The ornamental look and pleasant aroma of thyme will enhance any summer garden. It’s also a hardy, adaptable herb that’s easy to care for. The main things are to provide a lot of sunlight and let the soil dry between waterings. A well-draining soil with a pH of anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0 will work well. Good air circulation is important as well to reduce fungal diseases.

The hardiness of thyme extends to its pest resistance. Still, keep an eye out for signs of aphids, thrips, mint moths, spider mites and other small insects. Brown and yellow leaves are a potential sign of root rot. If you’re growing thyme mainly as a seasoning, divide or replace plants every 3-4 years, as older thyme plants become woody and produce milder leaves.

Give your first thyme growing season an early start by starting seeds indoors 6-10 weeks before the final spring frost. You can use a seed tray, flats or small pots with a light seed starting mix. Sprinkle the seeds on the soil and gently press them down. Maintain moist soil, high humidity and a temperature of 65-70 degrees. Misting is a great watering method to avoid compacting the soil. The seedlings should be transplanted to larger pots or the ground when they reach 3-4 inches tall.

Plant or transplant thyme after the last spring frost. Space your thyme plants 1-2 feet apart to allow for spreading. Try to place them near other drought-tolerant plants to make watering easier. If the soil is heavy, you can lighten it for better drainage by adding coarse sand, grit and/or compost.

Pots and hanging planters let you place thyme where it gets the most sunlight and has the best appearance. Use containers that are at least 12 inches wide by six inches deep. The containers should be well-draining; clay and terra cotta materials help control moisture levels.

Thyme does well in most soils — there’s even such a thing as the soil being too rich. Unless your soil is very poor, the only feeding thyme needs is in the spring. Dilute compost or a slow-release, all-purpose fertilizer to half-strength and apply according to the instructions. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which makes the plants leggy and reduces the flavor. Soil testing will determine how much fertilizer is necessary and whether you need to adjust the pH.

Thyme is a perennial herb that will go dormant over the winter. In cooler regions, you should add a thick layer of organic mulch around in-ground plants to insulate the roots. Bring container thyme plants indoors and place them in a sunny location or use grow lights.

Pruning thyme plants occasionally can encourage bushy growth, spur new leaf production, control the shape and improve airflow. Do so after the plant flowers or early in the fall. The best pruning is regular harvesting, since thyme is a “cut and come again” herb.

To harvest thyme, pinch off individual leaves or cut stems just above leaf nodes using sharp shears. Do not remove more than one-third of the plant in a single session. The flavor is the strongest right before flowering.