On garden plot I want to grow unpretentious, multifunctional plants. Planting lemon balm (popularly - lemon mint) will allow you not only to evaluate its benefits for the body, but to get decorative element for the flower bed and for the house.
Sowing technology
The first priority before sowing is soil preparation. You need to take 1 glass of vermicompost and 2 glasses coconut fiber... Mix the ingredients thoroughly and add to this volume the recommended dose of the mineral fertilizer complex.
Sowing in containers or boxes is carried out in the second half of March.
- Several grooves need to be made in the soil, the distance between which is 4 - 6 cm.
- The seeds are small and should be mixed with a little sand to facilitate the sowing process.
- Distribute the mass along the grooves to a depth of 0.5 - 0.7 cm.
- Moisten the soil surface.
- Cover the container with glass or plastic.
- Put in a sunny, warm place.
After the shoots appear, the box must be placed so that they receive a sufficient amount of light, but do not fall under the scorching rays. Watering should be carried out as the soil dries.
Seedlings appear 2–25 days after planting. After the appearance of several leaves, it is necessary to make a pick. This is done so that the seedlings do not stifle each other's growth and development. The distance between the stems should be at least 5 cm. If the sowing was carried out in a special container, then in one cell, where several seeds need to be planted at once, the weakest sprouts are removed.
Transplanting into open ground is carried out in the second half of May. To do this, you need to prepare a seat.
Melissa can grow both in a well-lit garden bed and in partial shade. When given enough light, the bush will exude an intense scent.
It should be borne in mind that this culture is perennial and grows from 4 to 9 years.
The soil should be loose, light and nutritious. Mellisa does not like acidic and moist soil. Excess water promotes decay of the roots, therefore, the place for the bush must be chosen dry, where moisture does not accumulate during precipitation. If the ground is heavy in the chosen place, then you need to add several buckets of fine sand.
After choosing a place, the soil must be fertilized. To do this, 1 sq. m. of soil is introduced:
- 200 g wood ash(1 glass);
- 10 liter bucket of humus;
- Complex mineral fertilizer, the dosage is indicated on the package.
It should be planted in small trenches located at a distance of half a meter from each other. Each plant needs to be planted in a hole with an interval of 30–35 cm.
If you decide not to grow seedlings, but to plant seeds immediately in open ground, then you need to be prepared for poor germination, even careful care may not help. This can be influenced by several factors:
- low quality of planting material;
- heavy rainfall;
- "Clogging" of sprouts with weeds.
Landing is carried out in the 3rd week of May according to the following algorithm.
- Make holes at a distance of 50 - 60 cm from each other.
- Mix the grains with the sand.
- Deepen the mixture by half a centimeter.
- Sprinkle with peat or humus.
- Moisten the soil surface.
- Cover with foil.
To harden the seedlings and make them more hardy, you need to remove the film. First, for several hours, then for a whole daylight hours, and after the pick, the covering material is finally removed.
Lemon balm propagates both by seeds and by layering and cuttings. If you already have an adult lemon bush, then planting it will be much easier: bend a few shoots to the ground, fix them and sprinkle them with earth. After a few weeks, the branches will take root and can be transplanted to a new location.
And in order to propagate by cuttings, it is enough to cut off in the garden from friends or buy a bunch of fresh herbs in the store, shorten the stems by 2 - 3 cm and put them in water. They do not require additional care, a root system appears in a week - and the cuttings are ready for planting in a flower bed.
Growing at home
Melissa can be cultivated as indoor plant... Due to the small volume flower pot it won't grow much, and pruning and maintenance will create a lush green bush.
Planting seedlings in pots at home is done in spring, but you can sow seedlings and plant seedlings in the cold season, but growth will be slow, and the leaves will be light. During the spring and summer period, the bush is gaining strength and adapts to external conditions.
Seeds for growing a plant at home are sown in the same way as for a flower bed. Planting seedlings in pots is carried out after the appearance of 3 leaves. You need to act according to the following algorithm.
- Pick up a pot with a volume of 1.5 - 2 liters so that its walls are at least 15 cm.
- Provide good drainage. To do this, you can take pebbles or expanded clay.
- Pour the prepared soil and plant 2 or 3 sprouts in one container.
- Moisten the soil with a spray bottle.
- Put on the windowsill.
