Lemon Balm Seeds - Melissa Officinalis - Aromatic, Medicinal, and Perennial
Quantity: 50+ Seeds
Lemon Balm, or Melissa Officinalis, is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae. It's a hardy perennial down to zone 4, but can be grown as an annual just about everywhere else. It thrives in many different environments but prefers to have good sunshine, and a decent amount of moisture in the soil. It doesn't grow well in the shade, so partial to full sun is recommended for healthier plants.
The leaves from this plant have a bright lemony-mint flavour, and make an excellent tea or tonic. The leaves also taste very good in cooked dishes as a flavouring for soups, legumes, salads, smoothies, poultry, and fish. The flowers are a great source of nectar, and attract bees and other pollinators alike. Planting Bee Balm anywhere near the garden will therefore increase pollination of crops and other plants in the area, and come high summer, you’ll be gifted with a beautiful display of white flowers.
All seeds are organic and open pollinated.
Growing Instructions
Lemon Balm seeds may be started in pots in the spring, or directly sown into the ground. If sown indoors, it's good to cold stratify them in the refrigerator for 2-4 weeks before planting them in a sterile growing medium; most available seed starting soils should do the job nicely; we use sunshine mix (peat moss and perlite). The soil should be made moist, but not damp. Sow the seeds 1/8 inch below the soil surface. Store in a warm area until tiny sprouts emerge from the soil. Once germinated, and the first true leaf has formed, it's time to pot up to a larger container that contains a good quality potting soil. Transplant to their final location when the nighttime temperatures are consistently 6°C or higher. Once transplanted and established, These plants will live for many years assuming you live in zone 4 or warmer. The plants don’t require very much attention once established other than yearly mulching, a bi-weekly watering, and a clipping back to the ground in the winter. These plants are quite vigorous, and once established, just a small patch of plants can provide you with a full winter supply of medicinal tea. Lemon Balm is resistant to deer, pests, drought, and flood; It’s a very robust plant.