How to Grow Lemon Thyme from Cuttings

Learn how to grow lemon thyme from cuttings. Lemon thyme is very easy to propagate and only requires a few pieces of equipment. Follow these simple steps to have more than enough lemon thyme for you and your family.

To grow lemon thyme from cuttings you will want to take cuttings from a mature thyme plant in late spring to early summer. You can use grocery store thyme cuttings if you do not have access to a thyme plant. Place cuttings in water or damp soil, and after 4-6 weeks you will have a rooted cutting to plant in a small pot or straight into the garden.

Lemon thyme (Thymus Citriodorus) is not only beautiful, but it is edible as well. It only grows 4-8” tall and is a perennial here in Ontario so it will come back year after year. This is an easy plant to grow and doesn’t demand much in terms of care.

Lemon Thyme pairs so nicely with fish and chicken. My husband and I love adding it to roasted chicken – that earthy, fresh, lemon flavour just can’t be beat – yum. It can also be used in teas, desserts, soaps, perfumes, and sachets.

How Long do Lemon Thyme Cuttings Take to Root?

As the name might imply thyme does take time to grow. But, you will have a much larger plant much faster when compared to starting from seed. Thyme seeds can take a long time to germinate and the plants grow very slowly at first.

When rooting cuttings, it could be 4-6 weeks before you see the first roots appear. The entire process to grow lemon thyme from cuttings will take about 6-8 weeks before you have a stable plant.

Why Grow Lemon Thyme from Cuttings?

So here is the original reason why I wanted to grow lemon thyme from cuttings. It is possible to start from seed, or buy a plant at a local garden centre, but hear me out.

I bought a lemon thyme plant a couple of years ago. I was immediately drawn to it because of those beautiful variegated leaves of green and yellow. I smelled it, and the thyme scent with a hint of lemony freshness was just too good, so I put it in my cart.

After harvesting some lemon thyme and cooking with it, I knew it would always have a place in my garden. I am all about growing healthy food, but also enjoying the beauty of the garden. This little plant ticks off all those boxes.

So fast forward, and I have recently moved. I attempted to dig up and move my lemon thyme with me, but unfortunately with all my other obligations of work and moving, my lemon thyme plant was a little neglected and did not survive the trip… I guess plants need water… who knew – haha.

I went to my local garden centre to find another lemon thyme plant just like the one I had, and… I was unable to find one.

They had “lemon thyme”, but the colour and scent was just not the same as I remembered. Luckily, I had divided my lemon thyme previously through root division and given a plant to my mom. This is why I wanted to try to grow lemon thyme from cuttings as I could take a piece from my original plant.

When you propagate thyme from cuttings you are essentially creating a clone of that plant, so you will have an identical match to the parent. Plus you can save money – who doesn’t love that?

The Best Time of Year to Take Lemon Thyme Cuttings

The best time of year to take lemon thyme cuttings is in late spring to early summer. Pick new soft stems that have grown from the woody mature growth made the previous year. Also, be sure to pick a stem that has the most colourful and beautiful leaves so that you may carry that on in the new plant.

Take more cuttings than you need as some of them may not take root. It is important to have options to choose from when you are ready to plant. Pick ones with the biggest healthiest roots and nice green foliage.

By taking cuttings and starting the rooting process in the late spring to early summer it will give your newly rooted plants more time to grow and develop before the colder months of winter.

Growing Thyme from Grocery Store Cuttings

Yes, that’s right. You can use grocery store thyme cuttings to grow your own plants. With grocery store thyme, you will not know exactly which variety you have, but it will still produce an edible thyme plant for you. This method will work for any variety of thyme that you are trying to propagate.

So if you want to try this method, but do not have a family member or friend with a thyme plant to take cuttings, you can just head on over to the grocery store or farmers market. You can create many plants from just one little bundle. This is helpful if you want to grow a bunch of thyme, or gift some plants to your friends and family.

