Thyme, thyme, oregano are the names of one plant. Many gardeners today are trying to plant garden plants in their own garden plots, which is only due to the large number of beneficial properties of the plant and the pleasant aroma of the bushes. To successfully grow thyme in the Urals, it is recommended to learn in advance about the specifics of planting and care.
Features of growing thyme in the Urals
Thyme is capable of growing as a wild crop in the conditions of the Southern Urals. A wild plant grows where there is rocky, sandy soil, or soil rich in black soil.
To be able to grow in more northern regions, the bushes will need to be provided with the necessary conditions. If you want to plant a plant in the garden, it is recommended to take into account the following characteristics of the plant:
- has a good ability to tolerate drought, so it does not require watering;
- tolerates stressful situations well;
- demanding of sufficient light, therefore for planting it is necessary to choose sunny, open places;
- able to germinate on any soil, with the exception of clay;
- Propagates well by seeds or dividing bushes.
This herb is used as a tea, a seasoning, a fragrance, and an ingredient in cosmetics. Due to its bactericidal and expectorant properties, the plant is often used as an ingredient in traditional medicine recipes. The inflorescences of the bushes have the property of attracting bees, so the plant is an excellent honey plant.
Landing dates
The timing of planting depends on the chosen method of growing the plant. Work with seeds to obtain seedlings is carried out in March. When sowing seeds in the ground, the best time is considered to be the moment when the soil has sufficiently warmed up, when the soil has warmed up to positive temperatures. In the conditions of the Urals, the seedling method is the most popular.
Soil preparation
Thyme loves nutritious, light soils that do not have a high level of acidity. The plant looks great on alpine hills, as a frame for paths and near artificial ponds. Vegetable crops are considered the best predecessors. It is recommended to choose a separate area for growing thyme, since it takes an average of 5 years until an adult plant is obtained.
Soil preparation is as follows:
- in the fall, the planting site is carefully dug up, removing weeds and remnants of foreign crops;
- apply fertilizers in the form of rotted manure and superphosphate;
- in the second half of April, the soil is carefully dug up, leveled so that there are no lumps, and fertilizer is applied in the form of urea.
Next, planting is carried out using any of the selected methods.
Landing
Planting can be carried out by sowing seeds in the ground, or by dividing bushes by seedlings. Thyme seeds germinate slowly and the plant grows for a long time, so in the Urals the second option is more often used.
The seeds are sown directly into the ground, leaving 40 cm between rows. The seeds do not need to be buried; just sprinkle 1 cm of river sand on top. The optimal temperature for germination is considered to be +20 C. Due to this feature, after planting, the sowing site is covered with film, thereby ensuring better seed germination. The first shoots appear quickly after 15 days.
When choosing the seedling method, seeds are sown in mid-March and covered with a small amount of sand on top. To be able to plant seedlings in the ground, the bushes must be 70 days old. Leave a distance of at least 30 cm between the rows.
Reproduction by dividing bushes is carried out before the onset of cold temperatures. To do this, the plant is dug up completely and divided into parts. The size of each of them must be at least 5 cm. Each individual bush is rooted under a jar or in a greenhouse. Planted in the desired location after the root system has formed.
Care
Care consists of periodically loosening the soil, weeding and watering. When pruning thyme bushes to the woody part, the formation of shoots will be better and they will be more compact.The decision on the need for fertilizing is made individually, depending on the quality of the soil and the well-being of the plant.
The plant is replanted once every 2 years, otherwise the flowers become significantly smaller in size. Recommendations for planting and soil selection are similar to the method of propagation by division.
Despite the good qualities of resistance to winter frosts, in the conditions of the Urals it is recommended to close the plantings during this period. Before the onset of cold weather, the bushes are watered and covered with lutrasil, cardboard, peat, and fallen leaves. In the spring, the protection is removed, and frozen and dried branches are cut off using pruning shears.
Watering
The nature of watering should be moderate. Thyme does not like excessive waterlogging and does not tolerate soil acidification. If natural precipitation is sufficient, soil moistening is not carried out. In hot summers, it is enough to water no more than twice a week.
Top dressing
The plant does not need a large amount of fertilizing, but additional application of fertilizers to the soil has a beneficial effect on the formation and flowering of the plant. For such purposes use:
- ammonium;
- potassium salt;
- ammonium nitrate;
- superphosphate.
Fertilizers are applied to the soil when preparing the soil for future planting in the fall and spring. It is enough to apply 1 m in the fall2 a glass of wood ash and 40 grams of superphosphate. Immediately before planting, the soil is thoroughly loosened to a depth of 10 cm and applied every 1 m.2 a teaspoon of urea.
After cutting, you can feed the plant with a solution of liquid mullein or a mineral fertilizer complex, which can be applied from the second year of the garden crop’s life. Thyme does not tolerate adding fresh manure to the soil.
Pests
Thyme is resistant to various pests. The spicy smell of the plant repels many harmful insects, so the plant is often used for such purposes in garden plots. The main pests are weevils, aphids, and meadow moths. Most often, bushes are affected by aphids. For prophylaxis, the following solution is used:
- soda ash 1 tbsp. l.;
- liter of water;
- laundry soap.
The affected bushes are treated with this product.
Diseases
Diseases rarely affect thyme and their occurrence is mainly associated with non-compliance with the rules of caring for the plant. Excessive watering and untimely removal of grass lead to the appearance of fungal diseases. Prevention is done by adding lime or alkaline fertilizers to the soil.
Harvesting
Thyme for medicinal use is harvested at the time of flowering, which continues throughout August. To do this, the above-ground part is cut off with scissors or pruners and placed in a basket. In most cases, natural drying is used for storage. The use of special dryers is not recommended, as this will cause the essential oils to volatilize.
