Seeds ml 30 Seed (Melissa officinalis) ml

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is the gentlest, most fragrant cousin in the mint family. Its soft green, lightly crinkled leaves release a warm lemon-and-mint scent the moment you brush against them, which sets it apart from sharper culinary mints. That mellow citrus aroma makes it a favourite for soothing herbal teas, cold lemonades and summer coolers, and as a fresh garnish for fruit and desserts, while its constant flush of leafy growth also makes it a pretty, useful plant for any sunny corner.

Planting

Start the seed indoors in spring, roughly 6 to 8 weeks before your planned transplanting date, and move plants outside once all danger of frost has passed. These seeds need light to wake up, so press them onto the surface of the growing mix and do not cover them. Keep that surface moist and well lit while they sprout, which usually takes about 10 to 14 days at around 22 to 24 C (the RHS sees germination in about two weeks near 20 C). Once seedlings have several leaves, pot them up into a 7.5 cm pot, then set plants out about 45 cm apart in rows about 45 cm apart. Give them a spot in full sun to partial shade with at least 4 to 6 hours of sun a day; growth is most productive in full sun. Bear in mind mature plants reach about 45 to 90 cm tall and spread aggressively by rhizomes, so a container or contained bed keeps them in check.

Fertilizing

This is an herb that loves rich, organic soil. Before planting, work plenty of organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure into the bed to feed the plants and improve drainage, aiming for a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5. In well-amended ground it may need no extra feeding at all. Where you do feed, apply nitrogen from spring into early summer to match the season of active growth. Go easy though, because too much nitrogen pushes out soft growth that draws in spider mites and aphids and can make disease worse.

Care

Keep the root zone consistently moist but never waterlogged, and don't let the plant wilt between waterings. Water the soil directly rather than the leaves to limit leaf disease, water deeply instead of giving frequent light sprinklings, and favour drip irrigation over overhead sprinklers. Watch for mint rust, aphids, spider mites (which thrive in hot, dry conditions and with excess nitrogen), blue mint beetle, mint moth and leafhoppers; verticillium wilt is a serious soil-borne disease, so always start with clean, disease-free stock and knock pests off with a strong jet of water or insecticidal soap. You can pick individual leaves or shoot tips once plants are established, and the young, soft tips carry the most intense flavour. Frequent cutting keeps growth bushy. For the strongest aroma, cut the whole plant just as flower buds begin to appear, and remove flower spikes to protect leaf flavour. The harvest season runs from late spring into autumn; after flowering, cut the whole plant back to about 5 cm from the base to spark fresh new growth. Lemon balm is most reliably increased by dividing a mature clump or rooting stem or runner cuttings in spring, and dividing established plants every 3 to 4 years keeps them vigorous. In Egypt the best windows to establish plants are autumn (September to November) and late winter to early spring (February to March); avoid planting into the peak summer heat of June to August. In the milder Nile Delta, set out divisions, cuttings or seedlings from late September to November so roots establish through the mild winter for strong spring growth. In warmer Upper Egypt, favour autumn (October to November) and the winter-to-early-spring window, and give plants partial or afternoon shade plus consistent deep watering through the hot months to prevent wilting and spider-mite outbreaks.