The peculiarity of caring for a plant at home is watering. Heating and dry air in the room negatively affect the appearance of lemon balm and its smell, therefore, it must additionally be humidified:
- water as the soil dries up;
- spray every day.
Care features
If you properly care for the bush in the first year of planting, then later the hassle with growing will be less.
Care is carried out in 4 main areas:
- watering;
- loosening;
- weeding;
- top dressing.
When the weather is hot, you need to provide melissa sufficient watering... It is carried out 4 times a week, and on cloudy days, if there is no precipitation, you need to water it 2 times every 7 days.
Loosening is carried out after each watering and after rain to ensure good air permeability of the soil and prevent root rot due to excess moisture.
A flowerbed or a bed with seedlings should be weeded out as needed: the planted seedlings are not yet strong enough, and the grass can drown out its growth. In the 2nd and subsequent years of the life of this culture, small vegetation around mature bushes with a strong root system is allowed in your garden.
Top dressing is carried out at the beginning of the season, when the seedlings move to their permanent place of residence or the shoots that have sprouted on the street have reached 5–6 cm in height. Introduced nitrogen fertilizer to increase growth and strengthen the stem.
If you store the leaves for future use and cut them off as they grow, then after each pruning it is necessary to add a mineral complex, the dosage of which is indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer. Several times per season, you can add mulch or humus to the flower bed with the plant. 
Melissa is a thermophilic culture. Although it can withstand negative temperatures, it is recommended to cover it for the winter:
- cut upper part leaving 1–2 cm above the ground;
- loosen the ground and moisten a little;
- sprinkle fallen leaves on top.
So that the leaves are not chopped, and the mint continues to delight with the fresh scent of lemon, you need to divide the plant into several bushes every 3 years and plant them.
Despite all the usefulness of lemon balm, which is widespread in folk recipes, when growing it does not require special care, it can grow both in the country and at home on the windowsill.
The homeland of this spicy plant is the Mediterranean forests. Nevertheless, in our latitudes, summer residents have excellently learned how to grow lemon balm in their backyard plots. But not only in summer cottages you will see this fragrant plant. More and more often you can find melissa on the windowsills of city apartments.
After all, it is very convenient to have a fresh spice always at hand and medicinal plant... That's about how to grow lemon balm at home, we want to tell you in this article.
Description of lemon balm
This plant is famous for its lemon scent with honey, its name is translated into Russian from Latin as “ bee leaves". The fact is that the aromatic lemon balm foliage has a special appeal for bees. Some beekeepers even rub the foliage of this herb in bee hives in order to attract bees to them.
We most often meet variegated medicinal (lemon) lemon balm... This plant in the form of a dense clump with straight, gently drooping, branched stems grows up to a meter in height. Simple, serrated leaves of lemon balm have a lightish green color, and not very expressive flowers located in the axils of the leaves, whitish-pink. The flowering period of the plant is the end of summer. Botanists classify lemon balm as a member of the labiate family.
Useful properties of lemon balm and its application
The ability of this plant to smooth out nervous disorders and spasms, relieve cramps, normalize the work of the heart and relieve negative emotions has been known to people since the time of Pliny. Even then, lemon balm was used as an antibacterial agent in the treatment of wounds received on the battlefield.
The Arabs were the first to cultivate this plant; lemon balm came to northern Europe from Spain thanks to the Benedictine monks, who grew it in the monastery beds. Since that time, this herb is often referred to as lemon balm.
The era of the knights gave us. The famous medieval healer Paracelsus wrote about her as the elixir of life. He and not only he believed that lemon balm, boiled in wine, gives strength, vigor, prolongs youth and gives sharpness even to the most clouded mind.
The Elizabethan era made it fashionable to carry around all the time. "Tuss-mussi"- small bouquets, which included, in addition to lemon balm, other fragrant herbs. In this way, they tried to smooth out and disinfect the stench of the cities of that time with the help of fragrant plants.
Modern research confirms the beliefs of our ancestors. Essential oils of lemon balm have phytoncidal properties, in addition, this plant contains a large amount of vitamin C, acids (coffee, ursolic, oleanolic), carotene, tannins, copper, fatty oils. This composition determines medicinal properties lemon balm.
