Lemon thyme

There are plants, thanks to which special conditions and comfort are created in the beds of their growth. They not only give a delightful look to the site, but also beckon with their aroma, they can be used both in cooking and for medical purposes, thanks not only to their taste characteristics, but also to their beneficial properties. Lemon thyme is considered a striking representative of such plants.

Lemon thyme: variety description

Lemon thyme: photo

Thyme characterizes itself as a dwarf shrub from the family of the Lamb family. There are more than 400 varieties of it, which are common in all corners of our country.

This interesting and unusual plant came to us from the southern side of the European continent. Now in the northwestern part of the Mediterranean you can find the wild form of this plant. The second name for thyme is thyme. Thyme was used even in ancient times in ancient Rome and in ancient Greece to raise the vital energy and spirit of a warrior among soldiers. But in Ancient Russia, thyme was used to protect against evil forces and spirits, and this plant also served as an adornment for the icons of the Virgin, it is because of this that thyme was also called the Theotokos herb.

Nowadays, the use of lemon thyme is often for decoration; the variety of thyme, mossy undersized, is well suited for this. But most of all, lemon thyme is suitable for decoration, which got its name due to the aroma of citrus fruits, which thin them out.

This species is characterized as a natural hybrid. There is a 16th century description of this species, consisting of a large number of varieties. Here they are:

• Spicy Orange. It has elongated leaves and flowers of a pale purple color.
• Silver Queen. It has small silvery-white foliage, and also has a lilac-pink color during flowering.
• Golden King. The foliage has a yellow border.
• Bertram Anderson. The leaves of this variety are golden.
• Gold Edge. It is actively used in cooking and has a wonderful aroma.

Characteristics of the type of lemon thyme

Thyme lemon thyme characterizes itself as a fast-growing shrub, rather small in size, about 10-15 centimeters. During the flowering period, the shrub stretches up to 30 centimeters, thanks to its rising peduncles. This variety has a hummocky shape, up to 80 centimeters wide, with an erect stem and vertically ascending shoots. The branches of this plant belong to the herbaceous type, having four faces in section, and on the edges there is a fluff of light gray villi. The leaves of this type of thyme have a dark green color and a light edging, and the leaves of a young plant have a slightly yellow tint. The foliage is oval or ovoid. The leaves are not long at all, only about 1 centimeter. The stalks of the plant are also short, and the edges of the leaves are bent downward. When you rub one such leaf, you instantly feel the rich smell of lemon, with notes of anise-caraway seeds. During the flowering period, lemon thyme is covered with small flowers with a pale pink tint, which are connected in inflorescences at the tips of the stems, and the inflorescences are like brushes. The flowering of this plant lasts three months, all summer. Lemon thyme is pollinated with bee help. In addition, delicious aromatic honey is formed from these flowers. After the plant has bloomed, bolls are formed on it, which have 4 nuts, this is the fruit of this variety of thyme.The root system of this species is similar to rods, which are branched and are shallow in the soil. This variety of thyme is not resistant to cold weather, which is why it should be insulated for the winter.

Lemon thyme: beneficial properties

This type of thyme can be used medicinally as an herb and as a source of essential oil. Lemon thyme is rich in nutrients. It is customary to use it as an antimicrobial and wound healing agent, and thanks to this bush, it is possible to treat respiratory diseases, diseases associated with metabolism and digestion, and has a sedative effect. This plant has also become widespread as a spice, which is used as an additive in various Mediterranean dishes, is involved in the preparation of alcoholic products, so you can not ask about its edibility. But still, this variety of thyme, in most cases, is used for decorative purposes. The use of lemon thyme is active in the creation of alpine slides, in curb fences, for decorating slopes, paths and stairs.

Advantages and disadvantages

Lemon thyme, like any other plant, has its pros and cons. One of the main advantages of this variety in comparison with other species is its excellent decorative characteristics. This plant covers the ground well with a superb scented flower carpet. Thyme bushes are quite resistant to trampling and other mechanical damage. Another huge plus of this plant is its hardiness to various harmful insects, due to the rather high content of aromatic substances in it. In general, growing lemon thyme is a fairly simple task that does not require special and specific efforts.

