Lemon balm is a popular kitchen and medicinal herb that doesn't really need much care. However, there are a few points that hobby gardeners should keep in mind.
It is not without reason that lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is popular - it can not only be used as a versatile and effective medicinal and useful plant, but also serves as so-called pasture for bees and thus helps to prevent bee mortality.Used as a balcony plant and garden plant, Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is a pretty sight, but it also spreads quickly. What appeals to many people is that lemon balm is not very demanding on its surroundings - so you can plant it almost anywhere, in any soil and trust that it will grow well. The plant spreads quickly and also grows up to one meter high - which is why it is important to know about the correct care and use of the practical plant.
| Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) | |
|---|---|
| Flowering: | June to August |
| Growth: | 40 - 80 cm |
| Growth: | 40 - 50 cm |
| Usage: | Herb bed, open land, wooded edge |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | permeable, loamy-sandy, stony |
Uses of Lemon Balm
When it comes to using lemon balm, there are a few things to remember about the plant. The plant, which originally grows wild in southern Europe, can be used very well for cooking and refining food and drinks, but also has healing properties.
Lemon balm in the kitchen
Whether fresh or dried, lemon balm not only enchants in the kitchen with its delicate lemon scent, but also with a fresh, lemony and even tart taste, which many people rely on in various dishes. For example, lemon balm can be used for the following purposes when preparing drinks and food:
- for preparing or refining tea
- fortaste refinement of hot and cold drinks such as lemonade
- for seasoning various dishes
- as an addition to salads and to refine vegetable platters
- as a flavor supplier for fish and sauces
- for refining various desserts, such as cakes or jellies
As you can see, the popular lemon balm has a wide range of uses. The scent and good taste of lemon balm is often the main reason for many gardeners and balcony owners to buy the herb in the first place - but over time they are usually also convinced of the growth, the easy care of the plant and its healing effects.
Lemon balm as a medicinal plant
Lemon balm, which is very easy to keep, is not only distinguished in the kitchen - it is also considered a very versatile and useful herb in medicine, which everyone should plant in their garden or on the balcony. What has tended to be forgotten by many people today is now being researched and appreciated more and more - because many people want to consciously turn away from medication and prefer to use natural home remedies in everyday life.
With Hildegard von Bingen at the latest, lemon balm became known and popular here as a medicinal plant or herb. It can be given in the form of a concentrated tea, brewed from either fresh or well-dried leaves of the herb. The difference: Fresh lemon balm leaves taste much more intense and lemony, and also emit a pleasant, fresh scent - dried lemon balm leaves, on the other hand, taste and smell a little less intense, but can be stored for a long time.
Common Uses of Lemon Balm
- Tea for any gastrointestinal complaints, such as indigestion or abdominal pain
- Tea as a sedative for nervousness, stress and insomnia or anxiety
- Lemon balm tea to help with morning sickness, general nausea or flatulence and diarrhea
- Tea as a remedy for abdominal cramps and menstrual cramps
- Remedy for loss of appetite
Many people also consider lemon balm to be a real miracle cure for colds and flu. In the case of fever and cough, the antiviral plant can not only calm and relieve symptoms, but also help you sleep more peacefully and recover faster. If you have a very strong reaction to insect bites, lemon balm can also be used as an aid on the skin.This is done either with the help of a tea infusion as a bandage, or by applying the grated, fresh leaves of the plant.
If you want, you can also use the lemon balm in a long steam bath. For this purpose, the dried leaves of lemon balm are simply added to the bath water. Here, the herb has a relaxing effect and promotes a deep, he althy sleep at night - so that people who are often stressed benefit from it.
Good harvest thanks to good care
As you can see, there are a multitude of reasons to buy lemon balm. Whether purely for cooking and serving delicious food and drinks or as a medicinal herb for the home pharmacy - it's really no wonder that many gardeners insist on the lemon balm. In order for the healing leaves to be harvested several times a year and to be very successful, the plant should be cared for according to its needs and the leaves should not only be harvested properly, but also stored. We describe how to do this below.
Lemon balm - water, fertilize and overwinter
One thing in advance: The lemon balm is a very undemanding plant that basically gets along well on its own once it has been planted. Since good care promises a better harvest, it certainly doesn't hurt to make an effort with care.
Fertilize lemon balm
In terms of fertiliser, for example, it is not necessary to supply many additional nutrients, especially with potted plants. It is enough if you work a little compost into the potting soil. Once the plant has been planted in the garden, you can fertilize it lightly in spring and autumn or work some compost into the permeable soil around it.
Pouring lemon balm
Although lemon balm does not like waterlogging, regular watering should definitely be used to ensure constant moisture. However, the soil must not become firm and very wet, so it is important to loosen it from time to time so that moisture can escape. Only young lemon balm plants may be watered a little more frequently.
Winter lemon balm
For overwintering, gardeners only need to take measures if the lemon balm is in a pot or tub: A covering of fleece or brushwood around the pot and the plant prevents the roots from dying off in the event of frost. If you want, you can also bring the plant inside for the winter.
Lemon Balm Leaf Harvest
If you want, you can use the fresh lemon balm leaves almost all year round. However, if these are to be stored for all eventualities, the leaves and stems must be separated and put together to form a kind of bouquet. A simple band around the stems helps keep the stems and leaves compact together. Now each small bouquet is hung up with the stems up - i.e. upside down. This requires a dark, dry and well-ventilated place, such as the basement or pantry. If the leaves have dried sufficiently after a few weeks, they can be cut up into small pieces for a spice, for example, and stored in an old, cleaned spice jar.