I planted a thyme plant 2 years ago in a stationary round concrete pot that borders my terrace. I noticed that is has a big brown patch in the middle of the bush. it is still green on the outer parts of the bush. the thyme branches are kind of thick and hard to cut for harvesting. Is this normal. What can I do?

Answer #2 · Gardenality.com's Answer · Not sure exactly what type of Thyme you have? As Stephen pointed out, it could very well be a fungus caused by humidity or overly damp or wet soil.

Sometimes, over time, ground hugging Thymes and other low growing perennial plants, such as Dianthus and Verbena, will defoliate along the stems at the center of the plant simply because the plants are becoming "leggy." Sometimes adding a little potting soil or bag-type top soil in the center of the plant (just enough to cover bare stems) will stimulate new leaves to emerge along these bare stems. Pruning the plants back will often help to force new growth along these stems. If you determine that this is the problem and decide to prune the plants in an attempt to encourage new growth, just make sure you don't prune beyond a point on the stems where there are no leaf buds. In any event, you might have to prune the plants in order to rejuvenate them. As with many other herbaceous plants Thyme can tolerate quite a bit of pruning.)

Answer #1 · Stephen Whatley's Answer · Hi Diana.

There are a couple of different things that could be going on with your Thyme.

First, check the plant to see if there are any signs of fungus. One being Botrytis Rot, (also called Grey Mold). In presenting its self, you may see greyish brown, dusty spores covering the foliage. This can appear when planting or, after harvest,and is favored by high humidity.

Another is a fungal pathogen known as Rhizotonia. This problem will effect in most cases the roots of the plant but not allways. Also on set by high humidity and over watering. Its tough to determine if this is the problem without inspecting the root system. They often will become brown,somewhat mushey and disintergrate. One way to determine if this may be the case is observing the plants from the top. If you notice any yellow or pale green leaves,small leaves,wilting and stunting of growth,that may indicate the presence of root rot.

Second, make sure the plant is getting good air circulation throughout the foliage. It will ensure that the plant has a better chance of not aquiring any of the funguses I have just mentioned, and also, keeping them from being more susceptible to any further diseases that may happen. Prune out any old or dead growth and see if doing so, helps to alleviate the problem.

When you water, make sure to to only water the base of the plant at the soil level. It will keep any unwanted moisture off the foliage, which can be a contributing factor to many types of topical fungus and disease. also,water early in the morning.

Third, If the Thyme has been planted in the same soil as when you started, it may not be a bad idea to remove the plants and change it out with fresh soil. Old soil is much more likely to get fungus and starting over will better your chances of saving them.

Treatment Options.

A good, well rounded product that I can recommend would be Neem Oil. It is a topical treatment that will not only take care of fungus, but will also treat insects and mites at the same time. Check with your local nursery to find this product.

Using a ststemic fungicide,(one that you pour around the base of the plant),will get sucked up through the roots and out into the foliage and hopefully, keeps these problems at bay. Also a product you can find at your local nursery.

As I mentioned, change the soil.

Diana I hope this information helps and please feel free to keep me updated on the progress. Also, please feel free to ask any further questions regarding this, or any other matter you may have regarding your landscape.

Stephen Whatley.)