Indoor lemon balm: rules for growing on a windowsill. Melissa

March madness is exactly how the first calendar month of spring is perceived by those who grow seedlings of their favorite vegetables themselves. In March, they sow their favorite tomatoes and peppers, carry out the first sowings in the greenhouse, and even sow vegetables in the beds. Growing seedlings require not only timely planting, but also a lot of care. But the troubles are not limited to her. It is worth continuing to sow in greenhouses and on window sills, because fresh greens from the beds will not appear so soon.

As spring approaches, indoor plants gradually emerge from dormancy and begin to grow. After all, already in February the days become noticeably longer, and the sun warms up like spring. How to help flowers wake up and prepare them for the growing season? What do you need to pay attention to and what measures should you take to keep your plants healthy, blooming, multiplying and making you happy? We’ll talk about what indoor plants expect from us in the spring in this article.

One of the most important rules growing strong and healthy seedlings- presence of the “correct” soil mixture. Typically, gardeners use two options for growing seedlings: either a purchased soil mixture or one made independently from several components. In both cases, the fertility of the soil for seedlings is, to put it mildly, questionable. This means that the seedlings will require additional nutrition from you. In this article we will talk about simple and effective fertilizers for seedlings.

After a decade of catalog dominance by original variegated and colorful tulip varieties, trends began to change. At exhibitions best designers world offer to remember the classics and pay homage to the charming white tulips. Sparkling under the warm rays spring sun, they look especially festive in the garden. Welcoming spring after a long wait, tulips seem to remind us that white is not only the color of snow, but also the joyful celebration of flowering.

Despite the fact that cabbage is one of the most popular vegetables, not all summer residents, especially beginners, can grow its seedlings. In apartment conditions they are hot and dark. High-quality seedlings in this case it is impossible to obtain. And without strong, healthy seedlings it is difficult to count on good harvest. Experienced gardeners know that it is better to sow cabbage seedlings in greenhouses or greenhouses. And some even grow cabbage by direct sowing seeds in the ground.

Flower growers tirelessly discover new indoor plants, replacing some with others. And here the conditions of a particular room are of no small importance, because plants have different requirements for their maintenance. Lovers of beauty often face difficulties flowering plants. After all, in order for flowering to be long and abundant, such specimens require special care. There are not very many unpretentious plants blooming in rooms, and one of these is streptocarpus.

Chicken cordon bleu rolls with béchamel sauce is an excellent dish for festive table and daily meals! It’s easy and quick to prepare, it turns out juicy, and the thick bechamel sauce is finger-licking good! WITH mashed potatoes, pickled cucumber and a slice of fresh bread will make a hearty and tasty dinner. Choose the cheese for this recipe according to your taste, processed or blue mold. It is important that the cheese and ham are sliced very thin, this is the secret of success!

Calendula (marigold) is a flower that stands out among others with its bright color. Low bushes with delicate orange inflorescences can be found on the side of the road, in the meadow, in the front garden next to the house or even in vegetable beds. Calendula is so widespread in our area that it seems like it has always grown here. About interesting decorative varieties calendula, as well as about the use of calendula in cooking and medicine, read our article.

I think many will agree that the wind is well perceived by us only in the romantic aspect: we are sitting in a cozy warm home, and the wind is raging outside the window... In fact, the wind blowing through our areas is a problem and there is nothing good about it. By creating windbreaks with the help of plants, we break the strong wind into several weak currents and significantly weaken it destructive force. How to protect a site from the wind will be discussed in this article.

Making a shrimp and avocado sandwich for breakfast or dinner couldn't be easier! This breakfast contains almost everything necessary products, which will recharge you with energy so that you won’t want to eat until lunch, without adding extra centimeters to your waist. This is the most delicious and light sandwich, after, perhaps, the classic cucumber sandwich. This breakfast contains almost all the necessary products that will recharge you with energy so that you won’t want to eat until lunch.

Modern ferns are those rare plants antiquities, which, despite the passage of time and all kinds of cataclysms, not only survived, but were also largely able to preserve their former appearance. Of course, it is not possible to grow any of the fern representatives indoors, but some species have successfully adapted to life indoors. They look great as single plants or decorate a group of decorative foliage flowers.

Pilaf with pumpkin and meat is Azerbaijani pilaf, which differs in the method of preparation from traditional oriental pilaf. All ingredients for this recipe are prepared separately. Rice is boiled with ghee, saffron and turmeric. The meat is fried separately until golden brown, and pumpkin slices as well. Separately prepare the onions and carrots. Then everything is placed in layers in a cauldron or thick-walled pan, a little water or broth is poured in and simmered over low heat for about half an hour.

Basil - a wonderful universal seasoning for meat, fish, soups and fresh salads - is well known to all lovers of Caucasian and Italian cuisine. However, upon closer inspection, basil turns out to be a surprisingly versatile plant. For several seasons now, our family has been happily drinking aromatic basil tea. In a flowerbed with perennials and in flowerpots with annual flowers, the bright spicy plant also found a worthy place.

Thuja or juniper - which is better? This question can sometimes be heard in garden centers and markets where these plants are sold. It is, of course, not entirely correct and correct. Well, it’s the same as asking what is better - night or day? Coffee or tea? Woman or man? Surely, everyone will have their own answer and opinion. And yet... What if you approach with an open mind and try to compare juniper and thuja according to certain objective parameters? Let's try.

Melissa is a perennial herb. Translated from Greek, the name of this plant sounds like “bee mint.” It is also called “lemon balm.” Melissa is used as a seasoning in salads, fish and meat dishes ah and as a medicinal plant with antispasmodic, analgesic, wound healing and sedative effects.

Planting lemon balm

Before planting lemon balm on your plot, you need to know that this plant does not tolerate damp, heavy soils and especially acidic soils. For planting, choose a sunny area, possibly with some shade. The soil on it should be light and fertile.

The area for planting is prepared in the fall by digging up the soil and adding organic and mineral fertilizers to it: per 1 sq. m - a bucket of humus, a glass wood ash and a tablespoon of complex mineral fertilizer. If the soil on your site is clayey, then additional river sand is added to it. Melissa is a fairly heat-loving crop, so it is better to grow it in high beds.

