Cutting thyme - tips so it does not rot


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Cutting thyme - tips so it does not rot: does

Since thyme tends to become woody quickly with little care, regular pruning is extremely important and should not be ignored. An important point is the right timing and the type of editing.

When is the best time?

The following cut and care forms are used in thyme and effectively work to preserve the bush from felling:
  • pruning
  • rejuvenation pruning
  • topiary
Tip: Harvest the thyme regularly by hand. By harvesting the shoots as herb for the kitchen you make the plant grow. At the same time it is a prevention of woodiness and fresh herbs in the house are always welcome.

When does the pruning take place?

thyme

The pruning is essential for the health of the thyme and ensures that it does not lignify. The slight recession occurs once in spring after the first frost and in summer after flowering. Caution: the cut in the spring (March, April) may only be used once you are sure that there is no further frost. This is extremely important because otherwise the freshly cut thyme may freeze to death due to the cold in the garden.

The pruning: a guide

The annual pruning is used to keep your thyme fresh, healthy, and not deficient in lignification. To do this correctly, follow these steps:

1. Before you start pruning, choose a good secateurs. This should be sharp to avoid damage to the plant and to make the job easier. Classic pruning shears are recommended here, as thyme have no really hard shoots.

2. Before cutting, you must search the shrub for the previously lignified areas. All shrubs have woody spots, as this is part of the growth of the plant. The shoots, which are woody, are usually near the earth and are brownish in color compared to the fresh shoots. Fresh thyme is green and easy to bend, while the woody areas are harder and firmer.

3. Carefully cut back the entire shrub and do not be afraid to cut off a lot of green. When cutting, be sure to leave about two to three centimeters of green shoots. These are especially important so that the plant can form further shoots. Perform this step on the entire shrub until it is trimmed.

4. Important: Never cut into the woody shoots. Timbering is part of the plant's growth, and the harder plant parts also take care of the regeneration of fresh shoots. If cut in the woody areas, it may happen that the herb is no longer growing. So fingers off!

5. Work with utmost care throughout the cut and cut off enough green shoots. This allows the shrub to develop strong and healthy new shoots.

6. Remove cut plant matter, including flowers, and loosen the soil around the thyme. After pruning, the supply of nutrients is particularly important. For this you use either compost, lime or a suitable fertilizer, if the last fertilization is already a bit ago. But do not overdo it, otherwise the shrub can be overloaded with nutrients.

7. If you live in an area that is more prone to cold nights or frost, protect the shrub from the cold after cutting. As a winter and cold protection offer brushwood, bark mulch and coconut mats, which donate enough heat to the plant.

8. Depending on the speed of the growth, repeat the pruning at the end of the summer, but not in late autumn. Repeat the pruning periodically to obtain vigorous thyme bushes.

Danger: Never cut off young shoots! Look for older shoots that are not yet lignified and cut them off. Most are the shoots from the last year that have overwintered and now need a fresh cut.

thyme

Furthermore, you should note the following points, so that the thyme can regrow relaxed:
  • Never tear off shoots
  • Thyme prefers a warm climate
  • Permeable soil is recommended
  • Fertilize sparingly
  • Pruning can be used for repotting
  • Pruning helps to detect plant diseases
  • Do not run too late in the year

When will the rejuvenation cut be used?

The rejuvenation cut is not necessary with regular care of the thyme. If the thyme is harvested as a kitchen herb, this cut is not necessary because it does not lignify through this use. However, if the bush has been able to do without a cut or harvest for a long time, the rejuvenation cut in the late autumn after the first frost is essential.Because you cut a lot of plant material from the herb that is lignified in this cut, the plant recovers over a period of one year and must also be subjected to a rejuvenation cut in the following autumn.

How does the rejuvenation cut work?

While pruning focuses on the annual care of the thyme, a rejuvenation cut is important for the plant if neglected. The rejuvenation cut brings the plant back to life. This section looks like this:

1. Use the same utensils as for the pruning and again make sure not to cut into the woody shoots.

2. Search as in the pruning for the oldest shoots you will find. Here we are looking for the shoots that are directly at the strongest lignification and are even on the verge of lignification. That can be something

more difficult if you have groundcover species that are close together. But this step is essential to allow the regrowth of fresh shoots.

3. Of the oldest shoots, only one third of the total amount is removed. That is, not the entire shrub is pruned, otherwise the herb would not survive in winter.

4. Half of these shoots are now cut off to allow the expulsion of fresh plant parts.

5. It is normal for the shrub to be very thin after this procedure. This is also necessary because shrubs that have not been groomed for a long time often suffer from overgrowth and can become increasingly difficult to supply with nutrients.

