In the arsenal of modern housewives there are a large number of various herbs that are widely used in cooking. But it is difficult for an inexperienced person to understand such a variety. In our article we want to study one of these plants. What is thyme? Many have heard the name, but not everyone knows that this is the same thyme. The plant has several names - the mainland, Bogorodskaya grass.
Extraordinary plant
So what is thyme? This is an unusual plant that has been valued by our ancestors since ancient times. Most often it is called thyme. Since ancient times, grass has been associated with strength, courage and he alth. What is thyme, not everyone knows now. Translated from Greek - "strength". This name was intended to emphasize the extraordinary healing power of the plant. In this article, you will learn about this extraordinary herb and its uses for various purposes.
The benefits of thyme have been known to mankind since ancient times. The plant was actively used not onlyin cooking, but also for the treatment of ailments. Today, among the inhabitants of our latitudes, thyme is associated with the resorts of Transcaucasia and the Crimea. And in Asia, the taste of thyme in dishes is an indispensable element of national cuisine. Cooking lamb is simply unthinkable without thyme. The spice is also indispensable in French cuisine.
Usage history
Many cuisines around the world use thyme. What is so special about it? This plant is native to the Mediterranean, where it grows in shrub forests and on rocky slopes, so the herb is widely used in national European cuisines. In nature, there are more than 400 plant species. But in cooking they use creeping and ordinary thyme. Currently, the plant is cultivated in many countries for cooking from rough branches with fragrant spice leaves.
Experts say that thyme has been used by mankind for more than five millennia. The first mention of it was found on Sumerian clay tablets and in the records of the famous Avicenna.
The plant was loved by the ancient Romans and Greeks. Over time, the use of thyme as a condiment has become more and more popular. And now thyme is widely used around the world - in Eastern, American and European cuisine.
Description of the plant
What thyme looks like, many people know. The plant belongs to the Lamiaceae family. The thyme genus is quite numerous. More than 170 species grow in Europe alone. But not all of these varieties can beuse as seasonings, because they differ not only in appearance, but also in smell. It is worth noting that creeping thyme is called Bogorodsk grass. Under natural conditions, it grows on slopes, therefore, to grow a plant in a personal plot, it needs to allocate a sunny place. Shady and shaded areas are not suitable for grass.
What does thyme look like? Externally, the plant looks like a small shrub, the height of which reaches 40 centimeters. But most often the height of the grass is 15-20 centimeters. Thyme stems are leafless and woody. They can be recumbent or standing. Herbaceous branches are covered with small sharp leaves. Flowering pagons are usually erect. The plant is perennial. It blooms from May to August. Thyme inflorescences are pink or purple, but there are varieties with white flowers.
Summer residents often use thyme as an ornamental plant. With it, it is convenient to decorate uneven areas. Thyme is an obligatory inhabitant of currently very popular aromatic gardens.
Thyme fruits are very small and have an oval shape. Outwardly, they resemble smooth nuts of black-brown or black color. The taste of thyme is spicy and slightly bitter, and its smell is persistent and pleasant. For further seasoning, twigs with foliage are collected. They are dried and then crushed. With proper preparation of thyme for the winter and storage, the spice does not lose its aromatic properties for two years.
The plant grows well in the opensoil and in the house on the windowsill. Thyme is an excellent honey plant, so it is indispensable in those areas where there are hives. Very often, the plant is planted near greenhouses and greenhouses to attract pollinating insects.
Useful properties
Thyme grass has long been valued for its beneficial properties. The spice is rich in flavonoids, mineral s alts and organic acids. Since ancient times, people have harvested thyme as a medicine. Do not forget about the healing properties of the plant even now. But it is worth remembering that when collecting grass, you cannot uproot it, as it grows very slowly.
The use of thyme as a medicine was known to ancient physicians. The plant was actively used in ancient Egypt to treat coughs and to embalm bodies.
Preparations based on thyme have a pronounced antibacterial effect. Liquid tinctures are good as expectorants. The herb is part of many medicinal preparations that are used to treat inflamed joints and problems with the biliary system. Thyme oil is used to disinfect the mucous membranes of the oral cavity. It has a pronounced analgesic effect. The bactericidal properties of the herb are used in the fight against fungal diseases and skin diseases.
In folk medicine, thyme is used as a diuretic, diaphoretic, sedative and anticonvulsant. Lotions from a decoction of grass are good for rheumatism, ulcers and in the treatment of wounds. Thymehelps to cope with flu and colds, improves digestion. It is used for headaches and insomnia. Thanks to its beneficial properties, thyme (a photo of the plant is given in the article) is widely used to this day.
