Worth knowing:
Lemon Balm is a long-lasting, up to one meter tall plant that produces small, beautiful, white-coloured blossoms from June until September. It smells of lemon and the fragrance is especially strong, if you crush the leaves between your fingers.
Natural Location:
The plant originated in the Middle East and is cultivated today in Europe, North Africa and America.
Cultivation:
The best time for propagation is starting in February at a sunny place indoors as the seed is a light germinator. Scatter the seeds onto moist coconut substrate or organic herbal soil and slightly press them on. Cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the soil from drying out, but don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on the potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20°C and 25° Celsius and keep the surface of the earth moist, but not wet (ideally using a water sprayer). Depending on the propagation temperature the first seedlings will come up after two to five weeks. Seedlings that are already raised indoors can be planted out with beginning of May. As soon as there is no more night frost expected, you can move the seedling with its complete root ball, to avoid stress for the plant.
Place:
The plant needs the sun, warmth and a wind-sheltered place to produce its full aroma.
Care:
Keep the soil always moist, but not wet. Water your plant as soon as the top layer of the earth has dried out. Fertilize the plant either very modest with compost or organic fertilizer for herbs, or don’t fertilize at all.
During the winter:
In late autumn, the plant retracts all aerial parts and its leaves and flowers wither. You may then cut back the plant close to the ground and your Lemon Balm will hibernate in its subterranean rhizome. Tub plants, however, need to be wrapped up for frost protection during the winter and kept in a dark and cool place for hibernation. Keep watering the plant also in winter, but only moderately and on frost-free days.
Picture credits:
- © © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © About © : Contact SAFLAX - - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
