How to Propagate Thyme the Right Way for Even More Herbs, According to a Pro Gardener

Fragrant, fragrant thyme is a staple in the kitchen for everything from roast chicken to flavoring sauces and salad dressings. This hardy perennial herb is also quite easy to propagate via stem cuttings or by planting seeds.

Here’s how to promote oregano According to a professional herb farmer, through stem cuttings or seeds.

How to Propagate Thyme in Soil

While it is technically possible to propagate thyme plants via stem cuttings in soil, Linda Shanahan, herbalist and co-owner of Bluestem Botanicals, steers gardeners away from this method.

“I do not recommend soil or vermiculite for stem propagation, as I have found it to be less reliable in a home setting,” she says. Instead, Shanahan recommends layering, a method of propagating new plants from still-living thyme specimens. Here’s how to do it.

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How to Propagate Thyme by Layering

1. Start with a live thyme plant that is still growing in the soil.
2. Choose a healthy stem on the mother plant and bend it toward the soil surface. Use a floral pin or a paperclip to hold the stem in place so it maintains contact with the soil. You can also cover the stem with soil and a small rock or other weight.
3. After a few weeks, check for roots growing from the part of the stem that was in contact with the soil. When roots have formed, you can cut the new plant and pot it up on its own.

How to Propagate Thyme in Water

“Thyme is a mint family plant, and many plants in this family are easily propagated by cuttings in water,” says Shanahan.

You will have the best results propagating fresh cut stems. It is possible to use store-bought thyme stems, but they will be less reliable.

1. Examine a healthy, living thyme plant and select a couple of non-woody stems to remove.
2. Use clean, sharp scissors or pruners to take cuttings at least four inches long. Strip any leaves from the lower third of the stem.
3. Place the stems in a clean, clear glass or jar with fresh water, making sure the leafless parts of the stems are submerged. Put the jar of cuttings in a warm place out of direct sunlight.
4. Change the water every three days. You can expect roots to grow within about a month. Shanahan recommends sometimes using willow tea as a DIY rooting hormone instead of plain water to help encourage root growth.
5. Once roots appear, plant the cutting in a standard houseplant potting mix, watering every few days to keep it evenly moist.

When to propagate thyme

You will have the best success propagating thyme via stem cuttings in water in spring or summer. Growing new thyme plants through layering is best done in the summer for the quickest results, but you can also move the plants in the fall to remove and replant the following spring.

If starting thyme from seed, Shanahan recommends starting indoors in midwinter, about 8 weeks before your area’s last frost date.

Thyme Propagation Tips

• After digging out rooted cuttings or thyme seedlings, Shanahan recommends waiting for the important harvest Until after the first growing season. “I like to make sure there is plenty of leafy growth on the plants, especially in their first year, going into winter so the plant will have plenty of energy to survive the cold weather,” she says.
• If starting thyme from seeds indoors, Shanahan recommends planting seeds in flat or takeout containers with drainage holes to save space and even retain moisture. Use grow lights and keep the space around 70°F for best results.
• Plan to water your thyme seedlings two or three times before planting them outside. Growing plants will benefit from the nutrients in the fresh potting mix.
• Whether harvesting thyme for use in the kitchen or as cuttings for propagation, avoid removing too much of the mother plant. “Thyme is easy to grow, but can easily die if overheated,” says Shanahan. “Always leave enough green growth at the base for the plant to recover.”