In the arsenal of modern housewives there is a large number of various herbs that are widely used in cooking. But it is difficult for an inexperienced person to understand such a variety. In our article, we want to study one of these plants. What is thyme? The name was heard by many, but not everyone knows that this is the same thyme. The plant has several names - the continent, the Mother of God grass.
Unusual plant
So what is thyme? This is an unusual plant that has been valued by our ancestors since ancient times. Most often it is called thyme. From time immemorial, grass has been associated with strength, courage and health. What is thyme, not everyone knows now. Translated from Greek - "power". This name was intended to emphasize the extraordinary healing power of the plant. In this article you will learn about this extraordinary grass and its use for various purposes.
The benefits of thyme to humanity have been known since ancient times. The plant was actively used not only in cooking, but also for the treatment of ailments. Today, among the inhabitants of our latitudes, thyme is associated with the resorts of Transcaucasia and the Crimea. And in Asia, the flavor of thyme in dishes is an indispensable element of national cuisine. Cooking lamb is simply unthinkable without thyme. Spice is indispensable in French cuisine.
Usage history
Many cuisines of the world use thyme. What is so special about him? This plant, whose homeland is the Mediterranean, where it grows in shrubby forests and on rocky slopes, therefore, the grass is widely used in national European cuisines. In nature, there are more than 400 species of plants. But in cooking they use creeping and ordinary thyme. Currently, the plant is cultivated in many countries for preparation from coarse branches with leaves of aromatic spices.
Experts say that thyme has been used by mankind for more than five millennia. The first mention of it was found on Sumerian clay tablets and in the records of the famous Avicenna.
The plant was loved by the ancient Romans and Greeks. Over time, the use of thyme as a seasoning became more and more popular. And now thyme is widely used throughout the world - in eastern, American and European cuisine.
Plant description
What thyme looks like, many know. The plant belongs to the family Lamiaceae. The genus of thyme is quite numerous. Only in Europe grows over 170 species. But not all of these varieties can be used as seasonings, since they differ not only in appearance, but also in smell. It is worth noting that creeping thyme is called the Bogorodskaya grass. Under natural conditions, it grows on slopes, therefore, to grow a plant on a personal plot, it needs to allocate a sunny place. Shady and shaded places are not suitable for grass.
What does thyme look like? Externally, the plant looks like a small shrub, the height of which reaches 40 centimeters. But most often the height of the grass is 15-20 centimeters. Thyme stalks leafless and lignified. They can be recumbent or upright. Grassy branches are covered with small sharp leaves. Flower-bearing pagons are usually erect. The plant is perennial. It blooms from May to August. Thyme inflorescences are pink or purple, but there are varieties with white flowers.
Summer residents often use thyme as an ornamental plant. With it, it is convenient to decorate uneven areas. Thyme is an obligatory inhabitant of the currently very popular aromatic gardens.
Thyme fruit is very small and oval. Outwardly, they resemble smooth nuts of black-brown or black color. The thyme tastes spicy and slightly bitter, and its smell is steady and pleasant. To obtain further seasoning, twigs with foliage are collected. They are dried and then ground. With proper preparation of thyme for the winter and storage, the spice does not lose its aromatic properties for two years.
The plant grows well in open ground and in the house on the windowsill. Thyme is an excellent honey plant, so it is indispensable in those areas where there are hives. Very often, a plant is planted near greenhouses and greenhouses to attract pollinating insects.
Beneficial features
Thyme herb has long been valued for its beneficial properties. Spice is rich in flavonoids, mineral salts and organic acids. Since ancient times, people have been harvesting thyme as a medicine. Do not forget about the healing power of the plant now. But it is worth remembering that when collecting grass, you can not pull it out with the roots, since it grows very slowly.
The use of thyme as a medicine was known to ancient physicians. The plant was actively used back in Ancient Egypt for the treatment of cough and for embalming the bodies.
Preparations made on the basis of thyme have a pronounced antibacterial effect. Liquid tinctures are good as expectorants. The grass is part of many treatment fees that are used to treat sore joints and with problems with the biliary system. Thyme oil is used to disinfect the mucous membranes of the oral cavity. It has a pronounced analgesic effect. The bactericidal properties of the herb are used in the fight against fungal ailments and skin diseases.
In folk medicine, thyme is used as a diuretic, diaphoretic, sedative and anticonvulsant. Lotions of decoction of herbs are good for rheumatism, ulcers and in the treatment of wounds. Thyme helps to cope with the flu and colds, improves digestion. It is used for headaches and insomnia. Thanks to the beneficial properties of thyme (photo of the plant is given in the article) is widely used to this day.