When you are looking for thyme at the store, try to pick the freshest herbs possible. When you get home you will want to make a 45 degree angle cut at the bottom of each sprig. This ensures the most water will be able to enter the stem when rooting.

Is it better to root thyme cuttings in water or soil?

You can have success starting lemon thyme cuttings in water or soil, but as with anything there are pros and cons to each method. I will let you be the judge, but here are some things to consider.

You will not be able to see how the stems are doing below the soil surface like you would in water. Stems can rot when using either method, but can be especially so in water if you do not change it out. More equipment will be required when using the soil method, and you will need to pay extra attention to the soil moisture level.

For me, I prefer the water method so I can see through my glass jar so I know what is going on in there. I love to observe and make sure roots are forming and everything is looking healthy.

One thing to note for either method is that I would not recommend using a rooting hormone to root your cuttings, as this is a plant you will end up consuming.

Steps to Grow Lemon Thyme from Cuttings in Water:

1. Using clean, sharp scissors, take 4-7 cuttings each 2-3 inches long from a mature thyme plant in late spring to early summer
   • Chose soft stems that are new this season, and have healthy, fresh growth
   • Make your cut at a 45 degree angle to let in the most water
2. Trim off the lower leaves so that about half of the stem is bare
3. Put your cutting in a glass of distilled water and place in a sunny windowsill
   • Tip: I like to put plastic wrap over the cup, poke it with a toothpick and then insert the stems into the holes to keep the stem upright, and the leaves out of the water
4. Check your cutting regularly for signs of roots, and change the water every few days to keep it fresh
5. In about 4-6 weeks you will see roots
6. Transfer your cutting into a three inch pot with moist potting mix
7. Once your plant has started to show leaf growth you know you have a well-established root system and can plant your lemon thyme into its final home

During the rooting phase it is important to check them regularly. I do this just for fun anyway to see if there are any new roots – sometimes more than once a day because you never know.

Steps to Grow Lemon Thyme from Cuttings in Soil:

1. Using clean, sharp scissors, take 4-7 cuttings each 2-3 inches long from a mature thyme plant in late spring to early summer
   • Chose soft stems that are new this season, and have healthy, fresh growth
   • Make your cut at a 45 degree angle to let in the most water
2. Trim off the lower leaves so that half of the stem is bare
3. Choose a gritty soil to provide plenty of air and water circulation (adding vermiculite can help)
4. Water your soil very heavily a couple of hours before planting
5. Insert the cuttings up to the first leaves (you may put multiple cuttings in one pot, just space them apart every 2 inches or so)
6. In about 4-6 weeks you will see roots
7. Transfer your cutting into a three inch pot with moist potting mix
8. Once your plant has started to show leaf growth you know you have a well-established root system and can plant your lemon thyme into its final home

This method works best if you can keep the soil on the warmer side, either with a heat mat or warm sunny place in your home. You will also benefit from using a plastic cover to create some extra humidity. Again, check your cuttings regularly to be sure everything is looking healthy. Keep the soil moist during this entire process.

How to Plant and Care for Lemon Thyme Cuttings Once Rooted

Your newly rooted thyme can be planted in a temporary nursery pot, a decorative container, or as part of a mason jar herb garden.

I have also had great success planting it directly out in the garden. Just be sure to water it very frequently for the first week after planting or choose a time when the weather is a little cloudy and rainy.

When planting, you will want to make a hole in the soil with your finger up to about your first knuckle. Gently place the stem and all the roots in the hole (it is ok if the roots curl up a bit). Plant high enough on the stem to cover the roots, and just below the first leaves.

Thyme is very drought tolerant. So, once it has adjusted to living in soil you can let it dry more in between watering. You can learn more about how often to water herbs here.

Plant your lemon thyme in an area that gets full sun, and you will have harvests for years to come. Once your thyme plant is established, you will want to regularly prune it. Learn more about pruning thyme here.

I hope this was helpful and that you feel inspired to go out and try growing your own lemon thyme cuttings.

Comment below if you have ever grown thyme from cuttings, and if you prefer the soil or water method.