lemon balm
melissa officinalis

days to maturity: 50 days
plant spacing: 2 per square foot
sunlight requirements: 6-14 hours
look out for: mealy bugs on the stems
harvest notes: harvest new growing tips
seasons: fall, winter, spring
annual

Used since ancient times to calm the heart and the body, lemon balm with its delicate lemony flavor uplifts the spirit and any culinary dish it is added to. It has been used to sweeten jam, jellies, as an addition to salad, and as a flavoring for various fish and poultry dishes and liqueurs. Further, lemon balm is used for making perfumes, in cosmetics and as an essential oil used in aromatherapy to promote calmness and ease stress. Medicinally lemon balm is often consumed as a herbal tea used as a sleep aid or digestive tonic. We love growing lemon balm in home gardens because its an herb that is hard to buy fresh (no grocery stores ever sell it fresh!) and like many of its plant cousins (mint, basil, etc.) it doesn’t store well in the fridge, so having one plant in the garden will mean you’ll be producing more than enough of this delicious herbs for your kitchen and medicine cabinet needs. Lemon Balm is also super easy to grow, great for beginners.