It is worth noting that the field of application of the herb is not limited to traditional medicine. The plant is used in the manufacture of canned food and in the perfume industry. The leaves of the plant are rich in vitamins. Mistresses actively use spice in cooking to add flavor to dishes. Thyme is good for controlling insects, as its smell repels them.
Creeping thyme
Creeping thyme grows on the territory of Russia. The properties of a perennial shrub have long been used by our ancestors to treat ailments. The plant can often be found in fields and meadows. It is easy to recognize by small pink-purple inflorescences. In Russia, thyme is called Bogorodskaya grass. This name appeared for a reason. It is due to the fact that the icons on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin are decorated with fragrant grass.
The plant contains the following beneficial substances: essential oils, mineral and organic salts, gum, flavonoids and tannins. Thyme essential oils have a light yellow tint. They have a pleasant, but very strong smell. Oils are actively used in perfumes. Useful properties of thyme are used not only in folk, but also in traditional medicine. Grass is considered an ancient medicine. The plant extract is part of the Pertussin preparation. The bactericidal properties of thyme help to cope with diseases of the bronchi and lungs.
Choosing a place for planting a plant
Thyme grows very well in open ground. Summer residents actively grow it in personal plots. Its bushes go well with other plants. Thyme is often used as a groundcover. You can grow thyme in the house. In this case, in the winter you will always have branches of a fresh plant.
For planting on a plot of land for thyme, you should choose a warm sunny place. In the shade, the plant does not feel very well, its stems begin to stretch. It is possible to plant thyme on a site with light partial shade.
The plant prefers non-acidified light soils. The soil must be well drained. Like many other spicy plants, thyme is very picky about sunlight. He is not at all afraid of direct rays. Open, well-ventilated areas are the best place to plant crops.
Thyme can be safely attributed to cold-resistant plants. But at the same time, he does not like northern winds and drafts. In the wild, the plant grows in open meadows and fields, on hillsides. In home gardens, thyme can be placed in flowerbeds protected from the influence of northern winds by bushes. As fertilizing use organic fertilizers - manure. It is introduced into the soil when digging before planting.
Thyme is a drought tolerant culture that does not like overflows. It needs watering only during periods of drought. In open ground, a plant is planted in spring or early autumn, so that it has time to take root. Thyme tolerates winter cold well, and therefore does not need shelter.
Thyme propagation
Thyme is propagated by cuttings, seedlings and seeds. The latter are sown in mid-March. The seeds are mixed with wet river sand and sown on the surface of the substrate for succulents, adding a third of the chernozem to it. From above, the crops are sprayed from the sprayer and covered with glass. The container is placed in a bright place.
Seedlings are kept indoors for at least two months. The optimal seedling age for planting in the soil is 70 days. After the appearance of the first shoots, the temperature of the culture content is reduced by several degrees. Seedlings are not watered, but sprayed. Seedlings need to provide good ventilation.
Landing
Thyme is planted in open ground in the second half of May. For seedlings, choose a sunny place with light and fertile soil. The site should be well drained, because the culture does not like stagnation of water. The soil before planting is prepared in advance. To do this, in the fall, when digging, humus or potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are added. In the spring, beds need to be loosened and water the soil with a solution of urea (20 grams of urea is diluted per liter of water). Seedlings are planted at a distance of 20-25 centimeters from each other, between the rows it is necessary to leave a distance of the order of 40-45 centimeters.
Home Care Plants
Caring for thyme is not difficult. Thyme occasionally needs to loosen the soil so that moisture does not stagnate at the roots and remove weeds. To facilitate care, you can mulch grass plantings. In early spring, the bushes must be trimmed. In this case, the shoots are shortened by two-thirds. Pruning is necessary so that the plants are compact and dense.
Plants are watered very rarely, because they do not like moisture, but tolerate drought well. With the beginning of active growth of shoots and flowering, watering should become more frequent. But you should not overdo it with moisture. If the summer was rainy, then watering the plants is not worth it at all.
Thyme is not demanding on top dressing. If you applied fertilizer to the soil before planting, then in the future you can not worry about feeding seedlings. Only very scarce soil can be enriched with compost. The culture is not demanding on nutrients, so it does not deplete the soil. After the thyme on the site, you can plant any vegetables, except those plants that belong to the clam.
Garden on the windowsill
At home, you can grow thyme in a pot. This option is quite appropriate if you do not have a personal plot. In this case, you will always have fresh thyme in your kitchen.
