Many of us have heard of the wonderful, colorful, aromatic and delicious thyme. But did you know that the thyme plant is actually a perennial herb with a very interesting history? There are several varieties of the popular and easy to grow herb. In fact, thyme comes in over 60 varieties. Most commonly known by the common name of common thyme, it has been used as a spice and a medicinal herb for many years.

After reading about time and what it’s good for I started my search for information on where to purchase this wonderful home-grown herb. While I was perusing the pages of my home dept, I came across information about Arbico Organics. I have been following their product since they began, and I have to say they are quite impressive in their informative videos and books about growing herbs and plants.

One of the most amazing facts I learned about the herb is that it actually grows wild in the Mediterranean area. And contrary to what I thought, the thyme bush does NOT tolerate being planted in sandy soil. In fact, thyme likes limestone, chalk and even dolomite. So, if you’re not growing herbs or growing your own garden then this is the herb for you because it can be grown in practically any soil type imaginable.

If you’re growing thyme from seed then you need to keep in mind that they are fairly large herb plants. They grow to be about 15 inches tall. But, you can plant these seeds just about anywhere. For best results, try to plant the seeds just ahead of a sturdy tree, fence, or other in the back yard.

After you have successfully germinated the seeds, you can then take cutting from the plant and transplant it into a small container. Don’t be afraid to cut the stems to make room for the new plants you will be growing. Cut the middle part up about one inch taller. Then, just cover the whole length of the plant, leaving an opening about one inch wider at the top for the flowers to burst through. Do not water the plant deeply during this time, only moisten the soil where the roots will be.

When the weather starts to get hot, I like to go ahead and plant my herbs in a big container. I use half barrels or old garbage bags for this purpose. I plant my herbs about six inches apart, but, I encourage you to space them a bit further apart as well. This will allow you to see more clearly what is going on with your herb garden when you are harvesting some of the shorter stems.

I have also done some research online on the best method of planting your garden. I like to start out my planting bed about one to two feet deep, with a two to three inch wide spreading out area in the center. If you have any sort of edging along the edge of your garden property, that would work well as well, don’t forget.

The most important part of planning your herb bed is remembering to water the soil. You don’t want to over water your herb’s because you want to keep them very dry. I have found that I keep mine fairly dry most of the time, even when growing them in full sun. If you are growing more than four herbs, keep them watered throughout the day. You don’t need to water them every day, but, make sure you do it as often as possible.