Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) care

Herbs & edibles · straightforward to keep

Last updated 26 October 2026

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) wants full sun, as much as you have. Water it every 6 days. Let the pot dry out well between waterings. Indoor rosemary is almost always killed by overwatering, and it gives no warning before it goes. Pot it in gritty, free-draining, on the poor side. Very little — a weak feed twice over the summer, and repot once a year. Humidity: room humidity is fine, with air moving. The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Common thyme: a small, woody herb with tiny, fragrant grey-green leaves. On a windowsill it needs full sun and dry roots — like rosemary, it is far more often killed by watering than by neglect.

Quick facts

Water: Water every 6 days. Let the pot dry out well between waterings. Indoor rosemary is almost always killed by overwatering, and it gives no warning before it goes.
Light: Full sun, as much as you have.
Humidity: Room humidity is fine, with air moving.
Soil: Gritty, free-draining, on the poor side.
Feeding: Very little — a weak feed twice over the summer.
Repotting: Repot once a year.
Toxic to pets: Non-toxic to cats and dogs; edible. The ASPCA lists Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) as non-toxic to cats and dogs (checked 26 October 2026).
Difficulty: Straightforward.
Mature size: 15–30 cm.
Native to: Southern Europe.

Watering a Thyme

Water every 6 days. Let the pot dry out well between waterings. Indoor rosemary is almost always killed by overwatering, and it gives no warning before it goes.

That cadence is the one PlantParlour sets for this species when you name it, and it is deliberately on the cautious side — a plant that asks a day early is safer than one that asks a day late. Log each watering and the reminder moves with the plant rather than with the calendar.

Light

As much direct sun as possible. Supermarket basil dies indoors mainly because a kitchen windowsill gives it a fraction of the light it needs.

Humidity and temperature

Room humidity is fine, with air moving. Central heating in winter is what turns a comfortable room into a dry one, and it is the usual reason an established plant suddenly browns at the edges or picks up spider mites.

Soil and potting

Rosemary is a Mediterranean shrub growing on thin stony ground. Gritty free-draining compost, and a terracotta pot, are much closer to right than rich compost.

Feeding

Very little — a weak feed twice over the summer. Stop feeding in autumn and start again when you see new growth in spring — feeding a plant that isn't growing just builds up salts in the pot.

Repotting

Repot once a year. Basil is an annual. Rather than repotting, take cuttings through the summer and start new plants.

Common problems

Suddenly brown and dead with no warning
Root rot from a pot that stayed wet, or dried out completely once.

Fix: Let the top half dry between waterings and use gritty compost in terracotta.
Powdery white mildew
Still humid air indoors.

Fix: Improve airflow; rosemary is happier outdoors whenever the weather allows.

Propagation

Cuttings root in a glass of water within a week. This is the practical way to keep basil going year-round.

A cutting taken in PlantParlour keeps its link to the plant it came from, so a propagation years later still traces back to the mother plant — which is the point if you ever sell or trade it.

Toxicity and safety

Non-toxic to cats and dogs; edible.

The ASPCA lists Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) as non-toxic to cats and dogs (checked 26 October 2026).

If your pet has eaten a plant, call your vet, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Both are open around the clock and may charge a consultation fee. Take the plant or its label with you.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. We don't test plants: what we say about toxicity follows the ASPCA's published plant list as it stood on 26 October 2026, and that list can change. "Non-toxic" means not poisonous — a pet that eats enough of any plant can still vomit, and fertiliser, pesticide or leaf shine on a plant can harm it. It also only helps if the plant is what you think it is. It covers cats and dogs only; ask your vet about rabbits, birds, reptiles or anything else, and a doctor about children. Read our terms.

Every houseplant in the library the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs

Questions people ask

How often should you water a Thyme?

Water every 6 days as a starting point — that is the cadence PlantParlour sets for Thymus vulgaris. Let the pot dry out well between waterings. Indoor rosemary is almost always killed by overwatering, and it gives no warning before it goes. Light, pot size and the time of year all move that number, so treat it as a reminder to go and check rather than a rule.

How much light does a Thyme need?

As much direct sun as possible. Supermarket basil dies indoors mainly because a kitchen windowsill gives it a fraction of the light it needs.

Is Thyme toxic to cats and dogs?

Non-toxic to cats and dogs; edible. The ASPCA lists Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) as non-toxic to cats and dogs (checked 26 October 2026). If a pet has eaten part of a plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 straight away.

How do you propagate a Thyme?