Thyme Seeds, Creeping
$3.25
Thymus serpyllum
Planting Creeping Thyme seeds in your garden will provide you with a beautiful, walkable ground cover. A lovely choice for planting between stepping stones, in rock gardens, or as a foreground planting in borders. Only grows to 2-4" tall, and every bit as sweet-smelling as full-sized thyme. Will produce a mass of pretty purple flowers when grown in full sun, but is also vigorous in full shade. If planting in a shady area, beware that you probably won't get many flowers.
Creeping Thyme can be direct sown in a location with full sun and well-draining soil after all danger of frost has passed. You may also start seeds indoors 8-12 weeks before your last frost date. Germination is typically slow, though cold stratification may improve germination rates. It can take up to two years for creeping thyme to reach full maturity. 0.25 gram packet contains a minimum of 500 seeds.
- Planting Information
- How to Grow
| Average Seed / oz | Seed / 100' Row | Average Yield / 100' Row | Days to Harvest |
| 84,000 | n/a | n/a | 1-2 years |
| Planting Season | Ideal Soil Temp | Sun | Frost Tolerance |
| After Last Frost | 70-80°F | Full Sun/Part Shade | Frost Sensitive |
| Sowing Method | Seed Depth | Direct Seed Spacing | Min. Seeds Per Packet |
| Transplant or Direct Seed | surface | 2-4" | 500 |
| Mature Spacing | Days to Sprout | Production Cycle | Seed Viability |
| 12-20" | 21-28 | Perennial | 3 years |
How to Grow Creeping Thyme
Creeping thyme makes a wonderful ground cover. Creeping thyme needs full sun and likes to grow in well-draining soil. If you work primarily with clay soils, amend with sand and organic matter, though thyme can thrive in poor soils. Creeping thyme is perennial in many climates, so plant it in a location where it can spread.
Plant creeping thyme seeds in the spring. It can be started indoors to later be transplanted or it can be sown directly outdoors. It tends to be a slow starter, so be patient as it germinates and keep it well-watered. Stratification may improve its germination rates.
Once established, creeping thyme can spread and become woody. It will benefit from pruning that will reinvigorate its growth. Prune back in early spring and again in late summer after the plants finish flowering. In colder climates, consider mulching in the winter with a couple inches or straw to protect it from freezing temperatures. Remove the mulch in early spring.
How to Plant Creeping Thyme
Creeping thyme seeds are extremely small and want to be sown on the soil's surface. If starting indoors, lightly press three to five seeds into the surface of the soil in each cell of your tray. You will need to thin them if more than one seed germinates. Use a high quality seed starting mix and keep your starts evenly watered. This is especially important leading up to germination. Thyme seeds germinate best in 65-75 degrees so you may consider using a heat mat while it’s still cold. Creeping thyme will germinate in 14 to 21 days.
When to Plant Creeping Thyme
Seed creeping thyme indoors eight to twelve weeks before your last frost date. This will ensure it has enough time to germinate and grow before transplanting time.
You can transplant creeping thyme outside after the danger of frost has passed and when they have three to four inches of growth on them. Creeping thyme can be transplanted into containers or directly in the ground.