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How to Grow Thymes UK | Regional Planting Calendar

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Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Close-up of tiny thyme flowers — “Détail sur des fleurs d'une touffe de thym” by Isasza is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

7 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Plant
Early March to early April
Ready in
90–180 days
Site
6+ hours of sun, soil pH 5.5–6.5
Biggest risk
Grey mould

In the UK, thymes go in the ground early March to early April, and are ready to harvest 90–180 days after planting.

Thymes (Thymus vulgaris) — perennial.

Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: there are 4 separate regional sowing windows, ranging from early March in Southern England to early March in Scotland.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

Regional Planting Calendar

A mass of thyme in flower as ground cover — “Thymus vulgaris 2020-06-06 9325” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Thymus vulgaris 2020-06-06 9325” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Region Sow
Southern England early March to early April
Midlands early March to early April
Northern England early March to early April
Scotland early March to early April
Southern England - detail & sources

RHS recommends propagation by seed/division/cuttings in spring; a single spring window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Midlands - detail & sources

RHS recommends propagation by seed/division/cuttings in spring; a single spring window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Northern England - detail & sources

RHS recommends propagation by seed/division/cuttings in spring; a single spring window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Scotland - detail & sources

RHS recommends propagation by seed/division/cuttings in spring; a single spring window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Quick Facts

Close-up of tiny thyme flowers — “Détail sur des fleurs d'une touffe de thym” by Isasza is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Détail sur des fleurs d'une touffe de thym” by Isasza is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 5.5 - 6.5
Sunlight 6-6 hours direct sun
Optimal growing temp 16-25C
Time to harvest 90-180 days
Drainage Well-drained
Lifecycle perennial
Edible parts leaves

At a Glance

A mass of thyme in flower as ground cover — “Thymus vulgaris 2020-06-06 9325” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Thymus vulgaris 2020-06-06 9325” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Thymus vulgaris Thyme Grey mould Damping-off (seedling c… Aphids Glasshouse red spider m… DISEASES PESTS

Soil & Growing Conditions

A dense, mounded clump of thyme foliage — “Farigola ThymusVulgaris” by Friviere is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Farigola ThymusVulgaris” by Friviere is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Soil pH range

5.5 6.5

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Fresh new thyme growth with reddish stems — “Thymus vulgaris 2020-05-22 9057” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Thymus vulgaris 2020-05-22 9057” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Propagation 0 Propagate by seed, division, or rooted basal stem cuttings in spring; seedlings are prone to fungal damping off (RHS).
Establishment 3 Establishes as a dwarf, bushy evergreen shrub in full sun on well-drained soil (RHS).
Flowering 6 Produces terminal spikes of whorled white or pink flowers in early summer, popular with pollinators (RHS).
Mature shrub 9 Reaches full maturity over 5-10 years, 0.1-0.5m in height and spread (RHS).

Harvest & Storage

A hand holding a freshly harvested sprig of thyme — “Starr-170615-0234-Thymus vulgaris-plant-Hydroponics Town Sand Island-Midway Atoll (36191868862)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Starr-170615-0234-Thymus vulgaris-plant-Hydroponics Town Sand Island-Midway Atoll (36191868862)” by Forest and Kim Starr is licensed under CC BY 3.0 us. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: UDE: "English Thyme (90 days)"; "Lemon Thyme (90-100 days)"; "Common Thyme (180 days)". RHS: thyme "grown from seed may take a year or so to get established enough to start harvesting the leaves"; commercial guidance elsewhere recommends cutting "just before flowering" for best flavour.

Storage

Best used fresh; can be dried at flowering stage

Diseases

Fresh new thyme growth with reddish stems — “Thymus vulgaris 2020-05-22 9057” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Thymus vulgaris 2020-05-22 9057” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Fuzzy grey-brown Botrytis mould covering a tomato stem — Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0
Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0
Grey mould

Botrytis cinerea

Soft brown fruit decay; Fuzzy grey-brown mould

Damping-off (seedling collapse)
low

Rhizoctonia solani

Damping-off (seedling collapse at soil line); Wilting with chlorotic, dropping leaves

RHS: seedlings are prone to this fungal disease.

Pests

Aphididae (various spp.)

Two-spotted red spider mite with silk threads, magnified — Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Glasshouse red spider mite (two-spotted spider mite)

Tetranychus urticae

References

  1. country=INTL

  2. country=INTL

  3. country=UK

  4. Tier 1. RHS factsheet on glasshouse red spider mite (two-spotted spider mite), naming tomato and strawberry among the host plants affected under glass or in a polytunnel.

  5. country=UK

  6. Directly fetched and verified. RHS explicitly does not recommend pesticide use against aphids; recommends tolerance, manual squashing, and encouraging/purchasing natural predators (ladybirds, hoverflies, lacewings, parasitoid wasps, earwigs) as biological control, especially under glass.

  7. country=USA

7 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I sow thymes in the UK?

In Southern England, from early March. In Scotland, wait until early March. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.

When do I sow thymes?

Sow early March to early April.

How long do thymes take to grow?

Typically 90–180 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do thymes need?

A pH of about 5.5–6.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect thymes?

Our data links 2 diseases and 2 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

UK vegetable growing guides · Checked against RHS & Met Office guidance

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real UK growing conditions, and reviewed against Royal Horticultural Society growing advice and Met Office climate data before publication.

Vegetable Growing Guides UK

Last verified 2026-08-29

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