Herbalists and herbalists prescribe lemon balm for:
- rheumatism,
- dizziness
- decreased immunity,
- fainting
- insomnia
- skin rashes
- nervous exhaustion
- ulcers
- inflammation of the mucous membranes,
- hypertension and other diseases.
With wonderful healing properties, lemon balm has found wide application in cooking. This spice perfectly complements salads, drinks, soups and side dishes. Melissa goes well with fish, tomatoes, eggplants, mushrooms and cucumbers. When dry, this plant complements the scent of black pepper with lemon notes.
- - healthy recipes for dishes, teas and baths.
Growing lemon balm on a windowsill
V open ground this plant can be found both in cultivated form and in the wild practically throughout the entire European part of the Russian Federation, in the Caucasus and in the Crimea. In nature, lemon balm prefers shady areas of forest edges, wet gorges; in summer cottages, it feels good in the company of parsley or dill in open sunny areas.
Requirements for the habitat of room lemon balm
Based on the above, it is best to place a pot of lemon balm on a sunny windowsill(east, south and west), otherwise the leaves of the plant will not be so fragrant. Lack of illumination in winter period you will have to compensate with additional illumination in the form of a fluorescent lamp with a power in the range of 40-80 watts. Hang such a lamp 60 cm above the plant and turn it on in the morning for 6 hours. This mode will allow your lemon balm to form well-developed fragrant healing leaves.
Melissa does not like direct sunlight and draft. This heat-loving plant can sprout and can exist at a temperature of +10 degrees, but the temperature of +25 degrees is considered optimal for its germination and maintenance.
Soil requirements for room lemon balm
Melissa is not picky about soil, but it will be better if you provide it with a fertile substrate of neutral acidity with good water and air permeability. The seeds of this herb do not have good germination, therefore, the lighter the substrate, the better the lemon balm will feel in it. It is best to use perlite or vermiculite as a baking powder.
Ordinary garden soil or a mixture of turf soil, humus and sand in equal proportions can act as a nutritious soil mixture. The easiest way to get soil for lemon balm is to purchase a bag of ready-made soil mixture in the store called "Substrate for indoor plants"
Requirements for watering lemon balm at home
Watering should be regular, but without zeal, because waterlogging can lead to lemon balm diseases. Water not only the soil, but also spray the aerial parts of the plants with a spray bottle. Adult lemon balm is watered three times a week.
Fertilization
Top dressing is welcome, melissa is responsive to it... You can fertilize the substrate as organic ( eggshell, tea leaves) and liquid mineral fertilizers (superphosphate, potassium salt, ammonium sulfate). The plants should be fed after each cutting of the leaves, which can be done before flowering.
- You will be interested in:
Reproduction of lemon balm
Lemon balm can be propagated both by seeds and by young cuttings, dividing a bush or rhizomes.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
The easiest way to reproduce consists in the fact that in the first days of May or at the end of summer, during the periods when lemon balm shoots, the bush is carefully divided into parts and the cuttings are planted in a permanent place. This method allows the plant to grow rapidly and bloom in the first year.
Seed propagation and care
You can buy ready-made planting material or get hold of it on a friend, picking up well-developed lemon balm bushes with large foliage for seeds.
Seed harvesting is carried out from the end of August to the beginning of September. Cut off the stems from such plants with seed material, gather them in bunches, hang and dry in a dry, dark and ventilated area. After the bunches of seeds are dry, put them in a linen bag and thresh with a beater.
If you buy lemon balm seeds at the store, then choose darker seeds, they will give more friendly shoots.
For planting seeds, prepare containers (boxes, pots, containers), it will not hurt to pre-treat them with a solution of potassium permanganate. At the bottom, you should first lay out a drainage layer (expanded clay, clay shards, fine gravel, broken brick), and only then - the soil layer.
Considering that the seeds of this plant are small enough, sow them in a moist warm water the soil is either in spring or in autumn no more than 5 cm deep at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other. Water the soil again after planting.
Wait for seedlings of lemon balm no earlier than in a couple of weeks. Do not forget to moisturize planting every other day. It is not necessary to dive the lemon balm seedlings with the appearance of real leaves, but if the plants grow up together and begin to suppress each other, pull out the weakest of them.
When the plant grows stronger, and this should happen in a couple of months, they can be transplanted to a permanent place of residence. To do this, you can pick up immediately big pot or a long container. In order to enable lemon balm to form a full-fledged bush, place the seedlings in one row, and the distance between the bushes should be at least 15 cm.
