Mint and lemon balm: cultivation, healing properties. Is it possible to grow lemon balm at home? How to propagate lemon balm

21.05.202227.05.2017

The exact origin of the name Melissa has not been clarified due to the disagreement of its interpreters. But it is known that the herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family, called lemon balm, whose cultivation as a medicinal raw material is widespread, is also called censer, lemon grass, lemon and bee mint. This inconspicuous herb is cultivated by gardeners, gardeners and even planters for industrial purposes, focusing primarily on the richness of biologically active substances contained in lemon balm.

Did you know?According to one version, the name melissa was formed from the addition of Greek words meaning honey and leaves. According to the second - on behalf of the nymph Melissa, who allegedly treated Zeus with honey and milk. According to the third, Melissa was the name of a beauty who was turned into a bee by the will of the Olympic gods.

Melissa: plant description

The height of the perennial can reach one and a half meters. Its basis is a strongly branching rhizome. Petiolate opposite leaves of a complex shape, resembling both a heart and an egg and having large teeth, are located on a branched stem, as if faceted on four sides.

The short pedicels are crowned with axillary tufts of small white flowers, which may also have pale pink or purple tones. The flowers have four stamens, the upper four-parted ovary of the pistil on a long style. The flowering of lemon balm is marked by July and August of the second year of growth.

A large, with a black sheen, four-nut fruit, gaining maturity in August-September, has an ovoid shape. Before flowering, the grass is fragrant with lemon. When flowering ends, the weakening smell becomes unpleasant.

How to choose a place and prepare the soil for growing lemon balm

In order for lemon balm to grow well, it is necessary to create certain conditions for it.

Lighting for active growth

Planting lemon balm is recommended to be done in a place with good sunlight, which is especially important for the germination of naturally small seeds. Frosts can kill new lemon mint bushes, so their cultivation should begin with planting in warm weather. In the future, the plant demonstrates a fair amount of resistance to cold, although the place where lemon balm grows is still better to choose on the south side, protected from air currents coming from the north.

Important!In an open sunny place, lemon balm has a richer aroma.

Soil preparation for planting lemon balm

The soil for planting should be fertile and free from weeds. Melissa prefers loamy soils, as they have high water and air permeability, which makes it possible to grow a full-fledged plant. Loose sandstones are also possible. They need good drainage from fine gravel or broken bricks, which will protect the root system from decay.

If the entire site is located on clay soil, then at the place where lemon balm is planted, it must be mixed with river sand. The reaction of the soil to acidity should be slightly acidic or neutral. The first digging with weeding and fertilizing can be done in the fall, and in the spring, loosen and clean the heated soil again.

Melissa breeding methods, how to plant a medicinal plant

To understand how melissa reproduces most successfully, you must first carefully study and only then choose seeds, melissa seedlings, cuttings or separated parts of the bush for planting.

Sowing seeds

A thousand seeds weigh approximately 0.62 g. Their germination persists for 2-3 years. Based on practical experience, it was concluded that plants grow stronger and more enduring from seeds. When it is better to sow lemon balm depends on the planting material chosen for open soil.

Landing in open ground

Rapid seed germination will occur when lemon balm is sown in open ground at the end of May. Moreover, as close as possible to the surface, that is, it is necessary to plant lemon balm seeds to a depth of no more than 1-1.5 cm. For a row spacing, a gap of up to half a meter is enough. Between the bushes, since they grow decently, it is advisable to leave at least 40 cm.

Gardeners who care not only about productivity, but also about the aesthetics of the beds, recommend increasing both distances to about 0.6 m. The first shoots appear only after 3-4 weeks, so the answer to the question: “Why doesn’t lemon balm grow?” The answer is simple - the appointed time has not come.

Planting lemon balm seedlings

A rich harvest of fragrant lemon balm can be achieved not only by growing it from seeds, but by first obtaining seedlings from them. Planting on seedlings should be done at the turn of March and April, and in May, the resulting approximately 40-day material with four leaves on each seedling is planted in the soil.

Boxes with sown seeds, covered with glass, are kept in a warm room, the illumination of which is increased to a maximum after germination. Seedlings that have grown up to 3-5 cm need to be thinned out to five-centimeter intervals and then planted in separate small containers.

