Garden tips: How to maintain your lawn
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Turfed lawns require year-round care to keep them looking full and luscious, making them tough to maintain for busy gardeners. Many people make the switch to creeping thyme lawn for this very reason, but when exactly is the best time to plant it in your garden? Here’s how to grow this low-maintenance turf yourself, including a full guide to pruning the vibrant thyme lawn shoots.
When is the best time to plant creeping thyme lawn?
Also known as ‘mother of thyme’, creeping thyme lawn is an easily grown, spreading variety of thyme.
This hardy evergreen perennial can be sown or planted throughout the year, though the timings will vary depending on how you decide to grow it.
According to Gardeners’ World, you can plant creeping thyme at two points in the year, between March and May, or September through to November.
It can be sown from seed from March to October.
READ MORE: Cleaning: How to keep bath towels soft – ‘cheap and amazing’ way
To create an “aromatic thyme lawn”, Gardeners’ World recommended planting this flowering perennial in full sun with well-drained soil.
It can be used as a complete lawn alternative or planted strategically around gravel and rock gardens for ground cover.
Gardening Know How said: “Creeping thyme ground cover can be propagated by stem cuttings or divisions and, of course, can be purchased from the local nursery as either established plantings or seeds.
“Start seeds when growing creeping thyme indoors or they may be sown in the spring after the danger of frost has passed.”
How to plant creeping thyme lawn
This low maintenance plant will do well with little aftercare, but only if it is planted correctly.
Preparation is key, so always start by removing the already present grass before planting your thyme lawn.
You can do this by using herbicides to eliminate existing plants, and raking the area to create a clean canvas.
To plant young (plug) plants, dig a well that perfectly fits the plug into the ground.
Seeds should be scattered as evenly as possible (around eight to 12 inches apart) and covered with a thin layer of soil.
Keep the sight uncovered and open to plenty of sunlight, keeping the soil moist – but not damp.
DON’T MISS:
The best plants to propagate in your home and garden right now [INSIGHT]
Effective methods to ‘eliminate’ lawn weeds including dandelions [REVEAL]
Houseplants: ‘Increase watering schedule’ but use ‘pencil’ trick first [ANALYSIS]
How to prune creeping thyme lawn
Creeping thyme lawn should be pruned twice throughout the year to keep it looking vibrant and healthy.
Prune in spring before the flowers appear
Ground cover should be pruned first in the spring to maintain a compact appearance before it blooms in summer.
You can use a lawn mower to quickly cut back a large area of creeping thyme, though you should use the mower blade on its highest setting (around four inches).
Mow in side-by-side rows, taking care not to mow over any section more than once.
Mowing too closely will result in sparse ground cover that will be more susceptible to weeds invading the garden bed.
Prune in late summer after flowering
This low-growing perennial can be pruned again in late summer – between August and September, after the small, white flowers are spent.
You can do this by hand to remove wilted blossoms, though a rake is easier for larger areas.
Use a light, flexible rake to gently comb through the lawn and collect debris from the surface.
Source: Read Full Article