Helpful advice
From May until the first autumn frosts, containers and pots with spicy herbs can be sent for the holidays -. Just provide in this case protection from heavy rain and wind gusts.
In the first year, do not expect flowers on young plants, as well as lush greenery. Indoor lemon balm does not grow more than half a meter. Since the value of lemon balm is in its foliage, pick off the buds as soon as they appear, but only if the height of the bush is at least 20 cm.
How to harvest lemon balm
It makes sense to harvest only in the second year until the lemon balm gives the first buds, it was during this period that the foliage contained the maximum amount of healing components. You can harvest as needed from already fully formed bushes (45 cm in height) 4 times per season. Moreover, cut the leaves at a height of 10 cm and above.
Healing raw materials can be dried in the form of small bunches in a dry place in a draft. You can lay out the leaves in one layer on parchment, metal grate or canvas and dry them on a loggia in dry weather, out of the reach of the sun.
After drying, put the prepared raw materials in glass jars and seal tightly with a lid. Raw materials must be stored for no more than a year, but it is better to use it in half a year, because after the lemon balm will lose most their aromatic properties... For the same reason, do not dry the lemon balm leaves in the oven. When storing, do not mix lemon balm leaves with other aromatic herbs.
Melissa needs:
- fertile soil;
- a lot of light;
- enough plentiful watering and spraying;
- systematic pruning;
- observance temperature regime(18-20 degrees);
- regular feeding.
A plant can grow in one place three to four years... After that, it requires renewal and transplantation. To keep the bush healthy and strong for several years, it is recommended to plant it in the spring.
Growing lemon balm on a windowsill is not a troublesome business. It feels great in a pot, like any houseplant. True, the lemon balm bush will be low, but lush and thick, if it has enough light, moisture and nutrients, that is, competent care for lemon balm is provided.
Melissa on the windowsill. Photo
V winter time growing lemon balm on the windowsill is not much different from the usual. Lack of sunlight will reduce the amount of greenery, change its color, but not affect the quality.
Breeding new lemon balm bushes
Let's figure out how to grow lemon balm from seeds and how to increase the amount of a favorite plant in other ways. This can be done in different ways:
- dividing the bush;
- layering;
- stem cuttings;
- lemon balm from seeds.
Division an adult bush is produced in the spring. For this root system freed from the earth, cut into several parts with buds and planted in a permanent place.
By using layering the plant is bred before flowering. Strong young shoots are bent to the ground with a staple, sprinkled with soil and await rooting. Two weeks later, a new bush is cut off with a pruner and transplanted into a pot or open ground to a new location. 
Cuttings used at the first stage of breeding lemon balm, in the absence of an adult bush on personal plot... The tops of the acquired plants are cut off and placed in a container with water. When roots form on the branches, they are planted in the ground and placed in a dark place. After the appearance of green shoots, the plants are brought out into the light.
Growing lemon balm on a windowsill. Photo
How to grow lemon balm from seed? This process takes time and patience. But the quality of the green mass of lemon balm from seeds will be excellent.
To grow an adult bush, lemon balm seeds treated with potassium permanganate are sown in the ground to a depth of 1-2 centimeters, tightly covered and placed in a warm place.
How to grow lemon balm. Photo
The emerging seedlings are transplanted into well-moistened, drained soil.
For this purpose, use a large container for a permanent place of plant life or small cups.
Dive shoots of lemon balm from seeds should be after the formation of two to four leaves. In about one and a half to two months, lemon balm from seeds will delight you with juicy fragrant greens.
Melissa twins. What can be confused with
Melissa is often confused with other plants. These twins include:
- catnip
- snakehead moldavian.
Let's try to understand their differences.
Melissa is called "lemon mint" by many. In fact, these plants have nothing in common, except for external similarities. mint and medicinal perennial lemon balm.
The herb called " catnip"Can also be mistaken for lemon balm. The similar smell of these plants is misleading. In order not to confuse lemon balm with "catnip", you should get acquainted with the fundamental differences between them.
- The scent of lemon balm is delicate, reminiscent of the scent of lemon. The cattleman, on the other hand, smells rather harsh.
- White lemon balm flowers are located in the axils of the plant, and blue inflorescences catnip - at the top of the shoot.
