Lemon balm

[aquarose]

Thanks everyone! I have had my peppermint in a bottomless 5 gallon bucket sunk in the ground for 5 years and it works great. Maybe I should transplant my lemon balm to a similar container while I still can. I think I also had better shear it back when it blooms to prevent it spreading by seed (judging by what I have learned from your posts). Maybe the parts I shear off I can use for a sachet!

 

[Crunchie]

I've found mine to be quite adventuresome. I planted it before I realized it was a relative of mint. I would definitely plant it in pots/buckets. I just took our weed-wacker to a huge plot of it (it entirely took over what used to be my herb garden). Most yummy smelling weed-wacking job I've ever done!

 

[momsgarden]

I use it is salads sometimes, with mint. I make a salad with chopped carrots, cukes, tomatoes, radishes, and sometimes other veggies and "dress" it with salt, lemon juice, mint and lemon balm. Mostly I just like the smell when I brush up against it....and the chickens don't eat it.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

It also makes a great iced tea both lemon balm and mint. I crush up about a half a cup or so of mint leaves, a half a cup of lemon balm, but in a jar of water and let it sit out for a few hours. Serve it chilled with ice and a mint leaf and it's almost a mojito.

 

[Reinbeau]

Thanks everyone! I have had my peppermint in a bottomless 5 gallon bucket sunk in the ground for 5 years and it works great. Maybe I should transplant my lemon balm to a similar container while I still can. I think I also had better shear it back when it blooms to prevent it spreading by seed (judging by what I have learned from your posts). Maybe the parts I shear off I can use for a sachet!

The problem with lemon balm is it spreads easily via seeds, so the sunken pot thing doesn't work quite as well. I've found it fairly easy to pull, it isn't rooted in like other mints, but it definitely has to be controlled or you'll have lots of it!

 

[Robinegg]

I grow lemon balm, well actually it doesnt need my help, I really don't care for the smell reminds me of furniture polish but when allowed to go to seed the wild finch really love it. It grows freely with my cat nip and when in seed I attract all the neighborhood finches which are quite a site I enjoy.

 

[freshfood]

Yep, me too! I got some lemon balm seeds in a kit of herb seeds for making teas, that I was given for Christmas. I now have two clumps in my herb garden that looked so tiny and vulnerable when I put them out. Deceptive little buggers! I keep my catnip and spearmint in pots, didn't know I should do the same with the lemon balm. Oops!

I've also read that lemon balm can be put on fish or chicken, but if I recall, it should be done only in the last few minutes of baking, as the heat will kill the flavor pretty quickly. Haven't tried it yet. I think lemon verbena is supposed to be a bit more stable in that regard. Anyone know?

 

[freshfood]

It also makes a great iced tea both lemon balm and mint. I crush up about a half a cup or so of mint leaves, a half a cup of lemon balm, but in a jar of water and let it sit out for a few hours. Serve it chilled with ice and a mint leaf and it's almost a mojito.

Do you mean just the lemon balm and mint in the water? no "regular" tea, and use the lemon and mint for flavoring? I assume you strain out the chunks of leaves before drinking? It sounds really good, except the only mints I have at present are catnip and spearmint.

 

[rebbetzin]

I've also read that lemon balm can be put on fish or chicken, but if I recall, it should be done only in the last few minutes of baking, as the heat will kill the flavor pretty quickly. Haven't tried it yet. I think lemon verbena is supposed to be a bit more stable in that regard. Anyone know?

I have three Lemon Verbena plants, I use them for what is called "Morrocan Tea." It is just the dried leaves in water, and you leave the leaves in the cup as you drink it.

I use the fresh leaves and they are very lemony. I would bet it is much more of a lemon flavor than the lemon balm when cooked in the oven. I haven't tried it. But the Lemon Verbena doen't have the "herbal" flavor of the Lemon Balm, if you know what I mean. Lemon Verbena is more of a straight lemon flavor.

I have a huge patch of lemon balm under one of my Pine trees. Three years ago it was just a tiny plant! Now I have Lemon Balm growing in many different places in the garden. The little seeds pop up in the most amazing places!

Lemon Balm is said to have a great calming effect as a tea.

 

[Rio_Lindo_AZ]

Ahhhhhhhh, lemon balm. Makes your garden smell refreshing........ Every time you water it, a fresh aroma fills the air. It's an herb you gotta have.