How to Propagate Thyme for Fuller and Stronger Plants Each Time

Fragrant, flavorful thyme is a staple in the kitchen for everything from roasting chicken to flavoring sauces and salad dressings. This hardy perennial herb is also quite easy to propagate via stem cuttings or by planting seeds.

Here’s how to propagate thyme via stem cuttings or seeds, according to a professional herb farmer.

How to Propagate Thyme in Soil

While it’s technically possible to propagate thyme plants via stem cuttings in soil, herbalist Linda Shanahan steers gardeners away from this method.

“I do not recommend soil or vermiculite for stem propagation, as I have found it less reliable in a home setting,” she says.

Instead, Shanahan recommends layering, a method of propagating new plants from a still-living thyme specimen. Here’s how to do it.

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How to Propagate Thyme by Layering

1. Begin with a living thyme plant still growing in soil.
2. Choose a healthy stem on the mother plant and bend it toward the soil surface.
3. Using a floral pin or a paperclip, tack down the stem so that it maintains contact with the soil. You can also cover the stem with soil and small rock or other weight.
4. After a few weeks, check for roots growing from the portion of stem that was in contact with the soil. When roots have formed, you can cut away the new plant and pot it up on its own.

How to Propagate Thyme in Water

You’ll have best results propagating freshly cut stems. It is possible to use store-bought thyme stems, but they’ll be less reliable.

“Thyme is a mint family plant, and many plants in this family are easily propagated by cuttings in water,” Shanahan says.

1. Examine a healthy, living thyme plant and choose a couple of non-woody stems to remove.
2. Use clean, sharp scissors or pruners to take cuttings that are at least 4 inches long. Strip any leaves from the lower third of the stem.
3. Place the stems in a clean, clear glass or jar with fresh water, ensuring that the leafless portions of the stems are submerged. Put the jar of cuttings in a warm place out of direct sunlight.
4. Change the water every three days or so. You can expect roots to grow within about a month.
5. Once roots have emerged, plant the cuttings in a standard houseplant potting mix. Water every few days to keep the growing medium evenly moist.

When to Propagate Thyme

You’ll have the best success propagating thyme via stem cuttings in water in the spring or summer. Growing new thyme plants via layering is best done in summer for fastest results, but you can also layer plants in fall to remove and replant the following spring.

If starting thyme from seed, Shanahan recommends starting indoors in midwinter, around eight weeks before your region’s last frost date.

Thyme Propagation Tips

• After planting rooted cuttings or thyme seedlings outdoors, Shanahan recommends waiting for significant harvests until after the first growing season. “I like to make sure that there is plenty of leafy growth on the plants, especially in their first year, going into winter so the plant will have plenty of energy to survive the cold season,” she says.
• If starting thyme from seed indoors, Shanahan recommends seeding in flats or takeout containers with drainage holes to save space and maintain even moisture. Use grow lights and keep the space around 70°F for best results.
• Plan to pot up thyme seedlings two or three times before planting them outdoors. The growing plants will benefit from the nutrients in the fresh potting mix.
• Whether harvesting thyme for use in the kitchen or as cuttings for propagation, avoid removing too much of the mother plant. “Thyme is easy to grow, but can easily die if overharvested,” Shanahan says. “Always leave enough green growth at the base for the plant to recover.”