- Rounded lemon balm leaves are even at the edges, and oblong catnip leaves are serrated.
- Lemon balm seeds are elongated, and catnip seeds are rounded.
Catnip grows everywhere. This herb is used for cooking and beauty products. She possesses medicinal properties: improves appetite, cures cough, relieves worms.
Moldavian snakehead or "Turkish lemon balm" - an annual plant found in Western Siberia and in the southern regions of Russia. The essential oils found in snakehead greens are reminiscent of the scent of lemon balm. But its smell is stronger and more pungent. Turkish lemon balm is a favorite of bees and an excellent sedative.
In order not to be mistaken and plant exactly what you need on your site, carefully study the inscription on the package with seeds when buying. For example, lemon balm in translation into Latin language called Melissa officinalis, catnip - Npeta catria, Moldavian snakehead - Dracocphalum moldavica.
Choosing the right sort of lemon balm
There are several known varieties of this extraordinary spicy herbs... Each lemon balm has its own individual characteristics, differs in odor shades, leaf shape, bush size, flowering period. The most beloved varieties include several varieties:
- upright;
- Tsaritsinskaya;
- pearl;
- lime;
- lemon;
- freshness.
Melissa s nice name"Pure gold" is less common. This variety has an unusual light yellow color of leaves, covered with fine villi, shimmering in the light of sunlight.
Variegated lemon balm gets its name from the dark, golden-streaked color of the leaves. The herb of this variety has a strong smell and unpretentious character. It can be grown both outdoors and at home.
How to use lemon balm
The range of uses for lemon grass or lemon balm is quite wide. This is due to its composition. Lemon balm leaves contain essential oils, organic acids. They are rich in vitamin "C", various microelements: zinc, copper, potassium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium.
This unpretentious herb has found wide application in medicine. It provides relief from a number of serious medical conditions:
- Saves from irritability and nervousness, restores sleep.
- Recommended for heart disease and vascular spasms.
- Treats cancer.
- Relieves headaches by improving blood circulation to the brain.
- Contributes to the normalization of blood pressure.
- Helps to cope with colds: relieves sore throat, relieves cough.
- It is prescribed to improve digestion for people suffering from gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis.
- Eliminates increased gas production, constipation, malfunctioning of the pancreas.
- It removes toxins from the body, having a diuretic and diaphoretic effect.
- Reduces toothache, disinfects the oral cavity, relieving inflammation.
- Part of diet food helping to lose weight.
Melissa is an irreplaceable remedy for maintaining the health of the female body. It relieves pain during menstruation, helps to cope with toxicosis during pregnancy, and stimulates milk production during breastfeeding.
Cook remedies from lemon balm is not difficult at all.
Can be done infusion from the green shoots of the plant. To do this, pour the chopped lemon balm leaves (20 grams) with boiling water (1 liter), seal tightly and infuse for twenty minutes.
To prepare decoction from this healing herb, two tablespoons are boiled in one liter of water for 15-20 minutes. Then remove from heat and let it brew for half an hour. Such a decoction is advised to drink four times a day, especially for patients with asthma and anemia.
Some people add lemon balm leaves to regular tea, mixing the drink with a little honey. It turns out to be an excellent prophylactic agent against viruses and colds.
If there are no lemon balm leaves at hand, you can successfully use the ready-made essential oil plants. A few drops in the bathtub or scented lamp will help you calm down and sound asleep.
Growing lemon balm on summer cottage or on your windowsill, preparing a dried product, you provide yourself healthy drink which can be consumed all year round, strengthening health, prolonging youth and preserving beauty.
Melissa found her place in cooking. It is added to drinks and salads. As a seasoning used in the preparation of first courses, stewing fish, meat, mushrooms. Cabbage and cucumbers are fermented with it, various sauces and marinades are made. Due to its delicate aroma and spicy taste, lemon balm is analogous to black or allspice.
Lemon balm essential oil is widely used in cosmetology. It allows you to solve the problem of oily hair, destroys dandruff. It is enough to mix shampoo with a few drops of oil when washing your hair, and your hair will look great again. Thanks to its disinfecting and antibacterial properties, lemon balm oil cleanses the skin of acne and blackheads.
