When to Plant Thyme
Set out young thyme plants from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last frost.
Thyme at a glance
- Plant out
- from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last frost
- Time to harvest
- 45 to 60 days from planting out
- Harvest lasts
- about 24 weeks
- Spacing
- 4 per square foot
- Frost
- Takes hard frosts
- Comes back
- Every year, as a perennial
Growing thyme
Thyme is a low, woody perennial for sunny spots, the edges of beds and pots. It needs little feeding and less water. English thyme is the kitchen classic; creeping kinds fill gaps between stepping stones.
Dates by hardiness zone
Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.
| Zone | Plant out | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | May 14 – Jun 11 | Jun 28 – Oct 26 |
| Zone 3b | May 3–31 | Jun 17 – Nov 6 |
| Zone 4a | Apr 28 – May 26 | Jun 12 – Nov 9 |
| Zone 4b | Apr 24 – May 22 | Jun 8 – Nov 12 |
| Zone 5a | Apr 19 – May 17 | Jun 3 – Nov 16 |
| Zone 5b | Apr 17 – May 15 | Jun 1 – Nov 16 |
| Zone 6a | Apr 15 – May 13 | May 30 – Nov 14 |
| Zone 6b | Apr 9 – May 7 | May 24 – Nov 8 |
| Zone 7a | Apr 2–30 | May 17 – Nov 1 |
| Zone 7b | Mar 22 – Apr 19 | May 6 – Oct 21 |
| Zone 8a | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | Apr 29 – Oct 14 |
| Zone 8b | Mar 3–31 | Apr 17 – Oct 2 |
| Zone 9a | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Apr 2 – Sep 17 |
| Zone 9b | Jan 18 – Feb 15 | Mar 4 – Aug 19 |
| Zone 10a | Jan 10 – Feb 7 | Feb 24 – Aug 11 |
| Zones 10b–11b | Frost is rare here, so plant thyme in the cooler months and let the roots settle before summer heat. | |
Good neighbors
Questions about thyme
Can I grow thyme from seed?
You can, but it is slow. Most gardeners buy a young plant or take a division from a friend's clump.
How do I keep thyme from getting woody?
Trim it lightly after flowering and pick often. Old plants grow woody in the middle; replacing them every few years keeps the patch productive.
