Lemon Balm
Herbs
Lemon balm has a sweet minty, lemony fragrance and flavour it’s a delicate herb that self-seeds freely around the garden. It is used fresh in salads, fruit salads and fresh fruit drinks like homemade lemonade. Lemon balm is cooked with fish, poultry and pork and is used in sauces as well as mayonnaise. Lemon balm leaves, steeped in boiling water, make a delicious, refreshing tea.
In a nutshell
- Grow from seed or cuttings
- Likes rich moist soil
- Sun or part shade
- Grows well in containers
- Cooking ingredient, makes a nice herbal tea
Quantity
- 1 plant per person
Companions
- Tomato
- Carrot
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Chives
- Basil
- Mint
Getting started
When
Plant or sow in early spring and summer.
Where
Lemon balm grows best in full sun but needs a little shade from the intensity of midday sun. It grows to around knee height depending upon soil type and location. Lemon balm also grows well in containers.
Soil
Lemon balm grows best in full sun but needs a little shade from the intensity of midday sun. It grows to around knee height depending upon soil type and location. Lemon balm also grows well in containers.
Maintain
Water young seedlings in dry periods. Mulch to retain moisture and feed every few weeks with a liquid worm juice or compost tea to boost foliage growth.
Harvest or pick
Lemon balm can be picked at any time but some of the flavour is lost after flowering. Its foliage can be frozen and if making tea you can use fresh or dried leaves.
In cooler parts of the country lemon balm may die back during winter but fresh growth will start in spring. In warmer areas foliage will be present all year round.
