Thyme’s on Our Side
On a trip to Italy a decade ago, Rosalind Creasy walked the hillsides with her husband, smelling what she thought was food cooking.
“It finally dawned on me that I was actually smelling the weeds under my feet, which were the herb thyme,” says Creasy, a landscape designer who wrote and photographed the “Edible Herb Garden” (Periplus, March 1999, $13).
The way Creasy sees it, no Southern California garden should be without thyme.
“Thyme grows readily here in this Mediterranean climate,” she says.
“It’s a cheerful and willing plant that you don’t have to fuss with like a lot of other things,” says Creasy, who will speak today and Sunday at the Fullerton Arboretum’s eighth annual Orange County Herb Faire.
Native to Southern Europe and Asia, the genus Thymus consists of more than 300 species of woody-based aromatic evergreen perennials, shrubs and subshrubs. You’ll find everything from plants good for dry, sunny borders, rock gardens and containers to prostrate growers that make excellent ground covers, releasing their fragrance when walked on. Delicate, small flowers come in spring and summer in shades of white, pink and mauve. And all thyme attract bees.
Thyme’s aroma varies, according to the type and from plant to plant. Some thymes have a pungent scent; others are sweeter-smelling.
Lemon thyme is Creasy’s favorite for its strong lemony scent and flavor. She’s also partial to caraway thyme.
For discerning cooks, a sprig or two of thyme can make a big difference in food.
“I consider thyme to be a ‘go-with herb,’ rather than a strong herb that can go solo, like basil or cilantro,” says Creasy. “If you leave thyme out of a recipe, it just doesn’t have the same good flavor. Thyme tastes really good with parsley, oregano, rosemary and fennel for a pizza. Thyme and tarragon also complement each other well.”
Although Sherrie Priebe Crow doesn’t use thyme extensively, there are a few foods she wouldn’t make without it. “English thyme lends itself to peas, including pea salad, pea soup and lentils,” says Crow, who teaches classes on cooking with herbs and edible flowers and is a former president of the Orange County Herb Society.
“I also mix caraway thyme with fresh minced garlic and olive oil for a pork roast rub. Thyme also tastes great in meatloaf and all kinds of marinades.”
Thyme may be easy to grow, but there are a few things to keep in mind for the best results, says Ted Mayeda, owner of M&M; Nursery in Orange, where a variety of thymes is carried. He and Creasy share their tips for successfully growing this herb.
* Choose a location in full sun to partial shade with good air circulation.
* Make sure the soil drains well. If it is heavy clay, amend by 50% with homemade or bagged compost.
* Although drought-tolerant, thyme looks its best when given a slow soak about once a week in hot weather. Newly planted thyme should be watered daily until established.
* Fertilize each spring with an organic well-balanced fertilizer.
* Mulch thyme with compost, which will help improve drainage and keep the soil moist when temperatures rise.
* Thyme can be planted in just about any kind of container, including hanging baskets. Some types spill over the sides of a pot. Water potted plants more frequently than in-ground plants.
* Keep plants neat and tidy by cutting back each spring. Prune back by one-third to one-half, to the woody part of the plant. If it gets woody again in late summer, prune again by one- fourth to one-third.
The Herb Faire is today and Sunday at the Fullerton Arboretum, 1900 Associated Road, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5; children under 17 admitted free. (714) 278-3404.
Rosalind Creasy’s lecture is being held both days at 1 p.m. Tickets are $20, which includes admission to the Herb Faire, an herb dessert reception and book signing.
For more information about thyme, call M&M; Nursery, (714) 538-8042.
To order a book from Rosalind Creasy’s Edible Garden Series, call (800) 526-2778.