6. After cutting the shrub, it will be cut in the same way the following year at the same time. Since the rejuvenation cut occurs over a long period of time, the plant can relax in a relaxed manner and thus vigorously drive out.

thyme

The rejuvenation cut helps to preserve old plants from further lignification. Since thyme can grow over several years, it can be found in many gardens, even if the owner does not know it. These shrubs suffer greatly from woodiness as they are barely cut and can calcify over time. The calcification is not only bad for the plant. The soil also suffers from calcification by the thyme. Lime is mainly used in the garden to deacidify the soil. Too much lime, however, deprives the soil of the nutrients. The rejuvenation cut counteracts this problem.

When is the shape cut off?

With the shape cut, you can shape your thyme, if you do not use it mainly as a kitchen herb. Since thyme is very suitable as a groundcover for meadows and the garden, a shape cut is necessary, as well as specimens that have a single position in the garden. The trimming is done in the spring after the first expulsion and should be done wisely, so as not to remove too much of the fresh shoots.

Beautify the garden with the shape cut

If you use thyme as a ground cover or as a special accent in your green oasis, a shape cut is particularly well worth it. He brings, as the name implies, the thyme in your preferred form and is integrated by appealing. You also have to pay attention to a few things that would otherwise hurt the plant when cutting the shape.

1. Before the cut, consider a shape the shrub should have. For example, this can be a ball.

2. Now cut a maximum of one third of the shoots in length and keep an eye on the shape, so as not to cut too much. This is especially important because it allows the herb to grow quickly and adopt the desired design.

3. Please note: Never cut more than a third when making a shape cut. If you want to achieve a shape that exceeds this guideline, repeat the cut next year and adjust the shape over an annual rhythm. Only then can the plant be protected from damage.

Thyme faded? What now?

If the thyme has withered after the summer and no further regrowth of flowers, you can simply cut off the withered parts. This is also recommended during flowering when, for example, a shoot dies. Since it can no longer be supplied with nutrients, the entire shoot should be removed, including the flower. You do not have to worry about it, because the withered flowers would only burden the plant further.
Tip: When cutting the flowers, be careful not to cut too much and not hurt the rest of the shrubbery. By removing the withered flowers you also ensure a healthier and neat appearance of the herb. Especially with ground cover species of thyme, this is recommended because they otherwise seem messy.

Cutting thyme - tips so it does not rot

FAQ - 💬

❓ How do you cut thyme so it keeps growing?

👉 Thyme should be clipped back after flowering with shears or secateurs to keep it compact and bushy with lots of fresh new leaves. Just trim the leafy stems to encourage fresh growth – avoid cutting back into the older part of the stems. Left untrimmed, thyme will soon become straggly, sprawly and woody at the base.Cached

❓ Why are the tips of my thyme turning brown?

👉 If your thyme leaves are turning brown, root rot is likely to blame. You can fix browning thyme by treating the source of the root rot and repotting the herb. Root rot is a common problem for many plants and is typically caused by overwatering. The fungus that causes root rot breeds in moist soil.

❓ How do you cut thyme without killing the plant?

👉 Start with the biggest, most mature thyme stems and work your way around the plant, harvesting and shaping the thyme as you go. Just make sure to never harvest more than half the height of the plant at one time and leave at least 5 inches of stems and plenty of green leaves on the plant after harvesting.

❓ How do you harvest thyme so it keeps growing?

👉 And generating new growth. If your plants are young and the stems are pliable and green simply use a pair of garden shears or herb scissors to harvest the stems. If your thyme plant is a bit older.

❓ Will thyme grow back after cutting?

👉 Trim thyme back after it's finished flowering to promote new growth. This will give you more leaves to harvest through autumn. If you don't tidy them up, plants become woody and will need replacing after three years.

❓ How long does cut thyme last?

👉 To store sage, thyme, rosemary, mint, or chives: Clean and dry the herbs very well (see below for cleaning tips). Place in a pile in a slightly damp paper towel and wrap them up. Place inside of a plastic bag with a few punctured holes. Keep in the refrigerator about 1-2 weeks or more.

❓ Should thyme be cut?

👉 Thyme plants, like most woody herbs, do best when they are pruned regularly. Taking the time to trim thyme not only creates a nicer looking plant, but also helps improve the amount you can harvest from the plant. Keep reading to learn how to cut thyme so that it grows best for you.

❓ Can thyme root rot?

👉 If you notice symptoms of overwatering or root rot with your thyme plant, dial back the frequency with which you water the plant. If that doesn't work, you can uproot the plant from its container (or the ground), snip back any roots that look brown or rotten, then replant the thyme in fresh soil that has been amended with sand or perlite.

❓ Do you trim thyme sprigs?

👉 Strip the tiny leaves off the stems before using them. When trimming off sprigs, always try to leave behind at least five inches of growth on the plant. This will help it continue to flourish. The more you trim and prune your thyme, the more it will grow. Regular trimming will also make your plants grow in a more rounded shape.

❓ How often should you prune thyme?

👉 When growing thyme, you need to regularly prune it throughout the years in order to promote a good shape of the herb and encourage continual growth. Thyme that has become overgrown due to a lack of pruning will be very woody and won’t produce many new stems and leaves.

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