | Jul 31–Aug 7 |
| 7a & 7b | Feb 13–Feb 20 | Apr 17–Apr 24 | Jul 16–Jul 23 |
| 8a & 8b | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Apr 1–Apr 8 | Jun 30–Jul 7 |
| 9a & 9b | Dec 21–Dec 28 | Feb 22–Mar 1 | May 23–May 30 |
| 10a & 10bSpring window | Not usually | Feb–Apr | ~90 days after transplanting |
| Fall window | Not usually | Oct–Nov | ~90 days after transplanting |
| 11a & 11b | Nov 6–Nov 13 | Jan 8–Jan 15 | Apr 8–Apr 15 |
Harvest dates are about 90 days after the sow or plant-out date, not after starting seeds indoors.
See exact start-indoors, direct-sow, and harvest dates for your zone →
How many Thyme plants fit per square foot?
Spacing: 4 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 0.5-1 ft.
Good companions for thyme
- Cabbage: Penn State Extension lists thyme among the herbs that measurably deter cabbage loopers on brassicas, the same protective role sage and dill play.
Full companion guide, including what to keep away from thyme →
Varieties worth considering
- French or English Thyme: Illinois Extension calls French and English thyme the most popular of the culinary types, distinguishing them from ornamental types like woolly thyme that are grown for rock gardens rather than the kitchen. (source) Buy seeds: Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market
- Citrus thyme (lemon, lime, orange types): Illinois Extension describes this as a diverse group carrying lemon, lime and orange fragrances. Lemon thyme specifically is worth growing alongside a culinary French or English plant for fish, poultry and cream-sauce dishes where the citrus note earns its place. (source)
- Woolly thyme: The ornamental type, not a culinary one: a low mat of grey, wooly leaves and pale pink flowers that Illinois Extension recommends for rock gardens. Worth knowing about mainly so you don't accidentally buy it expecting a kitchen herb. (source)
- Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) (best for: groundcover, pathways, not cooking): NC State Extension notes this at just 2-3 inches tall spreading 3-12 inches wide, with deep pink to purple flowers, grown as an ornamental groundcover for pathways and rock gardens rather than for the kitchen the way French or English thyme is. A distinct, non-culinary use case from the other three types here. (source) Buy seeds: Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · Burpee
Why each variety is listed comes from the source shown next to it. We haven't grown these ourselves yet, so treat this as a research-backed starting point, not a personal endorsement. The buy links are separate from those sources: they go to seed suppliers that sell that exact variety, and we may earn a commission on some of them.
Where to buy thyme seeds
True Leaf Market · Burpee · High Mowing Organic Seeds (each supplier's thyme seeds)
The varieties we recommend above each have their own buy links, for the suppliers that sell that exact variety.
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing thyme" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
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Growing Thyme: A low, woody perennial herb that spreads slowly, tolerates neglect, and comes back reliably year after year.
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