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.
Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. Thyme needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.
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.
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)
- 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)
Cited from the source shown next to each variety. We haven't grown these ourselves yet, so treat this as a research-backed starting point, not a personal endorsement.
Where to buy thyme seeds
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page also go to other retailers we may earn a commission from as an affiliate, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products with a genuine consensus of positive, independent reviews. See the sources cited on each item.
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)
Pin this for later
Growing Thyme: A low, woody perennial herb that spreads slowly, tolerates neglect, and comes back reliably year after year.
Save to Pinterest