Spices for many become just a passion. Without them, dishes lose their taste, become fresh and colorless. These aromatic seasonings include thyme, the cultivation of which is ideal for our climate. It has a burning, slightly bitter taste and strong spicy aroma. Its application is the most diverse, in sweet dishes, salads, salting, canning and sauces. It is added to vinegar and tea, brewed in the form of decoctions and tinctures.
Many summer residents and gardeners have long fallen in love with thyme, the cultivation of which is carried out with great pleasure in their garden plots, and sometimes on window sills. And the thing is that it has not only a great taste and aroma, but also a lot of healing properties. In some cases, with burns, wounds and frostbite, it can be called just an indispensable assistant. It has antiseptic and anesthetic properties, it is recommended as a healing and anti-inflammatory agent. With diarrhea, thyme is used to purify the blood, the symptoms of neuralgia and the accompanying insomnia.
Growing a house can be advised to everyone who only has such an opportunity. To begin with, all relevant conditions should be prepared for this. This is a heat-loving plant that reproduces with the help of seeds, so you need to choose a good sunny place and thoroughly loosen the soil. Remember that in the shade, he will lose the bulk of his useful properties. It is also necessary to take into account soil moisture. It is necessary for seeds, but if you often water an adult thyme, cultivation will go very slowly. Roots love a constant influx of air and heat, that is, constant loosening and infrequent moderate watering are necessary.
How to grow thyme? To begin with, let's take care of the soil, determine the place and clean it thoroughly. Well bury the entire area and remove all kinds of roots from the remaining plants. The depth of the harrow should be at least thirty centimeters, that is, a full bayonet. This plant really likes organic types of fertilizers, so it is recommended to fertilize the site. Manure is ideal in this case. You can use humus.
In early spring, we make small grooves at a distance of forty-forty-five centimeters from each other, and sow the seeds to a depth of one centimeter, no more. The plant is considered to be perennial, but most gardeners say that it is not worth growing it for more than two years, as it becomes weak. Therefore, after this period, you need to sow fresh thyme.
Cultivation at the initial stage is a rather complicated process and requires some of your attention. As soon as weeds appear, we begin a merciless fight with them, as they interfere with the proper growth and development of the plant. As soon as the first, very tender seedlings appear, we must well loosen the soil between the rows and water it. Weed is the main enemy of thyme (Thyme is called differently), therefore, clean crops should be not only during the growth of the first sprouts, but also throughout the summer, as well as in autumn, before its last harvest.
How to grow thyme beautiful and strong? For cutting, select only its largest branches, do not cut all the plants in a row. This will allow the weaker to still grow and strengthen. After the last assembly, all beds are necessarily covered with a small layer of earth (spud). In winter, they feel good and comfortable under a layer of snow. If severe frost sets in and there is no snow, all thyme may die.
Growing a house in the winter will help to save part of the plants, which then, with the advent of spring, can be returned back to the soil, dividing the plant into several parts. In order to completely protect yourself, you need to stock up on seeds. And for this, closer to autumn, it is necessary to select some of the most fragrant and largest branches and cut them off just before the onset of frost. Sprigs are dried on paper, periodically turning over, and then, using a sieve, the seeds are separated.