Planting lemon balm with seeds

Melissa can be propagated by dividing the bush and seeds. Seeds are either sown immediately in open ground, or for seedlings. Melissa seeds are small and take a very long time to germinate. From the moment of sowing until the appearance of the first shoots, about 28 days pass.

Seeds can be sown in open ground at the end of May, but due to the very long germination time, seedlings may not be seen among the grown weeds. That's why experienced gardeners It is advised to sow lemon balm seeds along with radish or lettuce seeds, that is, very early crops.

The seeds of lemon balm and, for example, radish are planted in different grooves, which are located close to each other at a depth of 1 cm and in no case deeper, because lemon balm seeds are very demanding of light. By the time the lemon balm seeds sprout, the radishes are already ripe, the root crops can be carefully pulled out of the soil and the lemon balm can then be grown.

Lemon balm: growing seedlings from seeds

Melissa seedlings are sown at the end of March in containers and pots. Seeds are prepared in the same way as for sowing in open ground. Next, moisten the soil mixture in containers and sow the seeds to a maximum depth of 0.5 cm. The seeds germinate at a temperature of 20 degrees, in sufficiently moist soil and in good sunlight.

When the seedlings have their first true leaf, the seedlings are thinned out, leaving a distance of 3 cm between the plants. After a month, the seedlings can be planted in open ground in holes at a distance of at least 40 cm, since lemon balm loves space and can grow in one place for up to 10 years.

Lemon balm: cultivation

Caring for lemon balm is not difficult because it unpretentious plant, and if its growth is not limited, lemon balm becomes like a weed. Basic recommendations - loosening the soil and good watering, especially in dry hot weather. Typically, lemon balm is watered twice a week with a water consumption of 10 liters per 1 square meter. m.

Every spring, lemon balm needs to be fed - add 0.5 liters of mullein and a spoonful of complex mineral fertilizer to 1 bucket of water. This feeding will be enough for the entire growing season. For the winter, it is advisable to cover the lemon balm by covering the bush with humus or peat and covering it with fallen leaves on top.

The birthplace of this spice plant are Mediterranean forests. However, in our latitudes, summer residents have excellently learned to grow lemon balm in their garden plots. But not only in dachas you will see this fragrant plant. More and more often you can find lemon balm on the windowsills of city apartments.

It’s very convenient to always have fresh spices on 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 lemony smell with honey notes; its name in Russian is translated from Latin as “bee leaves.” The fact is that the fragrant foliage of lemon balm is particularly attractive to bees. Some beekeepers even rub the leaves of this herb on their beehives to attract bees.

We most often find 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. The simple, serrate leaves of lemon balm have a lightish green color, and not very expressive flowers, located in the axils of the leaves, of a whitish-pink hue. The flowering period of the plant is late summer. Botanists classify lemon balm as a member of the Lamiaceae family.

Beneficial properties of lemon balm and its uses

The ability of this plant to smooth out nervous disorders and spasms, relieve convulsions, normalize heart function 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 monastic beds. Since that time, this herb has often been called lemon balm.

The era of knights gave us lemon balm tincture recipe. The famous medieval healer Paracelsus wrote about it as the elixir of life. He and others believed that lemon balm, boiled in wine, gives strength, vigor, prolongs youth and gives sharpness to even the most clouded mind.

The English of the Elizabethan era started the fashion of carrying “tuss-moussie” with them all the time - small bouquets that included, in addition to lemon balm, other fragrant herbs. This is the way they tried using aromatic plants smooth out and disinfect the stench of the then cities.

Modern research confirms the beliefs of our ancestors. Essential oils of lemon balm have phytoncidal properties; in addition, this plant contains large quantities vitamin C, acids (caffeic, 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.

Possessing wonderful healing properties, lemon balm is widely used in cooking. This spice perfectly complements salads, drinks, soups and side dishes. Melissa goes harmoniously with fish, tomatoes, eggplants, mushrooms and cucumbers. When dried, this plant complements the scent of black pepper well with lemon notes.

The use of lemon balm in medicine and cooking - healthy recipes dishes, teas and baths.

Growing lemon balm on a windowsill

IN open ground this plant can be found both in cultivated form and in the wild throughout almost the entire European part of the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and Crimea. In nature, lemon balm prefers shady areas of the edges, wet gorges; in dachas it feels good in the company of parsley or dill in open sunny areas.

Requirements for the habitat of indoor 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. You will have to compensate for the lack of illumination in winter with additional lighting in the form of fluorescent lamp power in the range of 40-80 W. Hang this lamp 60 cm above the plant and turn it on for 6 hours in the morning. This regime will allow your lemon balm to form well-developed aromatic healing leaves.

Melissa does not like direct sunlight or drafts. This heat-loving plant can sprout and can exist at a temperature of +10 degrees, but the optimal temperature for its germination and maintenance is considered to be +25 degrees.

Soil requirements for indoor 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, so the lighter the substrate, the better lemon balm will feel in it. It is best to use perlite or vermiculite as a leavening agent.

The role of a nutritious soil mixture can be ordinary garden soil or a mixture of turf soil, humus and sand in equal parts. The easiest way to get soil for lemon balm is to purchase a bag of ready-made soil mixture called “Substrate for indoor plants” in the store.

Requirements for watering lemon balm at home

Watering should be regular, but not too much, because waterlogging can lead to lemon balm diseases. Water not only the soil, but also spray the above-ground parts of the plants with a spray bottle. Adult lemon balm is watered three times a week..

Fertilizer application

Feeding is welcome, lemon balm is responsive to it. You can fertilize the substrate with either organic ( eggshell, tea leaves) and liquid mineral fertilizer (superphosphate, potassium salt, ammonium sulfate). Plants should be fed after each cutting of leaves, which can be done until flowering.

Melissa propagation

Melissa can be propagated either by seeds or by young cuttings, dividing the bush or rhizomes.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

The easiest way to reproduce consists in the fact that in early May or at the end of summer, during periods when lemon balm sprouts shoots, the bush is carefully divided into parts and the sections are planted in a permanent place. This method allows the plant to quickly grow and bloom in the first year.

