Lemon balm is an ancient herb native to southern Europe that is closely related to mint. It has wrinkled, oval leaves and boasts a fresh, citrusy scent that many cooks enjoy adding to salads, soups, and more. Its use as a medicine can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome, where its leaves were used in a variety of tonics and teas, and its essential oils were extracted to assist with digestive problems. Although this plant is not as popular as other herbs, lemon balm is still a wonderful plant for your garden. Read on to learn more about how to care for lemon balm – outdoors and indoors.
Lemon balm care tips – grow in a pot or outdoors
Containers are preferred
The versatile herb grows quickly outdoors - after sowing in early spring, it is not uncommon for a lemon balm to grow 30 to 60 cm tall in just one season. For this reason, many gardeners plant lemon balm in containers, whether growing indoors or outdoors, to control its invasive nature. Like many other herbs, lemon herb grows best outdoors, but can also be grown indoors if its specific needs are taken into account.
You can use lemon balm all year roundabout growing in the house, along with some other herbs. Once they grow, you should thin the plants so they are about 10cm apart. If you want to harvest them for the kitchen or for your own tea, you should grow at least four plants.
Plant the garden
You can easily grow lemon balm from seeds or plants in spring, mid-summer, or even late summer. When starting the seeds, you should either sow them indoors to speed germination or plant them directly in the ground after all danger of frost has passed. If your seeds don't germinate right away, don't give up - they may take a while to get going.
Caring for lemon balm – finding the right location
Lemon balm loves a sunny spot both indoors and outdoors. In contrast to the lemon balm in the garden,on your balconyor your patio, which can tolerate some shade, the one indoors needs a lot of sun, at least 5 to 6 hours per day. Place your herb containers near a windowsill that receives adequate light throughout the day. If you notice that your plant is tooreceives a lot of direct sunlightor their leaves turn brown, you should move them regularly to avoid burns.
Lemon balm plants prefer slightly sandy, well-drained soil. Most basic potting soils will do, but if you find that your mix is a little too dense or stays too wet between waterings, consider mixing it with sand or a drier type of soil. In addition, the pH value of the soil should be neutral to acidic, with a certain value between 6.7 and 7.3 offering the best conditions.
Create a watering schedule
When watering your plant, it's better to underwater rather than overwater. The exact watering schedule depends on the environment in your home and sun exposure. As a rule of thumb, however, you should water in small amounts as soon as 2 - 3 cm of the soil in the pot has dried out.
Consider the temperature and humidity
This herb is likely to come back year after year, especially if you grow it in the ground and get the right conditions - it tends to prefer cooler temperatures, so its growth may be more difficult in hot or humid conditions. But you can also use lemon balmas an annual plantgrow. Bees and other pollinators love the plant.
Pests and diseases of lemon balm in the garden or at home
Overall, lemon balm is disease resistant, which is why many gardeners enjoy growing it. However, there are some things you should pay attention to.Root rot and powdery mildewcan result from overwatering or poor drainage. It can easily happen that you water the plants too much or too often. Instead of watering lemon balm daily, try watering it every few days. Watering the plant thoroughly rather than frequently will set it up for long-term success.
Caring for and cutting lemon balm
Frequent pruning keeps the fast-growing plant in check and promotes continued production of tasty foliage throughout the spring and summer months. Cut back the main shoots when they are 15 to 20 cm tall.Prune the entire plant– a third of the plant, using sharp scissors, near the leaves or buds – once a month after it reaches full size in early to mid-summer.
Use the removed leaves as a spice, garnish, or to flavor drinks. Remove the old flowers as soon as they have wilted. This prevents seed formation and promotes growth and flowering.