Lemon balm contraindications
Melissa is a useful plant and has almost no contraindications. And yet, some points related to its use are worth paying attention to:
- Do not abuse the use of infusion, broth, lemon balm tea for men. This can lead to an undesirable decrease in sexual activity.
- It is not recommended to drink drinks containing this herb before a responsible event, meeting, exam. Excessive calmness and insufficient response can adversely affect the outcome of the event.
- Treatment with lemon balm should be abandoned in case of individual intolerance or persistent hypotension.
In all other cases, lemon balm will benefit your body, prolonging and improving the quality of life.
Melissa on the windowsill. Video
The origin of the name of the unsightly software outward appearance but fragrant and rich useful properties plants shrouded in legends. According to one version, the name is formed by two Greek words, translated as “ honey bee"; Melissa is the name of a nymph who treated Zeus himself with milk and honey; according to another version, the beauty, turned into a bee by the will of the gods of Olympus, was called Melissa.
Melissa is a good honey plant, thanks to which the people received such nicknames as honey, queen bee, bee, swarm. You recognize the plant by its strong lemon scent, which is another name for it - lemon mint. Other names: censer, lemon mint, mint, bee mint.
When melissa blooms
Melissa begins to bloom in its second year of growth. The flowering period of lemon balm falls in July-August. Before flowering, the plant smells of lemon scent, after flowering, the aroma becomes sharp.
When to plant
Lemon balm propagation by dividing the bush
You can divide the bushes 3-4 years old - by this time they will grow well. The most favorable terms for division are the end of May or the end of August. Dig out the bush carefully and divide it into approximately equal-sized pieces, each of which should contain formed roots and 4-5 shoots. Plant the plots directly into the open ground. Provide straining and moderate watering to help them thrive.
Propagation by cuttings
For spring rooting, cut from young shoots. After cutting, place in water, you can add a growth stimulant. The roots will appear in about 2 weeks. Grow in a container with nutritious, loose soil, then transplant outdoors.
Melissa propagates easily by cuttings, and if you do not want to disturb old bushes, just cut the cuttings and root to quickly get excellent planting material.
Lemon balm outdoor care
There is no difficulty in planting and caring for lemon balm - it is unpretentious, care does not require any special specifics.
Weeding and loosening the soil
In the first year after, more attention will be required. Young plants have not yet matured, they can easily be destroyed by weeds. It is better to pull the weeds by hand. Loosen the soil regularly to provide oxygen to the root system. Successful rooting will have a beneficial effect on further development lemon balm and yield.
Watering
Water sparingly during the early stages of growth. Adult plants are watered only during severe drought, while irrigation is complemented by loosening the soil. A layer of mulch will help keep the soil moist for longer and prevent weeds. Use humus or compost as mulch for additional fertilization.
How to feed
It is enough to feed the lemongrass once a season - at the beginning of the growing season. Apply complex mineral fertilizers(The proportions per 10 liters of water are 50 g of superphosphate, 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 15 g of potassium chloride, consumption per 1 m²). In order for the plant to successfully overwinter, at the end of summer with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.
Pruning
Don't be afraid to trim the lemon balm. After trimming, it quickly recovers, gives a large number of new branches, the bushes become thick. This will collect good harvest, also neat cute bushes will decorate the site. Even when growing seedlings, pinch the shoots at a height of 10-15 cm. In the future, two or three times a season, the bushes are radically: at a distance of 10 cm above the soil surface.
Wintering lemon balm in the Moscow region and the middle lane
To protect the roots of lemon balm from freezing, in the fall, mulch the soil surface with peat, compost and humus. Cover additionally with a thick layer of straw.
Melissa transplant
Lemon balm bushes can grow in one place for about 1 decade. At the same time, it was noted that frost resistance decreases from the 6th year of growth. Therefore, in the conditions middle lane In Russia, it is better to transplant lemon balm with dividing the bush every 5 years.
Harvesting and storage
Regarding the question of when to cut lemon balm for drying, everyone decides for himself. Melissa is capable of producing 3-4 crops per season. In June, young leaves have a delicate taste and aroma - at this time you can already harvest. With the onset of flowering, concentration essential oils maximum, due to which the aroma is enhanced, but the leaves become more rigid.
Leaves and tops of lemon balm shoots, collected during flowering, are medicinal raw materials. It is officially recognized in over a dozen countries. Gourmets also prefer to harvest lemon balm at this time. Lemon balm's ability to quickly recover allows harvesting before and during flowering.
