Thyme

Common Name: Thyme 

Botanical Name: Thymus vulgaris 

Place of origin: Thyme is originally native to Eurasia and the Mediterranean, but is now grown all over the world.  

Ideal growing conditions: Thyme is another hardy perennial herb, and it loves the heat so for best results, plant it in full sun. It is very drought tolerant and be sure to use dry soil for thyme. Growing it from seeds can be tricky, and you may find it easier to use transplants. Space the plants 1-2 feet apart, and once they are in your garden you will only need to water them if the soil is fully dry.    

Parts of the Plant to use: You should be able to harvest your thyme 3-4 times a summer, and to do so, cut the stems 5 inches from the top and avoid any woody parts of the stem. You can either store fresh thyme in a container in the fridge, or leave it out to dry for two weeks and then store in a jar.  

Benefits/Properties: Thyme is said to boost your immunity and contains vitamins A and C. It can also be used for aromatic and therapeutic purposes, as well as, as a natural cough remedy, to lower blood pressure, and to heal acne scars.  

Suggested Uses: Thyme can be used both medicinally as a tea or tincture, or in the kitchen in many recipes. 

Culinary: One of the easiest ways to use thyme is in salad dressing. My favorite is a Lemon-Thyme Dressing, and I recommend that you follow this simple and easy recipe. https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-thyme-dressing 

The following link provides you with 10 different dishes that use thyme. The versatility of this herb allows it to pair well with vegetables, pasta, and meats. Any of these recipes would be great to make for a weeknight dinner.

https://www.acouplecooks.com/thyme-recipes/ 

Medicinal: The first, and most common medicinal way to use thyme is with thyme tea. To make this, add a handful of fresh thyme to a mug of boiling water and let it steep for 5 mins. A second, and more uncommon way to use thyme is by making a thyme hair spray. This spray can help your hair growth quicker and reduce dandruff. The instructions can be found here:  

https://www.naturallivingideas.com/thyme-dry-scalp-spray/