Seed propagation and care

You can buy ready-made planting material or get it from a friend personal plot, selecting well-developed lemon balm bushes with large foliage for seeds.

Seed procurement is carried out from the end of August - beginning of September. Cut the stems with seed material from such plants, collect them in bunches, hang them and dry them in a dry, dark and ventilated room. After the bunches of seeds have dried, place them in a linen bag and thresh them using a mallet.

If you buy lemon balm seeds in a store, then choose darker seeds, they will give better germination.

To plant seeds, prepare containers (boxes, pots, containers); it would not hurt to pre-treat them with a solution of potassium permanganate. You should first lay out a drainage layer on the bottom (expanded clay, clay shards, fine gravel, broken brick), and only then - a layer of soil.

Considering that the seeds of this plant are quite small, sow them in a moistened warm water soil either in spring or autumn no more than 5 cm deep at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other. After planting, water the soil again.

Expect lemon balm to sprout no earlier than in a couple of weeks. Don’t forget to moisten the plantings every other day. There is no need to pick lemon balm seedlings once the true leaves appear, but if the plants sprout in a crowd and begin to suppress each other, pull out the weakest of them.

When the plants get 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 immediately select a large 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 - on a loggia or balcony. Just provide in this case protection from heavy rains and gusts of wind.

In the first year, don’t expect flowers on young plants, nor do you expect lush greenery. Indoor lemon balm does not grow above 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 prepare lemon balm

It makes sense to harvest only in the second year until the lemon balm produces its first buds, precisely during this period in the foliage maximum amount 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 spread the leaves in one layer on parchment, a metal grid or canvas and dry them on the loggia in dry weather, out of reach of the sun.

After drying, place the prepared raw materials in glass jars and seal tightly with a lid. Raw materials can be stored for no more than a year, but it’s better to use it half a year before, because after that the lemon balm will lose most their aroma properties. For the same reason, do not dry lemon balm leaves in the oven. When storing, do not mix lemon balm leaves with other aromatic herbs.

Elena Stepanskaya, © zakustom.ru

Reviews about growing lemon balm at home

Marusya, review
I always keep mint and parsley on the windowsill. I also have a treasure - Pavlova lemon. But it never occurred to me to grow lemon balm. We need to get some seeds somewhere. And where are they sold, tell me.

Kitty, answer
A neighbor at her dacha presented it to me, and I also saw them on display with seeds near the metro. I sowed it as a present in the fall, and now I couldn’t be more pleased, the bush has grown to cover half the window sill and I always have the leaves at hand, so I put them fresh in a teapot with ordinary tea leaves. It seems to me that you can grow anything on a windowsill!

Vitek, review
My mother grows both mint and lemon balm at the dacha and then dries them. The tea keeps us on currants, lemon balm and other spices all winter.

This is unique useful plant Can exist both in open ground and at home. If you follow the basic rules when caring for lemon balm, it will definitely delight you with abundant, fresh greens.

Melissa needs:

fertile soil;
a lot of light;
sufficiently abundant watering and spraying;
systematic pruning;
compliance temperature regime(18–20 degrees);
regular feeding.

A plant can grow in one place three to four years. After this, it requires updating and replanting. 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 task. It feels great in a pot, like any indoor plant. True, the lemon balm bush will be short, but lush and dense if it has enough light, moisture and nutrients, that is, proper care for the lemon balm is provided.

Melissa on the windowsill. Photo

IN winter time years, growing lemon balm on a windowsill is not much different from usual. Flaw sunlight will reduce the amount of greenery, change its color, but will not affect the quality.

We are growing new lemon balm bushes

Let's figure out how to grow lemon balm from seeds and how to increase the amount of your 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. To do this, the root system is freed from the ground, cut into several parts with buds and planted in a permanent place.

By using layering propagate the plant before flowering. Strong young shoots are bent to the ground with a bracket, sprinkled with soil and waited for rooting. After two weeks, cut off a new bush using pruning shears and transplant it into a pot or open ground in a new place.

Cuttings used at the first stage of lemon balm cultivation, in the absence of an adult bush on the plot. The tops of the purchased 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 green shoots appear, the plants are brought into the light.

Growing lemon balm on a windowsill. Photo

How to grow lemon balm from seeds? 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, covered tightly 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 the plant’s permanent place of residence or small cups.

Lemon balm shoots should be picked from seeds after two to four leaves have formed. In about one and a half to two months, lemon balm from seeds will delight you with juicy, aromatic greens.

Melissa twins. What can be confused with

Melissa is often confused with other plants. Similar twins include:

catnip
Moldavian snakehead.

Let's try to understand their differences.

Many people call lemon balm "lemon balm." In fact, these plants have nothing in common except for their external similarity 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 become familiar with the fundamental differences between them.

The scent of lemon balm is delicate, reminiscent of lemon. Catnip smells quite strongly.
White lemon balm flowers are located in the axils of the plant, and blue catnip inflorescences are located in the upper part of the shoot.
The rounded leaves of lemon balm are smooth at the edges, and the oblong leaves of catnip are jagged.
Melissa seeds have an elongated shape, while catnip seeds have a round shape.

Catnip grows everywhere. This herb is used in cooking and cosmetic products. She has medicinal properties: improves appetite, treats cough, gets rid of worms.

Moldavian snakehead or "Turkish lemon balm" - annual plant, found in Western Siberia and the southern regions of Russia. The essential oils contained in snakehead greens resemble the aroma of lemon balm. But its smell is stronger and pungent. Turkish lemon balm is a favorite of bees and an excellent sedative.

In order not to make a mistake and plant exactly what is needed on your plot, when purchasing, carefully study the inscription on the package of seeds. For example, lemon balm translated into Latin language called Melissa officinalis, catnip - Npeta catria, Moldavian snakehead - Dracocphalum moldavica.

