@happy.smallholding: Every year I cut my thyme plants back after flowering, and use the prunings as a scented herby mulch around my cabbages. This is because clipping thyme plants keeps them compact and bushy and prevents them from getting woody. The strong scent of thyme repels certain insects such as cabbage butterflies, keeping my cabbages free from harmful pests. I cut back my thyme as far as possible to where I can see green growth coming from the stems. I avoid cutting back to bare wood as it may not regenerate. As with all organic methods, this is one prong of a multi-pronged approach to keeping my cabbages free from pests. The thyme prunings have a strong scent for about 3 weeks after cutting. I also plant herbs such as thyme and lavender with my cabbages as their scent helps to repel pests, I plant nasturtiums nearby to act as sacrificial plants, and put netting around my cabbages too (the netting is mainly for the pigeons!) #selfsufficient #gyo #growyourown #growyourownfood #homestead #smallholding #garden #lovegardening #kitchengarden #veggarden #plants #igrewthis #ediblegarden #gardendesign

Jess Gough

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Region: US

Thursday 10 April 2025 15:30:00 GMT