The best luck I've had with growing thyme is the thyme I have growing now. I have it in a garden bed that has spent soil - the soil had been over used and I have not renovated that garden bed yet. I poked the thyme in the edge of the bed, right next to the bed wall, it is in the hottest and driest part of the bed. It has seemed to thrive on the neglect I've given it. :)

You could probably make a lighter soil for the thyme by mixing regular potting soil and a well-draining bonsai soil mix. Or maybe just use a bonsai mix altogether. I'm not a bonsai grower but I believe there are different mixes for different plant types. Try one of the mixes they use for pines and juniper. It should probably be about right for thyme. Good luck!

FataMorgana

I noticed that one of its rebound periods coincided with a couple of weeks of rainy weather. It didn't get rained on under the shade, but it seemed to enjoy the overcast skies. I moved the thyme to a more shaded location to see if it helps. Might as well try, or I'm not going to learn.

Thanks for the tip about the soil. I'll see if I can get hold of some bonsai pine mix, but there's no guarantee I'll be able to find it, what with my language handicap. I don't know how to say "bonsai" or "pine" in Cantonese at all. The only specialized potting mix I've noticed in the shops was for African Violets though admittedly I wasn't looking.

You might be able to google a bonsai soil recipe. The individual ingredients may be easier to locate and mix up yourself.

FataMorgana

According to the website I found, you can make bonsai soil out of fine gravel and perlite. I can get those things and mix them with ordinary potting soil. When I re-pot the thyme, should I try to wash all the soil off the roots?

I'm kind of afraid to uproot this thyme because I'm not sure if I'll be able to get another one if I fail and it dies. They're kind of irregularly stocked at the garden center, for some reason.

I wouldn't wash the soil off the roots, whatever sticks to the roots comes along too.

FataMorgana

I would bet that you don't have it in a big enough pot with it's bigger volume of soil, that you're not giving this potted plant nearly enough water, and that it's getting too much afternoon HOT sun. I've found that what plants can take -- even enjoy -- when in the ground is entirely different for a plant in a pot.

I guess that makes sense, westelle. I've been having problems finding information on growing thyme in pots on the web, most sites are catered to ground gardening. I'll try a little more moisture and less sun and see if that helps.