For collection, it is better to choose a cloudy day when the evaporation of beneficial essential oils is minimal. Dry in the shade at an air temperature of no more than 35 ° C, ventilation is necessary. To dry, lay the raw material on paper or cloth, you can use cold dryers. After drying, store in glass jars with well-closing lid, porcelain containers, can be folded into plastic bag... The shelf life is two years.
Useful properties of lemon balm
Melissa can be called a dream come true for the most sophisticated gourmets: she combines citrus aroma and subtle honey notes. It gives a tonic, refreshing taste to dishes. Fresh or dried, lemon balm is added to hot dishes (be it meat, fish or soup), to mushrooms, salads are seasoned with spices, and is also used in pickling cucumbers and tomatoes. An incredibly aromatic and healthy tea, a refreshing summer drink or liqueur can be made from this herb.
Melissa can be called a universal remedy. Since ancient times, the plant has been used to treat diseases of the stomach, liver, gall bladder. It is an excellent sedative for nervous disorders, hysteria, insomnia, lemon balm tea helps relieve headaches and dizziness. Currently, lemon balm is used in the complex treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous and cardiovascular systems, diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Melissa also helps the female body with various diseases genital tract, hormonal disruptions, menstrual irregularities.
Melissa varieties with photo name and description
Consider the best varieties lemon balm for growing in a personal plot.
Lemon tea - flowering 80 days after sowing, white flowers. The yield is 2.9 kg per 1 m².
Mojito - white flowers appear 5 months after sowing. More than 3 kg of crop can be harvested from 1 m².
Freshness - bushes about 80 cm high with blue flowers. For two cuts, 4.3 kg of young shoots and leaves can be harvested. Suitable for growing on farms and in personal plots.
Lada - very productive variety(yield of dry matter 34 c / ha), grown on an industrial scale.
Pearl - the variety is suitable for growing in all winter hardiness zones. The yield reaches 5.6 kg per 1 m².
Lemon balm - blooms 2.5 months after germination. Stems are semi-lying, flowers are purple. Productivity - 3 kg.
Dozia is a plant with a height of 0.9 m with dark green leaves and snow-white flowers. From the second year of growth, the yield of green mass is 3.4 kg.
Quadrille - each bush gives no more than 15 shoots, the yield is up to 1.5 kg per 1 m². Flowers of a light lilac shade bloom in 80 days.
Lemon aroma is an excellent variety for gardening. The height of the bushes is 60 cm, which is convenient for growing in a container as well. The plant gives a yield of 1.2 kg per 1 m².
Tsaritsynskaya Semko - erect, branched stem, shoots densely covered with small leaves. The yield is over 2 kg.
Isidora is a plant up to 0.8 m high. The first crop can be harvested 2 months after germination. Productivity - up to 3.5 kg per 1 m².
A modest plant, exuding a pleasant lemon scent, has long attracted the attention of true fans of greenery. Therefore, the cultivation of lemon balm in the backyard is an interesting lesson for gardeners. After all, this plant is famous not only for its heady smell. It miraculously decorates the backyard in the country, is used as a remedy and seasoning for some dishes. 
Melissa is added to intoxicating drinks, tea, and even when canning vegetables. It is not surprising that many are interested in how to plant lemon balm in the country in order to appreciate all its advantages. But first, let's take a closer look at this cute green beauty.
Lemon balm teas and decoctions have a beneficial effect on digestive system; help to cope with migraines and insomnia; lower blood pressure; calm the nerves.
Meet the green queen of the front garden
Melissa is a herbaceous perennial that belongs to the Lamb family. In its natural environment, it is found practically throughout Eurasia, as well as in the northern part of the American continent. It grows:
- among the bushes;
- along the banks of rivers;
- on forest edges;
- on rocky slopes;
- along the steppe roads.
Its homeland is the Mediterranean, where it is considered an unsightly weed. Despite this, in Ancient rome experienced gardeners everywhere engaged in the cultivation of lemon balm in their personal plots. This is what contributed to its spread throughout the continent. The name of the perennial is associated with many legends. In agreement with herself popular version Melissa is the name of the girl who is wicked Greek gods turned into an insect. And translated into Russian, the name means "honey bee". Whichever version is correct, this does not prevent fans of green spaces from growing lemon balm in their summer cottage.