To grow thyme on a windowsill, you will need a small pot with a diameter of not more than 15 cm. On its bottom before planting, you need to lay out a drain that will not allow stagnation of excess moisture. Then we pour soil into the container. We sow seeds in it, which we sprinkle with a small amount of soil. Spray the soil from above from the spray gun. The pot must be covered with film or glass. Plant seeds have a very good germination, so the first seedlings will appear in 10-15 days. In the future, it will be necessary to remove weak sprouts, leaving strong and beautiful seedlings. Pea thyme grows very well. Greens should be cut more often, not allowing the plant to bloom.
Since ancient times, people have valued the beneficial properties of a plant. Thyme, the photo of which can be seen above, grown at home, is no less valuable than that brought from the garden. The hostess’s herbs are used not only for cooking, but also for making medicinal tea. Having such a valuable culture on the windowsill will not hurt anyone.
In autumn, thyme can be propagated by cuttings. To do this, cut pagons on the bush, which are rooted in small pots with a substrate. Soon after planting, you will have young, strong plants that you can give to friends or relatives. A thyme in a pot can become not only a source of spices, but also a decoration in your home.
Thyme in gardening
Thyme looks good in group plantings. It is often used as a background for plants with textured foliage. Thyme with its powerful aroma attracts butterflies and other insects to the area, so it is recommended to plant it near cucumber beds. Bees will flock to the smell of thyme and pollinate vegetable crops. Bogorodskaya grass is the main component for bouquets for the feast of the Holy Trinity. They include wormwood, lovage and mint. Since ancient times, our ancestors believed that such a combination of fragrant herbs expels evil spirits from their homes.
Thyme is actively used in the work of landscape designers. Low shrubs are a great backdrop for alpine slides and mixborders. But thyme can play a major role. The plant looks very impressive on rocky embankments.
Growing thyme is a pleasure. Especially thyme is beautiful during flowering. The fragrant fluffy bushes are simply beautiful.
Thyme Harvesting
If you grow thyme on your site, then you can well provide yourself and your loved ones with aromatic spices. For harvesting, thyme is harvested in June or July. Non-lignified branches are cut at the beginning of flowering. It is important to cut the shoots, and not to pluck them, because the plant is poorly restored. Damaging the roots will harm the thyme.
If you want to collect seeds, then you should pay attention to the most powerful and beautiful plants. Thyme from the third and second year gives the best seed. Seeds are collected and dried in a ventilated area, and then threshed.
To harvest the shoots, they are cut several times a season. Twigs of grass are formed into bunches that are hung under canopies. Dry greens are stored in well-sealed containers. As a spice, the workpiece can be used for two years.
Thyme in cooking
Culinary experts from around the world actively use thyme for cooking. As a rule, shredded foliage and shoots are used for this. If you grow a plant in a pot or on a personal plot, then you can use fresh herbs of the culture. Seasoning has a pronounced taste with bitterness and an unforgettable aroma. Thyme gives any dish pleasant spicy notes. It is actively used in various areas of cooking - from baking to canning.
Thyme as a spice is indispensable for cooking fish and meat dishes, since it makes their taste more vibrant and saturated. Thyme twigs are traditionally used for roasting game. Dry spices purchased in the store are used for sprinkling and rubbing fish and meat before heat treatment. Powder can be poured into minced meat for cutlets or sausages.
Spice is indispensable for cooking fatty foods, as the substances contained in it help the stomach digest heavy foods. It is for this reason that thyme is actively used in the East. Thyme contains many vitamins that are beneficial for humans, so even dry spices are beneficial. Thyme is good for cooking smoked meats (meat and fish).
No less often thyme is used for dishes of vegetables. Seasoning gives the taste range bitter notes and a pleasant aroma. Go well with thyme and mushrooms. In Italy, for example, risotto with mushrooms is cooked only with this seasoning. In addition, the plant is part of various mixtures. For example, it is present in many Provencal herbs beloved by many. This mixture is added for the preparation of any Mediterranean dishes. But in the salads add fresh shoots of the plant. In their absence, you can use dried herbs.
Thyme is added to soups, borscht, meat or fish based broths.Thyme is put in canned food, baked goods, when pickling olives, during cheese making, making alcohol and making omelettes. For the manufacture of sweets, lemon thyme is used, which has a pronounced citrus flavor.
Famous chefs consider thyme a universal spice that can make any dish unusual. But you should use thyme wisely, since its excessive use can lead to bitterness.
How to replace thyme in cooking?
As we have already mentioned, thyme is used in cooking dry and fresh. But what if the right spice was not at hand? How to replace thyme? In recipes of oriental and European dishes, spice is often used. If the kitchen does not have thyme, feel free to use the mixture of Provencal herbs, because it is contained inside the seasoning.
Experienced cooks recommend replacing oregano thyme. The taste of the dish from this will not get worse, but will acquire more vivid notes. In the Caucasus, when cooking first courses, even cinnamon is put instead of thyme.