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Thyme is a strong aromatic herb that can grow just about anywhere as long as the area is dry and sunny. It loves being beside rocks and stones or on slopes. There are too many varieties of thyme to even list. But a few of my favorites are garden thyme, lemon thyme and caraway thyme. Thyme can be in the form of a creeping or carpeting plant, as a culinary additive or as a decorative plant.
Because thyme can grow up to 18 inches or more, it is often used as a hedge or border plant. Although thyme can survive in zones 4 or higher, it may not live through extreme cold winters unless it is protected. Dry, hot weather and even long bouts without water does not harm it.
Thymes can be sown from seeds, except for the decorative thymes which need to be acquired through cuttings. Sow seeds in early spring after all danger of frost has passed. Keep soil moist until small green shoots start to sprout and then thin plants out to about 12 inches apart. Thyme is a woody plant and needs to be divided every few years. Creeping thymes can quickly take over a garden, so you want to keep these cut back. I once grew thyme in a half barrel and trained it to grow over and down one side, and it looked gorgeous.
In late May thymes bloom, lasting about a month. The color of the flowers can be white, light purple or lilac and different shade of pink, depending on the variety. The flowers are tiny and grow in clusters.
Thyme, as it is for most herbs, is best harvested in mid-morning when the essential oils are the strongest. But if you don’t have access to your garden in the mornings, like me, then anytime will do. Be sure to leave at least two-thirds of the plant, so it will continue to grow and provide you with more cuttings.
Thoroughly wash and dry thyme. I use paper towels lined up on my kitchen counter to lay the thyme on to dry. You can also put them between paper towels and put them in the microwave for one to two minutes. After the water is gone from my thyme, I will gather a couple stems together, tie string around the bottom and hang them on my drying rack in the basement. I cover each bunch with a brown bag, cutting flaps in the sides to allow for air circulation. The brown bag keeps the dust off them.
When thyme is completely dry, about six weeks, it is ready for all your cooking or baking recipes. I use fresh and dried thyme in a lot of different dishes, but I think my favorite is using it to make herb breads and herb dips.
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Author Bio Box: Agnes Farside
 http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/110407/agnes_farside.html
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