Looking at the plant from the side, one can note its excellent features:
- branched root system;
- many lush shoots with rectangular section directed in different directions;
- plant height reaches over 1 meter;
- intoxicating citrus scent.
If you look closely at the leaf plates, unusual fleshy specimens are revealed. They are strewn with many thin veins located in the background relief surface... The edges of the ovate opposite leaves are decorated with serrations. The tips are slightly elongated, which gives them an unprecedented beauty. All of them are colored bright green and covered with barely noticeable villi.
In the second year after planting, in the middle of summer, buds of an umbrella character appear on the tips of slender stems. Being in the leaf axils, snow-white or blue inflorescences look original against the background of a lush bush. Due to the elongated lower petals, the buds have an asymmetric shape, in the center of which there is a pistil surrounded by 4 stamens. 
About 30 days after pollination, fruits appear in the form of egg-shaped nuts. They are covered with a dense, shiny black crust. Inside the fruit there are 4 seeds that remain viable for about 3 years.
When buying seed, you should take into account the fact that 60 g contains more than 1500 seeds.
Growing lemon balm at their summer cottage: the main points of planting
To achieve success in your business, it is important to focus on the following points:
- plant relation to lighting;
- type of soil;
- perennial planting technology on the site.
Based on this, first we will figure out where to plant lemon balm in the garden so that it will successfully take root. It has been observed that the plant loves open spaces where there is a lot of sunshine. It is grown in front gardens, on the outskirts of vegetable gardens, orchards and among low ones. 
Although lemon balm is not afraid of the cold, it is still better to plant it on the south side of the territory.
The plant feels comfortable in places where there is protective structure from cold gusty winds. This could be a building, a fence, or other plants.
Perennial prefers fertile land with availability. The best option- plant lemon balm in loamy soil. She wonderfully permeates water and air, which is vital for her development. If on suburban area heavy soil prevails, it is diluted river sand and fertilized with humus or mineral additives. It is best to do this in the fall, so that aromatic grass will appear in the yard next season.
Since the plant is considered universal, the sowing time of lemon balm depends on climatic conditions territory where it will grow. Therefore, gardeners suggest the following periods:
- from early March to May;
- June - mid-August;
- end of October (before the onset of frost, so that seedlings do not appear).
As you know, the seeds of a plant are very small. This directly influences how to plant lemon balm for the best results. There are several basic rules:
- sowing is done in warm soil;
- the depth of the holes does not exceed 1.5 cm;
- sparse planting of seeds.
In the prepared area, grooves are made, slightly moistened, planting material is placed and sprinkled with earth. Such simple technology allows you to grow a fragrant perennial at their summer cottage. Since the sprouts will appear only after a month, novice gardeners may wonder why lemon balm does not sprout for so long. In fact, you just need a little patience to wait for the first shoots.
In order for the perennial to take root well on the site, the sprouts should be thinned out. The distance between them should be approximately 40 cm.
Some people think: if a perennial is unpretentious, then it does not need special attention... However, only the application of advice on how to care for lemon balm opens the way to magnificent landscaping of the site.
Thorough weeding of the soil
In order for young seedlings to develop quickly, gardeners carefully monitor the appearance of weeds. Usually they are pulled out by hand. After that, the soil is carefully weeded, providing the plant's root system with a fresh portion of oxygen. When it hardens, the procedure is performed several times a season.
Basic principles of watering
Lemon balm planting rules and outdoor care are not complete without proper moisture. At the initial stage, the seedlings are watered in small portions so that they gain strength and take root. Adult lemon balm needs water only during the heat of summer. Each procedure is accompanied by weeding of the topsoil. Some gardeners advise spreading around the plant. As a result, moisture will be preserved and there will be no weeds. To do this, use compost or humus, which will simultaneously fertilize the soil.
Competent pruning
Since lemon balm is a branchy bush, it is not afraid of the planned removal of branches. On the contrary, after such a procedure, many young shoots appear, which turn the plant into a lush green ball.
Novice gardeners should readily apply the advice of experts on growing and caring for lemon balm. As a result, she will be able to delight her owners for about 10 years. Its fragrant foliage is an excellent remedy for treating diseases and promoting health.
Features of growing lemon balm - video