Growing lemon balm by dividing the bush

The shoots that began to grow by the end of May signal that it is possible to start dividing the bushes. Another, also favorable period is the end of August. The excavated bush is cut into pieces of the same size. On each of them, at least 4-5 shoots and roots should be preserved. The separated parts take root well and bloom beautifully. The limitation for this method of reproduction of lemon balm is its age - it must be at least 3-4 years old.

How to cut melissa

Cuttings for planting lemon balm are made from the apical part of its young shoots, which, after cutting, are placed in water. After the roots appear (this happens after about two weeks), the cuttings are grown in fertilized loose soil.

Rules for caring for lemon balm in the garden

There is no difficulty in planting lemon balm, it is unpretentious in any case, and therefore caring for it does not provide for special specifics. But in the first year, until the branched roots of the overgrown bushes began to independently provide them with food and moisture, the plant needs close attention. First of all, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil and remove weeds.

In one place, lemon balm can exist for up to 10 years. But in the sixth year, winter-hardy qualities deteriorate, therefore, in a frosty climate after this period, it is better to divide and seat.

Important!After five years, the winter hardiness of the plant decreases.

Watering and feeding the plant

Several waterings are needed in the initial growth stage. Be sure to water in case of significant drought. Watering must be supplemented by loosening the soil. A protective layer of mulch laid on top will help the soil stay moist longer and also serve as a weed protector. Melissa is fed after each cut of greenery.

Complex liquid fertilizers are used (for 10 liters of water - 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 50 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium chloride) and mulching with organic matter - a significant layer of humus or compost. Feeding is not done before flowering, as this prevents the seeds from ripening in time.

pinching lemon balm

Pinching seedlings of lemon balm grown for seedlings is carried out at a height of 10-15 cm. The result of this procedure is compact bushes with greater branching.

Melissa pruning

Two or three times per season, lemon balm shoots are radically cut at a 10-centimeter distance from the surface of the earth. Such an operation leads, in addition to a very quick recovery, to a rather active formation of a large number of new branches and dense, pretty bushes, so attractive that they are used as elements of landscape design.

The distance between mint and lemon balm plants should be at least 30-50 cm.

Where is the best place to plant herbs in the garden and at their summer cottage? The best place for planting will be a sunny, well-provided with nutrients, moisture, as well as a site clean from weeds and protected from the cold wind, not freezing in winter. These cultures are very demanding on lighting and its lack leads to a sharp decrease in leaf yield and menthol content. Mint and lemon balm tolerate short-term flooding and can be located in flood areas.

Cultures of mint and lemon balm are undemanding to heat and begin to grow, already at 3-5 ° C. The optimum temperature for growth and development is 18-20°C. Rhizomes withstand frosts down to -13°C, and mint seedlings tolerate temperatures down to -8°C. During germination, the rhizomes lose their frost resistance and may die when the cold returns.

These crops prefer mild winters and sufficient snow cover. The soil should be of light mechanical composition with the reaction of the soil environment RN-5-7.

seeds

Mint and lemon balm can be grown from seeds. But it should be borne in mind that peppermint blooms very profusely, but almost does not form seeds, while lemon balm reproduces well even by self-sowing. Anyway, mint and lemon balm seeds are sold in almost all garden centers and stores.

You can sow seeds at home, in seedling boxes, from February to April or in a greenhouse, after the soil has warmed up. Mint and lemon balm seeds are very small, so it is not recommended to plant them deep into the soil.
When sowing in a container, you can scatter them on the surface of the soil and cover the container with glass or a bag, so the seeds will germinate faster.
When sowing in a greenhouse or in open ground, lightly sprinkle the seeds with earth.

seedlings

Seedlings of mint and lemon balm are planted in well-heated soil, on beds, with a distance between plants of 30 to 50 cm. Seedlings of mint and lemon balm grown from seeds are planted in open ground when 3-5 pairs of true leaves are formed. Planting seedlings is carried out with a clod of earth, after which it is plentifully watered.

cuttings

Cuttings of mint and lemon balm can be carried out during the entire growing season of plants:

For faster root formation, you can use growth stimulants "Kornevin" or "Heteroauxin". Planting cuttings in open ground must be completed a month before the onset of the first frost, so that young plants can form a sufficiently powerful root system for overwintering. After transplantation, abundant watering is necessary.

