Skip to the content
SELECT SEEDS
Creeping Thyme
Creeping Thyme
Seed Packet

Creeping Thyme

Thymus serpyllum
One of my favorite herbs, creeping thyme spreads quickly, filling clay containers and cascading over their edges, spilling over dry rock walls, and colonizing stepping stones with fragrant foliage and lavender-pink blooms. Combined with other thymes and low creepers, it creates an oriental carpet of color and scent. Use in potpourri and the kitchen.
SKU #S122
$3.25
Growing Companions
Lavender Cotton
Lavender Cotton
California Poppy 'Mikado'
California Poppy 'Mikado'
Creeping Thyme 'Magic Carpet'
Creeping Thyme 'Magic Carpet'
Lamb's Ears
Lamb's Ears
Details
Approximate Seeds Per Packet
600
Lifecycle
Perennial
Perennial Hardiness Zone
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9
Mature Size
6-10" h x 1' w
Sun
Full sun
Soil
Regular, well-drained
Season
Spring to summer
Color
Mauve pink
Features
Scented Leaves
Great for containers
Deer Resistant
Heat or Drought Tolerant
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Bees
Attracts Beneficial Insects
SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
Surface sow and press lightly into soil.
Sprout Time:
10-30 days
Starting Indoors:
Recommended. Sow indoors in late winter. Keep at 68°F.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow mid-spring.
WHEN TO SET OUTSIDE
After last frost.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Creeping thyme is great for edging or between stepping stones in the herb garden as it handles light foot traffic with ease and is drought tolerant once established. Full sun and regular trimming keep it compact, branching, and filled with tiny aromatic leaves. Add a layer of mulch to prevent weed competition, keeping away from the crowns of the plants. Harvest and dry before the petite pink flowers bloom for the best flavor. Renew plantings by cutting back woody growth to 3" from soil or sowing fresh seed. Divide every 3-4 years if plants become woody or unsightly.
Final Spacing:
1'
Water Requirements:
Low Water Use
Watering Details:
Water during especially dry spells. Allow soil to become dry on top between waterings.
Soil pH:
Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline. If soil is especially acidic, add a bit of lime prior to setting in the ground.
Fertilizer:
Mix in an inch or two of compost prior to planting and yearly thereafter each spring, or sprinkle an organic granular fertilizer around the plants.
Diseases & Pests:
No major problems.