Never had a thyme survive the winters indoors. You can try it but plants weren't made to grow inside houses.

I would suggest doing some winter sowing and seed starting in late winter for your herbal growing fix! Start some thyme from seed then.

FataMorgana

Light requirements have very little to do with size!

Thyme is native to the Mediterranean region, and therefore requires lots of sunlight and heat - same as lavender and rosemary, which are much larger plants. None of these does well indoors.

Common thyme, BTW, isn't a ground-hugging plant. I've had grow more than 30cm tall - that's a foot in the old language.

I started thyme indoors two years ago, in April. By June the seedlings were a few inches tall. I transplanted them outside, and they have survived for 2 winters so far. I need to trim off dead outer branches, but thats normal. They will grow well all through winter, provided thet have goten a good head start indoors as seedlings and moved outside after a few months. My thyme is kind of ground hugging, but is a low bush, and spreads wider, but not as runners. This past spring it had tiny purple flowers. Mine reach about a foot tall.

Hi Dave,
If you have thyme started now, plant it outside, now. I think there is still time for it to get astablished before the freeze. I'm in northern Michigan just south of Mackinaw and my thyme growes all year long outside. I grow it in the paths of the veggie garden and walk on it all year and it does just fine. Only when it is under the snow when you can't get to it do you not use it.

Do you have any? Would you like some? I do a lot of trading and did not see anything on your list.

You must be down about the Detroit area?

I do not think that it will grow inside because of the light level. Maybe under lights but that is another expence. If you want it to use in the winter just hange some branches to dry. I usually hang a bunch above the kitchen sink and next to the cupboard and it is just fine for the winter. Also have filled a coffee can and just pulled out a sprig or 2 when you want it. Do not put a top on it.

I hope I have been some help to you. Let me know.

gmom2-6boys

Dave, mine is doing great indoors, but I have it under lights (in a window). If it's already established, you can keep it alive with window light, although it might get leggy. If you need real growth, I'd add supplemental light.

Had no idea thyme could survive outside! How big was it when you first put it outside, ks?

I have two thyme plants (from the only two seeds that sprouted out of the whole pack). I don't really want to take up space with two under the lights, especially because I also have sage and find them very similar, but they were so hard to start that I can't bring myself to let one die. Putting it in the ground would be great!

Thank you all for the replies. I will try some next year.

gmom2-6boys, I haven't started mine year. I have some seeds that I bought last year but didn't get to them this year.

I just moved to a house 2 years ago, and I think growing something that you could use/eat is pretty cool. So far I have tried only tomatoes and want to try some herbs. :-)

Well, Dave, why put off any longer. You can get them going and eat them sooner. These are plants not seed. I have Thyme, Lemon thyme, Lemon bulm, Oregano garlic, and walking onions. They are all great and you have time to get them into the ground and get roots on them.

Have a great evening!
gmom

gmom, but do I still have enough time to start them from seeds this year??? It is October now (well, not now but tomorrow will be).