Choosing the right variety of lemon balm

There are several varieties of this unusual spicy herb. Each variety of lemon balm has its own individual characteristics, differs in shades of smell, leaf shape, bush size, flowering period. The most popular varieties include several varieties:

erect;
Tsaritsynskaya;
pearl;
lime;
lemon;
freshness.

Melissa with beautiful name“pure gold” is less common. This variety has an unusual light yellow color of leaves covered with thin fibers that shimmer in the light of the sun's rays.

Variegated lemon balm gets its name from the dark color of its leaves with golden veins. The grass of this variety has a strong odor and unpretentious character. It can be grown both in open ground and at home.

How to use lemon balm

The range of uses of lemongrass or lemon balm is quite wide. This is explained by its composition. Melissa leaves contain essential oils and organic acids. They are rich in vitamin C, various microelements: zinc, copper, potassium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium.

This unpretentious herb is widely used in medicine. It brings relief for a number of serious diseases:

Relieves irritability and nervousness, restores sleep.
Recommended for heart disease and vascular spasms.
Treats oncological diseases.
Removes headache, improving blood circulation to the brain.
Helps normalize blood pressure.
Helps cope with colds: reduces sore throat, relieves cough.
Prescribed to improve digestion for people suffering from gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis.
Relieves increased gas formation, constipation, and disruption of the pancreas.
Removes toxins from the body, having a diuretic and diaphoretic effect.
Reduces toothache, disinfects the oral cavity, relieving inflammatory processes.
It is part of a diet that helps you lose weight.

Melissa is an indispensable remedy for maintaining health. female body. It relieves pain during menstruation, helps cope with toxicosis during pregnancy, and stimulates milk production during breastfeeding.

Prepare healing agents lemon balm is quite easy.

Can be done infusion from green shoots of a plant. To do this, pour crushed lemon balm leaves (20 grams) with boiling water (1 liter), seal tightly and leave for twenty minutes.

To prepare decoction of this healing herb, boil two tablespoons in one liter of water for 15-20 minutes. Then remove from the heat and let it brew for half an hour. This decoction is recommended to be drunk 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 small amount of honey. It turns out to be an excellent preventative against viruses and colds.

If you don’t have lemon balm leaves on hand, you can successfully use ready-made essential oil plants. A few drops in the bath or aroma lamp will help you calm down and fall asleep soundly.

Growing lemon balm on summer cottage or on your windowsill, preparing a dried product, you provide yourself with a healthy drink that you can consume all year round, strengthening health, prolonging youth and preserving beauty.

Melissa has found its place in cooking. It is added to drinks and salads. It is used as a seasoning when preparing first courses, stewing fish, meat, and mushrooms. Cabbage and cucumbers are fermented with it, and various sauces and marinades are made. Thanks to its delicate aroma and spicy taste, lemon balm serves as an analogue to black or allspice.

Melissa essential oil is widely used in cosmetology. It solves the problem oily hair, destroys dandruff. When washing your hair, it is enough to mix the shampoo with a few drops of oil, and your hair will look great again. Thanks to its disinfectant and antibacterial properties, lemon balm oil cleanses the skin of pimples and blackheads.

Melissa contraindications

Melissa is a useful plant and has almost no contraindications. Still, some points related to its use are worth paying attention to:

Men should not overuse lemon balm infusion, decoction, or tea. This may lead to an unwanted decrease in sexual activity.
It is not recommended to drink drinks containing this herb before an important event, meeting, or exam. Excessive calm and insufficient reaction can have a detrimental effect on the outcome of the event.
You should refuse treatment with lemon balm 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

Melissa officinalis is the full botanical name of the plant. Popularly known by the names: lemon grass, lemon balm, bee mint, citron melissa. Planting and propagating it is not difficult if you know its structural features and preferences for growing conditions. In the article we will tell you how to grow lemon balm at home, how to plant it, and what care rules gardeners need to follow.

Growing lemon balm at home on a windowsill

Requirements for soil and fertilizers when planting

Gardeners have long sown seeds, propagated by dividing rhizomes and taken cuttings. Flower growers loved the fragrant lemon balm so much that they began to grow it as a houseplant in pots. Not surprising, because it is not only aromatic, but also healthy. Its greatest advantage is essential oils.

Scientists say that their quantity depends on the conditions in which it is grown. On poor soils - 0.02%, on rich soils - 0.8%, in some varieties - 0.14%. The difference is obvious. No doubt to get greatest benefit the plant needs to be taken care of. Plant soil for lemon balm is a soil mixture in which:

On sandy soils it quickly dries out from lack of moisture and nutrients; on heavy, wet loams it is affected by fungal infections and dies. Soils with high acidity require neutralization. Substances containing calcium cope with this task - slaked lime, chalk, crushed limestone, wood ash, crushed eggshells.

Tip #1. Before applying fertilizer, you need to determine the pH level. This can be done using a special device.

To increase the pH level by one scale unit, 200 g of slaked lime per 1 m2 of soil is required. To improve the aeration of heavy soils, coarse river sand is added to obtain light loam. For 1 m2 you need:

medium loam – 21 kg;
heavy loam – 43 kg;
light clay – 75 kg;
medium clay – 110 kg;
heavy clay – 121 kg.

Verified folk method- this is the introduction organic fertilizers based on:

Dry bird droppings are diluted 400 g per 10 liters of water and applied to 1 m2.
Rotted horse manure - 3 buckets per 1 m2.
Compost – 3 kg per 1 m2.

Before planting, the applied fertilizers and sand are thoroughly mixed to a homogeneous mass to a depth of 25 - 30 cm. This is how the basic preparation of the nutrient medium takes place for several years in advance. If you work hard in advance, you won’t have to fertilize in subsequent years; the supply of nutrients will last for a long time. Read also the article: → “Spicy herbs - we grow them ourselves.”

Preparing the soil for planting lemon balm seeds

Recently, organic farming methods using effective microorganisms have become popular. They can be purchased in the form of preparations “Emochka”, “Shine”, “Baikal”, “Bokashi”.

Conditions for growing lemon balm, care rules

A living crop, when added to the soil, increases fertility naturally, as in nature. The formation of humus takes on average 2–3 years. For example, “Bokashi” process plant residues into humus within 2–3 months, but only in the warm season. Microorganisms, like plants, “sleep” in the cold season and become active in the spring, when the average daily temperature reaches + 120.

