Lemon Balm

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a vigorous lemon-scented herb in the mint family. It’s easy to grow but can spread quickly and take over your garden! There’s a lot of lemon balm around Todmorden!

Lemon balm is ideal used fresh in drinks like teas and lemonades and on foods like salads. While it can be dried for herbal tea, much of the aroma is lost when drying. It also contains essential oils and compounds. See our blog post for a lot more ideas.

It grows well in most soils but is ideally placed in well-draining soil and in an area with some shade. It’s advisable to grow lemon balm in pots and to cut back after flowering to keep fresh growth coming and stop it self-seeding and spreading.

Its ideal sowing time is in spring, from March to April.

The leaves can be picked right through summer as needed, as they are best used fresh.

Our planting guides are designed to help you get the best from your fruit, vegetables, and herbs. Every garden is unique, so growing conditions, weather, soil, and climate can affect results. Use this information as a helpful guide, and adapt it to suit your local conditions and gardening experience. Happy growing!