Growing lemon balm is relatively easy and rewarding, providing you with a fragrant and useful herb. Here's a guide to successfully cultivating lemon balm:
1. Planting Location
Lemon balm thrives best in:
- Sunlight: Full sun is ideal, but it can tolerate partial shade, especially in hotter climates. More sun typically means more oil production and stronger flavor.
- Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil is essential. Lemon balm dislikes soggy soil. Amend heavy clay soils with compost to improve drainage.
- Spacing: Space plants 16-18 inches apart to allow for adequate growth.
2. Starting Lemon Balm
You can start lemon balm from seed or cuttings:
- From Seed:
- Starting Indoors: Sow seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last expected frost.
- Stratification: Lemon balm seeds may be slow to germinate without stratification (cold treatment). To stratify, place seeds in a damp paper towel inside a plastic bag and refrigerate for 2-4 weeks before sowing.
- Sowing: Sow seeds thinly on the surface of a seed-starting mix. Lightly cover with soil.
- Germination: Keep the soil consistently moist. Germination can take 10-14 days.
- Transplanting: Transplant seedlings into the garden when they are 2-3 inches tall and all danger of frost has passed.
- From Cuttings:
- Take stem cuttings in spring or summer.
- Remove the lower leaves and place the cutting in water or directly into moist potting mix.
- Roots should develop within a few weeks.
3. Care and Maintenance
- Watering: Water regularly, especially during dry periods. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
- Fertilizing: Lemon balm generally doesn't require heavy fertilization. A light feeding of compost tea or a balanced organic fertilizer in the spring can be beneficial.
- Pruning: Prune regularly to encourage bushier growth and prevent the plant from becoming leggy. Remove flowers to prevent self-seeding, which can cause lemon balm to become invasive. Cut back the plant severely in late fall after the first frost.
- Controlling Spread: Lemon balm can spread aggressively through rhizomes (underground stems) and seeds. Consider growing it in a container to control its spread, or be diligent about removing unwanted seedlings.
- Pest and Disease Control: Lemon balm is generally pest and disease resistant. However, watch out for aphids or spider mites. Treat infestations with insecticidal soap.
4. Harvesting
- Harvest leaves throughout the growing season as needed.
- The flavor is best before the plant flowers.
- Cut stems back to just above a leaf node to encourage new growth.
- Dry leaves for later use by hanging them upside down in a cool, dry place.
By following these steps, you can enjoy a thriving lemon balm plant in your garden.