From the disadvantages of this plant, one can single out the need to observe crop rotation - lemon thyme cannot be grown in the same area for more than four years in a row. It can also be noted that it is forbidden to eat this plant for heart patients, people suffering from kidney and liver disease, as well as pregnant women.

Lemon thyme: growing thyme from seeds

Grow this plant variety is often seed-based, in a specially prepared area on the ridge, or in a greenhouse. They begin to prepare the site immediately after all the snow has thawed after winter. For this, the earth is leveled very well and loosened with a rake. After that, a solution is introduced into the soil, consisting of 10 liters of water and 20 grams of urea. Further, grooves are outlined with a hoe, in which lemon thyme seeds will be planted, with an approximate depth of 15-20 millimeters. Moreover, the distance between the grooves should not be more than 35-50 centimeters.

Sometimes small bushes of this variety of thyme are planted in containers on the windowsill for decoration. You can also make seedlings forcing. Then the seeds of lemon thyme are sown in specially prepared containers with soil. The land must be prepared in advance. For this, in a one-to-one ratio, peat and fine sand are mixed. Moreover, the soil should be slightly moistened. All this is done in early March. All crops are covered with a transparent film, or glass, which is not removed until the first shoots, they appear in about 30 days from the moment of sowing.

Lemon thyme: planting and care

After the seedlings have emerged, while pulling out the seedlings, they should be sprayed with water and weeds that prevent the plant from developing well should be removed. After a certain period, young bushes can be dived. Weak shoots are removed until there is a distance of up to 10 centimeters between the rest of the shoots. If you have all the seedlings grown good and healthy, then you can not throw them away, but simply transplant them to another place. You should know that lemon seeds, planted early and using the seedling method, then flowers may appear in the first year of reproduction.When using the usual planting of seeds, flowers appear only in the second year of the plant's life. There is another method of planting thyme - using cuttings. To do this, a green stalk is cut from the creeping branch until the flowering period begins. The length of the cutting should not be more than 5 centimeters. Next, the stalk is stuck in a new place, or under cover with a film. In order for the young bush to go through the adaptation process faster, it is covered with a jar. Just be sure to watch the soil, it should not be waterlogged so that the bushes do not die. If you do this, then the planted cuttings will take root in 2-3 weeks. Thyme bushes of this variety can be divided into several parts, only do this very carefully so as not to accidentally damage the roots. These divided parts are placed on pre-prepared areas and covered with a regular glass jar.

Reproduction of a plant of this variety is often self-sowing, in most cases this is done on very large areas of thyme growth. Based on this, it is required to regularly monitor the growth rate of thyme bushes and from time to time remove excess ones. This is to prevent your garden from turning into a thicket of thyme.

For planting lemon thyme, rather warm and lighted areas are required, if there is still a shadow, then only a small one, since if the place is shaded, then the stems of the plant grow poorly and do not branch at all. The presence of drafts is completely excluded in the place of growth. And the soil should be light and fertile enough, with a slight alkaline or neutral reaction, as well as with good drainage properties.

This type of thyme requires high-quality care after planting. Watering this plant should not be too frequent, since lemon thyme does not need strong moisture, on the contrary, it is sensitive to excess moisture and waterlogging of the soil. In order to eliminate such a nuisance, gravel is added to the soil when planting lemon thyme. As for the rainy season, at this time, watering completely stops. This variety of thyme does not need feeding, it will be enough to add humus once to the planting site, and in the last days of May add a liquid vitamin mixture. It is imperative that only periodic pruning of too long shoots of the plant, about two-thirds of the length, and old dry branches after flowering bushes are required. The bushes need to be formed with such pruning, which can give the plant the correct shape for decoration. Another important rule of plant care is to mulch the soil with small pebbles near the bushes, this will give the plant an even more stunning appearance and can give the thyme vitality.

Conclusion

This small, ornamental plant, with the scent of lemon, can make any home, garden or vegetable garden much cozier and more beautiful, and dishes prepared with this component are much tastier and richer. In general, this type of thyme is a rather unpretentious crop and hardy, which can grow even with minimal care.