It is worth noting that the scope of the herb is not limited to traditional medicine. The plant is used in the manufacture of canned food and in the perfume industry. The leaves of the plant are rich in vitamins. Housewives actively use spice in cooking to add flavor to dishes. Thyme is good for insect control as its smell repels them.
Creeping thyme
Creeping thyme grows in Russia. The properties of a perennial shrub have long been used by our ancestors to treat ailments. The plant can often be found in fields and meadows. It is easily recognizable by its small pink-violet inflorescences. In Russia, thyme is called Bogorodskaya grass. This name appeared for a reason. It is due to the fact that icons are decorated with fragrant grass on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin.
The plant contains the following useful substances: essential oils, mineral and organic s alts, gum, flavonoids and tannins. Essential oils from thyme have a light yellow tint. They have a pleasant, but very strong smell. Oils are widely used in perfumery. The beneficial properties of thyme are used not only in folk, but also in traditional medicine. The herb is considered an ancient remedy. The plant extract is part of the drug "Pertussin". The bactericidal properties of thyme help to cope with ailments of the bronchi and lungs.
Choosing a place to plant a plant
Thyme grows very well outdoors. Summer residents actively grow it in their backyards. Its bushes are perfectly combined with other plants. Thyme is often used as a ground cover crop. You can grow thyme indoors. In this case, in winter, you will always have sprigs of a fresh plant.
For planting on a personal plot for thyme, you should choose a warm sunny place. In the shade, the plant does not feel very good, its stems begin to stretch. It is possible to plant thyme in an area with light partial shade.
The plant prefers non-acidified light soils. The soil must be well drained. Like many other spicy plants, thyme is very picky about sunlight. He is not at all afraid of direct rays. Open, well-ventilated areas are the best place to plant the crop.
Thyme can be safely attributed to cold-resistant plants. But at the same time, he does not like northern winds and drafts. In the wild, the plant grows in open meadows and fields, on hillsides. On household plots, thyme can be placed in flower beds protected from the influence of northern winds by bushes. Organic manure is used as top dressing. It is applied to the soil when digging before planting.
Thyme is a drought-resistant crop that does not like overflows. It needs watering only during periods of drought. In open ground, the plant is planted in spring or early autumn so that it has time to take root. Thyme tolerates winter cold well,and therefore does not need shelter.
Propagation of thyme
Thyme is propagated by cuttings, seedlings and seeds. The latter are sown in mid-March. Seeds are mixed with wet river sand and sown on the surface of the substrate for succulents, adding a third of the black earth to it. From above, crops are sprayed from a spray bottle and covered with glass. The container is placed in a bright place.
Seedlings are kept indoors for at least two months. The optimal age of seedlings for planting in the soil is 70 days. After the appearance of the first shoots, the temperature of the culture content is reduced by several degrees. Seedlings are not watered, but sprayed. Seedlings need good ventilation.
Ground landing
Thyme is planted in open ground in the second half of May. For seedlings choose a sunny place with light and fertile soil. The site must be well drained, as the culture does not like stagnant water. The soil is prepared in advance before planting. To do this, in the fall, when digging, humus or potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are introduced. In the spring, the beds must be loosened and watered with a solution of urea (20 grams of urea is diluted per liter of water). Seedlings are planted at a distance of 20-25 centimeters from each other, between the rows it is necessary to leave a distance of about 40-45 centimeters.
Caring for plants in the garden
Caring for thyme is not difficult. Thyme needs to occasionally loosen the soil so that moisture does not stagnate at the roots, and remove weeds. To facilitate care, grass plantings can be mulched. bushes in early springneed to be cut. In this case, the shoots are shortened by two-thirds. Pruning is needed to keep the plants compact and dense.
Plants are watered very rarely, because they do not like moisture, but they tolerate drought well. With the beginning of active growth of shoots and flowering, watering should become more frequent. But you should not overdo it with moisture. If the summer turned out to be rainy, then watering the plants is not worth it at all.
Thyme is not picky about top dressing. If you fertilized the soil before planting, then in the future you don’t have to worry about feeding the seedlings. Only very poor soil can be enriched with compost. The culture is not demanding on nutrients, therefore it does not deplete the soil. After thyme, any vegetables can be planted on the site, except for those plants that belong to the lamb.
Windowsill vegetable garden
You can grow thyme in a pot at home. This option is quite appropriate if you do not have a personal plot. In this case, you will always have fresh thyme ready in the kitchen.
To grow thyme on the windowsill, you will need a small pot with a diameter of no more than 15 cm. Before planting, it is necessary to lay drainage on its bottom, which will not allow excess moisture to stagnate. Then we fill the container with soil. We sow seeds in it, which we sprinkle with a small amount of soil. We spray the soil from above with a spray bottle. The pot must be covered with a film or glass. The seeds of the plant have very good germination, so the first seedlings will appear in 10-15 days. ATin the future, you will have to remove weak sprouts, leaving strong and beautiful shoots. Thyme in peas grows very well. Greens should be cut more often, preventing the plant from blooming.
