Thyme, including lemon thyme, really likes being outside in the full sun, and the heat, with room to spread itself. A religious person (I'm not) told me many years ago that 'God didn't make houses, so he didn't invent plants to put inside them'. Whatever your religious views, the comment makes sense, doesn't it?

Indoors, plants are subjected to sudden fluctuations in temperature (especially somewhere like a kitchen, where you'd normally try to grow your herbs). Not only that, but they get coated with dust and grease (take a look at the top of your kitchen cupboards if you don't believe me!). And they're usually put into itty-bitty pots on a windowsill near hot glass which filters out certain of the sun's rays they need, with saucers underneath so that they have constantly wet feet, and not enough room to spread.

Thyme likes to self-layer. Wherever a branch touches the ground, there's a likelihood that it will put down roots and make a baby plant. That's not something it finds easy to do in a small pot. Lemon thyme can become quite large, as small plants go - it should spread to a rough circle about 1 metre in diameter, and with babies, each new plant has the same potential.

This is a good thing, because thyme is generally a short-lived perennial, best replaced after, say, 2-3 years. You'll find the 'mother' will die off in the middle. That's why you encourage those self-layered babies.

When mature, thyme can take a certain amount of soil dryness - but I've always found that it likes the water, as long as it can drain away quickly. Aside from the requirements I've mentioned, it really is dead easy to grow and care for.

Chris, I dig up pieces of thyme in late September/early October and plant in 6" - 8" pots for the winter. Keep them watered but not wet and close to a sunny window, just don't let the leaves touch the glass and they should be fine.

If you inspect your plants you'll see that the lower branches on the outer edges of the plant will develop roots. Clip a few of these and plant them in pots or in the garden. You can easily start a lot of plants this way without sacrificing either of your original plants. Thyme likes getting a haircut, just don't remove more than 1/3 of the total mass of leaves at any given time.

Here is a picture of the plant I am speaking of. Can anyone help me with how I could care or propagate this?

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Just cover some of those leggy stems with soil about half way down the stems. Keep them down with a piece of bent wire. They'll form roots, and become new plants. You then just snip them away from the mother (like cutting the umbilical cord!) and plant the baby somewhere else. This method is called 'layering'.

You can actually cover your entire plant with soil and you'll get a whole lot of new plants which can be separated out. For a beginner, this might be too harrowing an experience, however!

You plant needs more light, and more soil. Just sprinkle come compost in all over the plant to top it up, give it a drink, and a lot more sunlight, and it will be much more lush and healthy-looking.

Thank you so much Daisy, I will try that method (layering a little bit). Do you know how long it takes for the new roots to come in?