How to grow & use French Thyme for cooking

How to grow & use French thyme

Originally from southern Europe it is ideal for stews, soups, meat and fish dishes.

It has a very strong thyme flavour and great when combined with other herbs like garlic, oregano, rosemary, etc.

Below you will find:

– How to grow French thyme at home

– How to use French thyme in cooking & examples recipes

Seed to harvest: 80

Plant Size: Height 30 cm, Spread 30 cm

Ideal location: Loves warm, sunny conditions

Equipment

Plant pot & soil
1 Seed tray (optional)
1 Heating mat (optional)

Seeds

1 packet French thyme seeds

Instructions

The first step is to get the French thyme seeds.

You can order them online from Amazon or some garden centres will sell them.

The next stage is to put the seeds in the soil.

Fill a plant pot (or a few pots ) with soil, then add the seeds and sprinkle a bit of soil on top.
Quick tip – If you put the seeds into a bowl of water for 30 minutes to 1 hour they will start growing quicker then simply putting them in soil.
Quick tip – Instead of using plants pots start the seeds using a seed tray with a lid. The advantage of using a lid is that it will retain the moisture helping your plants grow. Simply put a bit of soil in the tray, spoon in the seeds and cover with a bit of soil.

Then simply put the pot or tray somewhere safe and leave them to sprout.

The seeds will germinate in 7 to 21 days.
Quick tip – Use a heat mat. All you do is put the tray on the mat and the extra heat will significantly speed up how fast your seeds will grow.
For more info & why it works so well have a look at our article on a seed starter mat

Help them grow

When they’ve grown thin the seedlings or transplant leaving 30 cm between plants, Then simple put them somewhere warm and sunny and wait for them to grow.
One option (depending on the time of year or where you live) is to use an indoor grow light.

Notes

It is ideally suited for planting outside in a pot on a balcony or terrace or inside on a sunny windowsill (or using lighting)

Or you can use Hydroponics or Aquaponics

Hydroponics is where you grow it in an automated system, where the roots grow straight in water.

For example like the unit pictured:

Ideal for hydroponics or aquaponics
Will take about 5 to 7 weeks before harvesting
You can speed this up by planting cuttings

More info on the kitchen hydroponic unit

2. – How to prepare French thyme for cooking

Thyme is very simple to prepare as an ingredient:

Wash the thyme before using.
Then either use the whole sprig or simply remove leaves and bin the stalk.
If you want to strip the leaves, hold a stalk at the top and run your thumb and forefinger along the stalk from top to bottom

3. – Example French Thyme recipes

French or common thyme is probably the type you will have used in cooking. The leaves have a strong aroma and are useful in stews, soups and with meat and fish dishes.

Because it’s such a powerful herb is it great when combined with other herbs like garlic, oregano, rosemary, etc.

Typical Recipes are

In addition further down are our own most popular French thyme recipes.