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• Hardy perennial
• Leaves are lemon scented and flavoured
• Attractive to bees

Sowing Instructions

Sow: for best results, sow your lemon balm seeds indoors from March to April, or from September to October, on the surface of seed compost. Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag or place into a propagator, making sure you keep the soil moist until germination occurs. Seed can be sown outdoors in the late spring but make take several weeks to germinate. Harden off indoor grown seedlings before planting out. Lemon Balm is a member of the mint family and, like mint, can become invasive. For this reason, many gardeners prefer to keep lemon balm contained in a pot.

Aftercare: in the first year, leaf growth may be slow. After that initial period, however, there’ll be no stopping it! Plants grown in the border or herb garden can be sheared on a regular basis if they are encroaching on others. Container grown plants may benefit from a mid season feed of organic liquid fertiliser. Plants can be cut down and tidied up in autumn.

Harvest: leaves at any time, although you’ll get the best flavour from leaves picked before the plant flowers in mid-late summer.

Usage

Fresh or dried leaves can be used to make a calming herbal tea. Try sprinkling chopped fresh leaves over fruit salads, adding a sprig or two to refreshing summer drinks, or mixing into a green salad. Dried leaves can be added to pot-pourri.

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