Place and growing conditions of lemon balm

Lemon grass is an unpretentious plant; it will survive both in the shade and in the scorching sun. But with gentle lighting or partial shade, it feels more comfortable. It will respond with gratitude to generous watering, but not to stagnant water. For one session water procedures one adult plant requires 10–20 liters of water, 1–2 buckets.

Size, density and aroma depend on conditions. On poor soils, in the shade, the stems stretch into “threads”, the leaves are 30-40 long, sparse, and the smell is weak. On rich soils, dense aromatic bushes reach 50–80 cm. Sometimes there are specimens 100–120 cm long. When a place for lemon balm has been chosen and the soil has been prepared, you can begin planting. Read also the article: → “Spicy herbs in the country.”

Planting dates are given in the table:

Features of planting in soil

If basic soil preparation has not been carried out, then it is necessary to provide fertile conditions for each plant individually. For this landing pit should be 2 times larger than the volume of the coma, this allows you to add rich soil. As part of traditional farming, mineral fertilizers are added to the soil:

superphosphate – 50 g per 1 m2;
ammonium nitrate – 20 g per 1 m2;
potassium salt - 20 g per 1 m2

Tip #2. When planting, deepen the lump 5 cm, this promotes the growth of new roots.

A common mistake is thickened planting of seedlings in a permanent place of growth. Gardeners are confused by the size of a young plant. Melissa grows, on average, from 30 to 50 cm in diameter.

This is the distance at which plants are planted from each other, regardless of whether they are seedlings or clumps. If bee mint is intended for medicinal and culinary purposes, it should be placed less frequently so that it is convenient to collect the fragrant leaves. For decorative effect the planting is slightly thickened.

Methods for propagating lemon balm

Gardeners use several methods to propagate this herb:

Seeds for seedlings.
Seeds in open ground.
Green cuttings.
Dividing the bush.

Planting seeds for seedlings

sown in greenhouses or room conditions in the second ten days of March in a container 7–10 cm high;
into a ready-made seedling substrate, which can be purchased at a garden store. If this is not the case, you can cook it yourself. IN " Universal primer pH 6.5” add coarse river sand 1:1.
before sowing, mix small seeds with dry sand for even distribution;
in the prepared soil, using the length of the side of a pencil, press grooves 1 cm deep;
gently moisten with a fine spray;
place the seeds evenly along the grooves and press down lightly;
sprinkle with substrate and moisten with a spray bottle;
cover with film;
keep in a well-lit, warm place with a temperature of 200.

The first shoots will appear in three weeks. After another 10 - 15 days, the thickened sowing can be planted.

Plant the seedlings in special seedling trays. They look like egg cups. Accessories are available for sale various shapes and size. One plant is placed in each cell. Before planting in the garden, a dense lump is formed that can be easily removed. This method increases the survival rate of a young plant compared to traditional seedlings.

Seeds in open ground

Sow when the threat of spring frost has passed. Melissa grains are small; to distribute them evenly, they are mixed with sand (as for seedlings). The dug up soil is thoroughly loosened without leaving large lumps; it should look like sifted soil. The grooves are prepared shallow to 1 cm and watered.

After waiting for the water to be absorbed, place the seeds, lightly press down and cover with loose soil. You need to water carefully so as not to wash it out. Germination rate of lemon balm is 60%. The first shoots appear after 15 days, after 3 - 4 weeks everything will hatch. After another month they can be thinned out. Between the remaining ones, the distance should not exceed 30 cm.

Propagation of grass by green cuttings

This is how lemon grass is propagated from early spring to late autumn. If you keep lemon balm in a pot in winter as a houseplant, then the cuttings can be taken in March. Fragrant leaves and young stems are harvested during flowering, in June. At this time, lemon balm contains the most useful substances. Over the summer, new shoots grow, so they are excellent planting material.

Features of this method:

for the cutting, choose a shoot with 3-4 internodes;
the lower leaves are torn off;
the cuttings are placed in water or in a substrate for seedlings;
for survival in soil, use “Kornevin” or “Heteroauxin”;
before planting, the tip of the cutting is powdered with a rooting agent;
in moist soil, use a pencil to make a small depression of 2–3 cm, place the cutting and lightly squeeze;
The “greenhouse” is covered with plastic film.

After 10 days, it is possible to determine which specimens have survived; they are planted in a separate pot, the size of a disposable one. a plastic cup. As the plant grows, the container will have to be increased to accommodate the plant.

Melissa propagated in this way can be kept at home as a houseplant, and transplanted into the garden in the spring. There he will be more familiar and will benefit much more.

In the open air, bee mint receives a lot of nutrients, grows well and pleases its owners with a fragrant aroma for 10 years. During this time, it can be renewed vegetatively. Read also the article: → “Plants for an ornamental garden.”

Dividing an adult bush into parts

It is better to propagate lemon balm this way in the spring. The rhizome is cut so that the divisions remain 3 – 4 shoots or hatched buds. This “surgery” can be performed in the fall. The resulting parts are planted in a permanent place with an interval of 30–50 cm. This method is more suitable for varietal plants that, when propagated by seed, do not retain their decorative and medicinal properties.

Growing lemon balm at home in pots

Melissa lovers who do not have a summer house can enjoy the delicate aroma at home. Lemon balm is a garden plant, but feels great as an indoor plant. If it is placed on a bright windowsill in a cozy, draft-free place, in fertile soil, it will respond to care with lush growth and fragrance.

Easy to care for:

You need to water it with settled water when the soil in the pot is dry and not petrified. You need to moisten generously until water appears in the pan, then this procedure will have to be repeated less often;
It is better to feed with Emochki or other “effective microorganisms”; they are absolutely harmless to plants and humans.

Unfortunately, homemade lemon balm is inferior in aroma to its garden relative, but it is still pleasant to enjoy the fresh taste and smell on cold winter evenings.

