How to prune lemon thyme

After flowering in early to midsummer; tip harvests from spring through autumn. With clean scissors, cut back to just above a point where you can see new side shoots or leaf nodes forming. Never cut into bare, brown wood as this portion rarely re-sprouts.

Once annually after flowering, with frequent light tip harvests during the growing season. Lemon thyme needs a post-flowering trim each year to stay compact and productive. Cut back the soft growth by up to one-third once blooms fade in early summer. This prevents the centre from dying out and keeps the mounded shape tidy. Tip harvests throughout the season are encouraged — they delay flowering and boost leaf production.

With clean scissors, cut back to just above a point where you can see new side shoots or leaf nodes forming. Never cut into bare, brown wood as this portion rarely re-sprouts.