Revive a Dried-Out Thyme Plant: Causes and Fixes

To revive a dried-out thyme plant, first work out why it looks dried out. The cause is often too much water, not too little. Thyme comes from sunny, dry places, so soggy soil hurts it far more than a missed watering. In this guide, you will learn how to spot the real problem, check whether the plant is still alive, bring it back step by step, and stop it happening again.

Is Your Thyme Really Dried Out?

Brown, wilted or brittle thyme looks like a thirsty plant, so many gardeners water it more. However, that is often the wrong move. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) says thyme is drought tolerant and rarely needs watering, and that its roots rot in damp conditions. Root rot is the main risk for thyme, and a plant with rotting roots can wilt and brown just like a dry one.

Before you do anything, check the soil. Push a finger about an inch or two into the compost or ground.

• Soggy or cold and wet. The problem is probably too much water or poor drainage.
• Bone dry and the pot feels light. The plant may be short of water, which can happen in a small pot in hot weather.
• Damp with a sour or musty smell. This often points to rotting roots.

Why Thyme Dries Out and Turns Brown

• Wet soil and poor drainage. This is the most common cause. Thyme roots rot in damp conditions, especially in winter.
• A small pot in hot weather. The RHS advises watering container-grown thyme in hot, dry weather, because pots dry out quickly.
• Too little sun. Thyme thrives in full sun, so a shady spot weakens it.
• Winter damage. Cold, wet winters can brown thyme in the ground, and the RHS advises protecting plants in wet winters with cloches.
• Age. Old thyme turns woody and bare in the middle. The RHS notes that replacing old plants is usually easier than cutting them back hard.
• Pests. Slugs and snails may eat young shoots, although the RHS says other pests do not usually cause severe damage.

The Scratch Test: Is It Still Alive?

Before you try to revive the plant, check that there is something to save.

1. Pick a brown stem and scratch the bark gently with your fingernail.
2. If you see green underneath, the stem is alive.
3. If you see only brown or gray, that stem is dead.
4. Test a few stems around the plant, especially near the base.

If any stems are green, the plant has a good chance of recovering. If every stem is brown and brittle all the way through, the plant is probably gone.

How to Revive a Dried-Out Thyme Plant Step by Step

1. First, move the plant to a warm, sunny spot with good air flow. Thyme thrives in full sun.
2. Next, check the soil and the roots. If the plant is in a pot, slide it out gently. Healthy roots are pale and firm. Mushy, dark or smelly roots have rotted.
3. Then trim away any rotted roots with clean snips.
4. After that, repot into fresh, free-draining compost. The RHS recommends a soil-based compost mixed with up to 25% horticultural grit. Use a pot at least 6 inches (15 cm) wide with plenty of drainage holes.
5. Cut away dead growth. Trim the brown, brittle stems back to green growth. However, do not cut into bare, old wood, because the RHS warns that stems may not regrow from it.
6. Finally, water carefully. If the soil was bone dry, water well once and let the compost dry out before watering again. If the roots were rotting, wait until the compost has dried before you water.
7. Keep the plant in the sun and wait. New growth usually appears within a few weeks.

Tip: Do not water on a schedule. Instead, check the soil first and water only when it is dry.

Rescuing Thyme Growing in the Ground

If your thyme is in a bed, the fix is similar.

• Improve the drainage. If the soil is heavy or stays damp, especially in winter, the RHS advises growing thyme in a container or raised bed instead. You can dig up the plant and move it.
• Protect it in winter. In wet winters or high-rainfall areas, cover plants in the ground with cloches.
• Cut back lightly. Trim dead material after the plant starts to regrow. Then leave the bare wood alone.

How to Keep Thyme From Drying Out Again

• Give it full sun. Choose a warm, sunny spot.
• Use free-draining soil. Mix grit into pots and avoid heavy, wet ground.
• Water only when needed. Water new plants and container plants in hot, dry weather. Otherwise, leave them alone.
• Trim lightly after flowering. The RHS says shrubby thymes need a light trim in mid-to-late spring or soon after flowering. Creeping types need only a very light trim.
• Replace old plants. When a plant becomes bare and woody, start a new one from cuttings. Our guide to growing thyme from cuttings explains how.
• Shelter containers in winter. Move pots to a sheltered spot.

When to Replace a Dried-Out Thyme Plant

Sometimes revival is not worth the effort. Replace the plant if:

• You find no green under the bark on any stem.
• The plant is old, bare and woody with little leafy growth.
• The roots are mostly mushy and dark.

In that case, take cuttings from any healthy shoots, or buy a new plant. In addition, start again in fresh compost, because old compost may hold the problem that harmed the first plant.

Before You Go – Revive a Dried-Out Thyme Plant?

A dried-out thyme plant is often a plant that got too much water. Check the soil first, and test for green under the bark. Then move the plant into the sun, repot it in gritty compost, trim dead growth lightly, and water only when the compost is dry. With the right conditions, thyme usually bounces back.

References – Revive a Dried-Out Thyme Plant

Little Herb Encyclopedia, by Jack Ritchason; N.D., Woodland Publishing Incorporated, 1995
The Ultimate Healing System, Course Manual, Copyright 1985, Don Lepore
Planetary Herbology, Michael Tierra, C.A., N.D., Lotus Press, 1988
Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, by James A. Duke, Pub. CRP Second Edition 2007
The Complete Medicinal Herbal, by Penelope Ody, Published by Dorling Kindersley

Sources

1. Royal Horticultural Society. Thyme: growing guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions – Revive a Dried-Out Thyme Plant

Can you revive a dead thyme plant?

Only if some stems are still green under the bark. If the whole plant is brown and brittle, it is dead.

How often should I water thyme?

Rarely. The RHS says thyme is drought tolerant. Water new plants and container plants in hot, dry weather.

Why is my thyme turning brown?

It could be rotting roots from wet soil, drying out in a small pot, winter damage, or old age. Check the soil and the roots to find out which.

Should I cut back dried-out thyme?

Trim dead stems back to green growth. However, do not cut into bare old wood, because it may not regrow.

Can thyme recover from root rot?

It can if some roots are still healthy. Trim the rotted roots, repot in gritty compost, and keep the plant dry. If most of the roots are gone, take cuttings instead.