5 varieties for home growing

Melissa officinalis has been known to mankind for 2000 years. All this time it has been successfully used in medicine and cooking. IN favorable conditions grows up to 1 m in height. Breeders have worked hard on low-growing varieties so that lemon balm will delight you all year round not only with its aroma, but also with its attractive appearance. Gardeners call such plants decorative deciduous. The following varieties are popular for indoor floriculture:

« Pure gold,” the variety got its name for its exceptional “flexibility” in care and unusual effect. The compact bush changes shades from white at the beginning of flowering to a blue tint at the end.
“Lemon tea” is valued for its original aroma, which successfully replaces real citrus.
"Majito" was bred for culinary purposes and is not used for drinks or cooking meat dishes.
“Lemon aroma” is a relatively small plant, suitable for home and garden.
“Motley-leaved” is the most decorative lemon balm, has a golden color along the edge of the leaf, and looks like a blooming one.

It looks interesting when several varieties are placed on one windowsill. It is not difficult to care for them; water them on time and feed them seasonally with fertilizers for indoor decorative foliage plants.

Mistakes when growing lemon balm

Sometimes gardeners complain that they cannot grow bee mint on their site. Melissa is not a picky plant, but there is a limit to her patience. It's not worth the wait good result, If she:

in the sun or in dense shade;
suffers from drought on poor soil;
suffocates on wet soil;
drowned out by weeds;
is blown through in a draft;
freezes in winter.

If we exclude the Spartan conditions and choose cozy place with fertile soil and sufficient watering, she will respond bountiful harvest useful leaves.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Question №1. Where can I get lemon balm?

Purchase a ready-made plant from a garden center that sells perennials. Advantage:

guarantee of quality and “health” of the sold copy;
100% survival rate, thanks to the soil with which it is sold.

Buy seedlings. Advantage:

the price is less than that of an adult plant;
You can plant them in open ground immediately after purchase.

Sow with seeds. Advantage:

minimal financial costs;
the ability to sow both in open ground and in indoor pots.

Question No. 2. What to do with watering lemon balm if I’m not at the dacha often?

The best way out is automatic watering, but not everyone can afford the equipment due to its high cost. You can retain moisture for a long time after regular irrigation if you sprinkle mulch around the plants in a layer of 5–10 cm. Mown grass, wood chips, bark, and crushed dry cow manure are suitable. All this creates protection against evaporation and serves as a slow-acting fertilizer (MRF).

Question No. 3. When to harvest lemon balm?

It is best during flowering, then it contains the most essential oils, but you can do it all year round if you take lemon balm home from the garden for the winter.

Question No. 4. What plants does lemon balm go with?

Most often it is planted together with herbs mint, lovage, hyssop, tarragon. In decorative floriculture, they are used in mixborders with flowering perennials lupine, columbine, rudbeckia, coreopsis, cornflower and other large plants.

Question No. 5. Do I need to cover lemon balm for the winter?

Melissa is winter-hardy, but in cold winters it needs to be protected with agrofibre, sawdust, and mown grass. Leaves of oak, walnut, hornbeam, and poplar are not suitable for this purpose; they contain tannins and inhibit plants.

On garden plot I want to grow unpretentious, multifunctional plants. Planting lemon balm (popularly known as lemon balm) will allow you not only to evaluate its benefits for the body, but also to obtain decorative element for the flowerbed and for the home.

Sowing technology

The first priority before sowing is preparing the soil. You need to take 1 cup of vermicompost and 2 cups of coconut fiber. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and add the recommended dose of the mineral fertilizer complex to this volume.

Sowing in containers or boxes is done in the second half of March.

You need to make several grooves in the soil, the distance between which is 4–6 cm.
The seeds are small, so they should be mixed with a small amount of 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 film.
Place in a sunny, warm place.

After the seedlings emerge, the box must be placed so that they receive a sufficient amount of light, but are not exposed to scorching rays. Watering should be done as the soil dries.

Shoots appear 2–25 days after planting. After several leaves appear, it is necessary to pick. This is done so that the seedlings do not drown out each other’s growth and development. The distance between the stems should be at least 5 cm. If sowing was carried out in a special container, then the weakest sprouts are removed in one cell where several seeds need to be planted at once.

Transplantation into open ground takes place in the second half of May. To do this, you need to prepare a seat.

Melissa can grow both in a well-lit bed and in partial shade. Receiving enough light, the bush will intensely emit aroma.

One should take into account the fact that this crop is perennial and grows from 4 to 9 years.

The soil should be loose, light and nutritious. Mellisa does not like acidic and wet soil. Excess water contributes to rotting of the roots, so you need to choose a dry place for the bush, where moisture does not accumulate during precipitation. If the soil at the chosen location is heavy, then you need to add several buckets of fine sand.

After choosing a location, the soil needs to be fertilized. To do this, for 1 sq. m of soil is added:

200 g of wood ash (1 cup);
10-liter bucket of humus;
Complex mineral fertilizer, on the packaging of which the dosage is indicated.

Plants 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 at intervals of 30–35 cm.

If you decide not to grow seedlings, but to plant the seeds directly in open ground, then you need to be prepared for poor germination; even careful care may not help. Several factors may influence this:

low quality of planting material;
heavy rainfall;
“clogging” the sprouts with weeds.

Planting 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 sand.
Deepen the mixture by half a centimeter.
Sprinkle with peat or humus.
Moisten the soil surface.
Cover with film.

To harden the seedlings and make them more resilient, you need to remove the film. First for a few hours, then for the whole daylight hours, and after picking, the covering material is finally removed.

Melissa is propagated by seeds, layering and cuttings. If you already have an adult lemon bush, then planting it will be much easier: bend several shoots to the ground, secure them and sprinkle them with earth. After a few weeks, the branches will take root and can be transplanted to a new location.

And to propagate by cuttings, just cut it from a friend’s garden 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; within a week the root system appears - and the cuttings are ready for planting in the flowerbed.

Growing at home

Melissa can be cultivated as a houseplant. Due to the small volume of the flower pot, it will not grow much, and pruning and ongoing care will allow you to create a lush green bush.