Since ancient times, people have appreciated the beneficial properties of the plant. Thyme, the photo of which can be seen above, grown at home, is no less valuable than that brought from the backyard. The greenery of the hostess' plant is used not only for cooking, but also for brewing healing tea. It doesn't hurt anyone to have such a valuable culture on the windowsill.
In autumn, thyme can be propagated by cuttings. To do this, pagons are cut on the bush, which are rooted in small pots with a substrate. Soon after planting, you will have young, strong plants that you can give to friends or relatives. Thyme in a pot can be not only a source of spice, but also a decoration in your home.
Thyme in gardening
Thyme looks good in group plantings. It is often used as a background for plants with textured foliage. Thyme, with its powerful aroma, lures butterflies and other insects to the site, so it is recommended to plant it near cucumber beds. Bees will flock to the smell of thyme and pollinate vegetable crops. Bogorodskaya grass is the main component for bouquets for the feast of the Holy Trinity. They include wormwood, lovage and mint. From time immemorial, our ancestors believed that such a combination of fragrant herbs expels evil spirits from their homes.
Thyme is actively used by landscape designers. Low semi-shrubs are an excellent backdrop foralpine slides and mixborders. But thyme can also play the main role. The plant looks very impressive on rocky embankments.
Growing thyme is pure pleasure. Thyme is especially beautiful during flowering. The fragrant fluffy bushes are simply beautiful.
Thyme harvesting
If you grow thyme in your area, then you can provide yourself and your loved ones with fragrant spices. For harvesting, thyme is harvested in June or July. Non-lignified branches are cut at the beginning of flowering. It is important to cut the shoots, and not pluck them, as the plant does not recover well. If you damage the roots, you will harm the thyme.
If you want to collect seeds, you should pay attention to the strongest and most beautiful plants. The best sowing material gives thyme of the third and second years. Seeds are collected and dried in a ventilated area, after which they are threshed.
For harvesting shoots, they are cut several times a season. Sprigs of grass are formed into bunches, which are hung under awnings. Dry greens are stored in a well-corked container. As a spice, blanks can be used for two years.
Thyme in cooking
Culinators all over the world actively use thyme for cooking. As a rule, crushed foliage and shoots are used for this. If you are growing the plant in a pot or in your backyard, you can use the fresh greens of the crop. The seasoning has a pronounced taste with bitterness andunforgettable scent. Thyme gives any dish a pleasant spicy note. It is actively used in various areas of cooking - from baking to canning.
Thyme as a spice is indispensable for cooking fish and meat dishes, as it makes their taste brighter and richer. Thyme sprigs are traditionally used for roasting game. Dry spices purchased at the store are used for sprinkling and rubbing fish and meat before heat treatment. The powder can be poured into minced meat for cutlets or sausages.
Spice is indispensable for cooking fatty dishes, because the substances contained in it help the stomach digest heavy food. It is for this reason that thyme is actively used in the East. Thyme contains many vitamins that are beneficial to humans, so even dry spices are beneficial. Thyme is good for cooking smoked meats (meat and fish).
No less often thyme is used for vegetable dishes. The seasoning imparts bitter notes and a pleasant aroma to the taste. Pairs well with thyme and mushrooms. In Italy, for example, risotto with mushrooms is cooked only with this seasoning. In addition, the plant is part of various mixtures. For example, it is present in the Provencal herbs loved by many. This mixture is added to the preparation of any Mediterranean dishes. But fresh shoots of the plant are added to salads. In their absence, you can use dried herbs.
Thyme is added to soups, borscht, broths based on meat or fish. Thyme is put in canned food,baking, pickling olives, cheese making, making alcohol and making omelettes. Lemon thyme, which has a pronounced citrus aroma, is used to make sweets.
Eminent chefs consider thyme a universal spice that can make any dish unusual. But thyme must be used wisely, as too much can lead to bitterness.
What can replace thyme in cooking?
As we have already mentioned, thyme is used in cooking dry and fresh. But what if you don’t have the right spice at hand? What can replace thyme? In recipes for oriental and European dishes, spice is often used. If you don't have thyme in your kitchen, feel free to use the Herbes de Provence mix as it's found inside the seasoning.
Experienced chefs recommend replacing thyme with oregano. The taste of the dish will not become worse from this, but it will acquire brighter notes. In the Caucasus, when preparing first courses, even cinnamon is put instead of thyme.