Planting seedlings in pots at home is done in the spring, but you can also sow seedlings and plant seedlings in the cold season, but the growth will be slow and the leaves will be light. During the spring-summer period, the bush gains strength and adapts to external conditions.

Seeds for growing plants at home are sown in the same way as for a flower bed. Planting of seedlings in pots is carried out after the appearance of 3 leaves. You need to act according to the following algorithm.

Choose a pot with a volume of 1.5 - 2 liters, so that its walls are at least 15 cm.
Ensure 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.
Place it on the windowsill.

A special feature of caring for a plant at home is watering. Heating and dry indoor air negatively affect appearance lemon balm and its smell, so you need to additionally moisturize it:

water as the soil dries;
Spray every day.

Features of care

If you properly care for the bush in the first year of planting, then later there will be less hassle with growing it.

Care is provided in 4 main areas:

watering;
loosening;
weeding;
feeding

When the weather is hot, it is necessary to provide lemon balm with sufficient watering. It is carried out 4 times a week, and on cloudy days, if there is no precipitation, you need to water 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 rotting of the roots due to excess moisture.

A flowerbed or bed with seedlings needs to be weeded as needed: the planted seedlings are not yet strong enough, and the grass can choke its growth. In the 2nd and subsequent years of the life of this crop, small vegetation around adult bushes with a strong root system is allowed in your garden.

Feeding is carried out at the beginning of the season, when the seedlings move to a permanent place of residence or the sprouts that sprouted outside have reached 5–6 cm in height. Nitrogen fertilizer is applied to increase growth and strengthen the stem.

If you store leaves for future use and cut them off as they grow, then after each pruning you need to add a mineral complex, the dosage of which is indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer. Several times a season you can add mulch or humus to the flowerbed with the plant.

Melissa is a heat-loving crop. Although she endures negative temperatures, but it is recommended to cover it for the winter:

cut off the top, leaving 1–2 cm above the ground;
loosen the soil and moisten it a little;
sprinkle fallen leaves on top.

To prevent the leaves from becoming smaller and the mint to continue to delight with the fresh aroma of lemon, you need to divide the plant into several bushes and plant them every 3 years.

Despite all the usefulness of lemon balm, which has become widespread in folk recipes, when growing it is not required special care, it can grow both in the country and on the windowsill at home.

Greetings, friends, to the site, advice for gardeners. Melissa is perennial crop, which is not only beneficial for our body, but also has a pleasant, sophisticated aroma.

We are used to drinking tea with mint, but if you add a pinch of lemon balm to it, it will acquire a richer and more aromatic taste and, moreover, you will sleep like the dead.

It also makes excellent preserves with lemon balm leaves, soups, and drinks. As a medicine, it has a diuretic effect, analgesic, diaphoretic and helps normalize the functioning of the stomach.

Usually, summer residents cannot do without such grass; they sow lemon balm in the garden and enjoy the harvest for several years in a row. But it’s much more difficult for apartment residents; the question is, how to grow lemon balm at home?

Growing lemon balm on a windowsill

Before you start growing lemon balm on a windowsill at home, of course you need to purchase high-quality, fresh seeds. At the beginning of March, we fill a small box with loose soil, make shallow holes about 0.5 cm, and so that the distance from one hole to another is at least 5 cm.

We spill warm water on the soil and sow the seeds. Until the first shoots appear, it is necessary to moisten the soil every two days, but do not flood it. Because soil that is too wet often infects the plant with fungus.

Seeds usually germinate in about 10 days, but sometimes up to 20. You need to make sure that the temperature is above 10 degrees throughout the month. In early May, the sprouts are planted in long flower beds, at a distance of 15 cm from each other, preferably in one row and placed on the balcony.

When real leaves appear, the plant can be thinned out; it does not need picking. Now you also know how to grow lemon balm on a windowsill.

In the first year of life, leaves appear near the roots. There will be a riot of greenery and flowering only next year, then you can harvest the crop, but you need to do this until the moment when the plant throws out its buds.

Growing lemon balm at home is not an easy task, but it is still possible. It is advisable that the florist with the plant be in a sufficiently lit place, but if there is none, maybe in a semi-dark place. The plant sometimes reaches a height of slightly less than half a meter.

Melissa needs to be watered three times a week. The most useful thing about the plant is the leaves, so for better bushiness, you need to avoid flowering and pick off the buds when the plant grows about 20 cm.

Over the summer, you can trim the leaves up to 4 times, as needed. They cut it when it is 45 cm tall, but not completely, but leaving 10 cm.

You can leave the plant on the loggia until the first frost, that is, until late autumn. An excellent fertilizer for lemon balm is tincture from egg shells and tea leaves.

Vegetable garden on the window, what else can you grow on the windowsill?

At home, on the windowsill, you can grow not only lemon balm, but also onions, garlic, parsley, salads, and even tomatoes and cucumbers.

The main conditions for such cultivation are lighting and temperature. Usually, if the seedlings do not have enough light, they stretch out, become frail and often die, or if they survive, they are of little use.

If the room temperature is below 17 degrees, the roots of the plant rot. If you can create the proper conditions for the plants, then you can begin the growing process itself.

You need to choose seeds for sowing early varieties and short. Before planting, the seeds are usually soaked in manganese, or just in water for three hours.

Fill flower pots soil mixture, carefully sow the seeds, trying to do it evenly. And sprinkle a little earth on top. The seeds of dill and basil germinate fairly quickly.

If you purchased seedlings such as mint or rosemary, then make small holes in the pots and deepen the roots of the plant into them by 2 cm and at a distance of 5 cm from each other.

Remember to water thoroughly until the seeds begin to sprout. Then you can water less often. You need to observe the plants and when you notice that they are stretching in one direction, turn the pot so that the stems are aligned.

How to plant green onions. It can even be planted in water. To do this, take an ordinary large onion, maybe several, some kind of container with cells, such as for ice, and put the onion there, only so that the base of the onion is not in the water, only the place where the roots should be.

They will soon grow there. The roots will be saturated with water, and the greenery will begin to grow, it can be cut off, and it will quickly grow again. Change the water periodically to fresh water, and when you see that the onion has softened, replace it with a new one.

Melissa is well suited for growing in pots as a houseplant. Indoor bushes do not grow tall (unlike outdoor bushes), and with systematic pruning of young shoots, lemon balm bushes well and pleases the eye with its splendor. Fresh leaves and young shoots with a mint-lemon flavor are used for food in the preparation of salads, soups, meat dishes, and drinks.

For successful cultivation lemon balm on the windowsill requires a sunny place on the windowsill, abundant watering and a high-quality substrate.

Melissa can be planted in pots for growing on a windowsill at any time of the year. Although it is preferable to plant it in the spring, since caring for the plant in this case is simple and requires minimum costs, and the bush will delight with its lush greenery for 3-4 years in a row (Melissa - perennial). Next, the bush is renewed and transplanted into a pot with new (fresh) soil.

adult lemon balm bush in a pot on the windowsill

In winter, lemon balm will not go to waste without additional lighting. The bushes will produce green growth, although they will not be as lush and lighter in color.

The quality of lemon balm leaves (their delicate and juicy taste) depends on the quality of watering (should be plentiful) and sufficient air humidity (systematic spraying with water from a spray bottle).

Melissa propagation.

Melissa is propagated by dividing the bush, layering, cuttings, and seeds.

Dividing the bush You can propagate lemon balm to grow it in a pot on a windowsill if you have lemon balm growing in your garden at your dacha.

This procedure is best done in the spring, when the regrowth of green shoots is just beginning. Dig up an overwintered lemon balm bush, shake off the roots from the soil and carefully cut the bush into several smaller bushes.

Thick rhizomes are cut into pieces so that each part has several (at least one) shoots with buds. In a couple of weeks, the bush will gain strength and the new young shoots that have grown will be ready for consumption.

Propagate lemon balm by layering It’s convenient for growing in a pot if you have an adult lemon balm bush, but you don’t want to dig it up for some reason. In this case, the shoots are rooted directly on the bush. This procedure is best carried out in the first half of summer, before lemon balm begins to bloom.

Shoots that have reached a length of 10-15 cm are bent to the ground, fixed with a bracket or a small fork and covered with earth. After a few weeks, roots will form on the buried nodes pressed to the ground. We cut off a new young bush from an adult bush with pruning shears and transplant it into a pot. Place the pot in the shade for a couple of days. In a couple of weeks, new young shoots will begin to grow.

Melissa can be propagated from cuttings for growing it in pots if the first two methods are not suitable. We go to the market or supermarket, buy a bunch (of course fresh!) of lemon balm, cut off the top parts of the shoots and put them in water.

lemon balm cuttings

After 7-10 days, the rooted shoots can be planted in a pot. Place the pot in the shade for a couple of days. In 2-3 weeks, new young shoots will begin to appear.

Melissa propagates by seeds longer and more troublesome. But if you have patience, a bush grown from seeds will be more durable than bushes grown using the above methods.

propagation of lemon balm by seeds

Pickled seeds in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for several hours, planted to a depth of 0.5-1.0 cm. Cover the pot with cellophane until the first shoots appear in a warm room in 10-15 days.

preparing seeds for planting, soaking in a solution of potassium permanganate

Plant in well-moist soil, not forgetting about drainage.

Drainage when planting seeds is required (place a layer of expanded clay, 2-3 cm high, at the very bottom of the pot).

expanded clay-as-drainage

You can plant lemon balm immediately in large containers, or you can plant it in small containers ( peat cups, disposable 100-gram cups) followed by dispensing into permanent containers.

container for planting seeds with subsequent picking

After a while, after 2-4 true leaves appear, lemon balm, planted in a small container, is planted in large (permanent) pots.

lemon balm shoots

4 weeks from sowing lemon balm seeds

Dive into pots (containers) with a volume of 1-2 liters.

The height of the pot should be at least 15 cm.

lemon balm pick

pickled lemon balm

6-7 weeks after sowing the seeds, it will be possible to pluck off the top young shoots of the lemon balm.

10 days after picking lemon balm

lemon balm 7 weeks from planting seeds

Caring for lemon balm on the windowsill.

To grow lemon balm in pots on the windowsill, it is better to choose a high-quality (fertile) earthen substrate. It’s good if it is a mixture of vermicompost and coconut fiber (1 part vermicompost and 2 parts coco fiber).

prepare the substrate - 1 part vermicompost and 2 parts coco fiber

Melissa is a light-loving plant. It is advisable to choose a sunny window sill for it. Although the bush does not die if there is a lack of light, it slows down a little in development and the dark green color of the leaves turns into light green.

Melissa is a moisture-loving plant. Water it systematically and abundantly, especially in the summer. In winter (on cloudy days), watering is switched to moderate. Overmoistening the soil without sunlight can lead to lemon balm diseases such as powdery mildew. Stagnation of water in the soil will also be detrimental to it. The bush gets sick and dies. Therefore, drainage when planting a bush is required.

Melissa is sensitive to air humidity, especially in summer. Spray with a spray bottle every day, then the lemon balm leaf becomes juicier and more tender.

pruning lemon balm bush

increase in the number of shoots in lemon balm after pruning

Frequent pruning is good for lemon balm.

the more trimmings, the more magnificent the lemon balm bush

Do not spare the bush; the more you pluck off the young shoots, the more the lemon balm will bush. Systematic pruning of young shoots delays the flowering time of the bush as much as possible (when flowering, the lemon balm leaf becomes coarser).

The optimal temperature for the growth and development of lemon balm is 18-20˚C. Melissa tolerates both low temperatures and heat. Although for the quality of the leaf (juiciness and tenderness) heat is more destructive than coolness. She grows well on glazed balconies and verandas. Tolerates temperature drops to +5 - +10 ˚С painlessly.

fertilizer ROST concentrate

agrolife in growing seedlings

To make the bush last as long as possible, do not forget about fertilizing. Try to feed it once or twice a month (a teaspoon of Agrolife in upper layer soil, or watering with Rostom - 1 cap per 2 liters of water, or adding vermicompost to the pot once a month).