By dividing the bush

The most common way of planting both mint and lemon balm is planting with rhizomes.. Planting with rhizomes is carried out both in autumn and in spring. In areas with snowless winters and low temperatures, mint and lemon balm often freeze out, so it is recommended to plant in early spring. For digging, it is desirable to make well-rotted compost or manure with the addition of complex mineral fertilizer.

Rhizomes for dividing the bush and reproduction are dug up immediately before planting. Do not use for planting sluggish, lost turgor, having a brown color of the rhizome. When using them, plantings are sparse and low-yielding.
Melissa rhizomes are planted to a depth of 8 to 10 cm, and mint rhizomes to a depth of 10-12 cm.

Spring planting of mint and lemon balm begins when the soil warms up. The autumn term for planting lemon balm is no later than September 15, and the planting of mint can be carried out at a longer time, including from October to November. A prerequisite after planting rhizomes is abundant watering. In one place, mint and lemon balm can be cultivated for at least 3-4 years.

Features of growing a house in one container

You can grow mint and lemon balm not only in the garden, but also at home, on the windowsill or balcony. It should be a well-lit place, since the daylight hours for these crops should be at least 7 hours.

You can plant mint and lemon balm not only in separate pots, but also in one common:

Accordingly, the pot for such a planting should be much larger. The distance between mint and lemon balm plants in a pot should not be less than 10 cm, since mint tends to grow strongly.
The distance from the plant to the edge of the pot is at least 5 cm.
The depth of the container for planting should be sufficient for the development of the root system of plants (at least 20 cm), because the larger the area of plant nutrition, the greater the yield of leaves and flowers can be harvested.
When growing mint and lemon balm at home, frequent watering is necessary, as the soil dries up, as well as fertilizing with complex fertilizers after each mass cutting of greens.

How to care?

To increase the yield during the growing season, top dressing and 3-4 times watering are carried out, especially during the dry period. Starting from the second year of plant life, early spring fertilizing with ammonium nitrate or nitrophoska can be carried out. The main pests of mint and lemon balm are:

To combat aphids and mites, you can spray 2 times with a 3% solution of liquid soap. Tobacco dust can be used against leaf-eating pests.

The main disease of both mint and lemon balm is rust.. As a result of this disease, complete shedding of leaves can occur, and the leaves are the most valuable part for which these crops are grown. A good rust preventative is Bordeaux mixture. Spraying is carried out with a 1% solution 3-4 times per season. All chemical treatments must be completed no later than one month before harvest.

When and how to harvest?

From plantings that were planted by dividing the bush in early spring, you can harvest in the first year, during autumn planting or when sown with seeds - starting from the second year of the plant's life. The best time to harvest is the budding phase - the beginning of the flowering of the plant. During the season, 2-3 collections of green mass are possible.

Sprigs of mint and lemon balm are cut along with flowers because it contains a large amount of essential oil. Collection is carried out in sunny and dry weather. After cutting, the branches are tied into bundles and hung on ropes for further drying. Drying should be carried out in a dark, well-ventilated place.

Growing mint and lemon balm in the garden or on the windowsill is quite simple. These are the most popular and almost everyone's favorite fragrant and medicinal herbs. Having mastered the simple technique of growing these crops, you can delight yourself and your loved ones with fragrant, and most importantly, healthy tea, not only in summer, but also in winter.

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Melissa cultivation Melissa medicinal (lemon mint) is a perennial herbaceous plant with a branched stem. The aroma of lemon balm gives a unique taste to soups, second courses, compotes and drinks.

Housewives use this plant when canning tomatoes, cucumbers and squash. The leaves contain a large amount of vitamins. The healing properties of lemon balm have been known since ancient times.

Melissa tincture has a diaphoretic, diuretic, analgesic, anti-allergic and stimulating effect, and lemon balm extract has a good effect on the stomach. Green tea with lemon balm remarkably tones and improves well-being, and also has a calming effect on the nervous system. in the garden. Melissa is propagated by seeds, dividing the bush or cuttings. Growing lemon balm at home from seeds will allow you to have well-developed, flowering plants in the first year. Seeds are sown in containers at the end of March, deepening them by 0.5 cm.

For planting, a nutrient mixture with the addition of river sand is used. Seeds are watered, covered with a film and put to germinate in a warm place. When the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the container is transferred to a bright place.

Melissa is unpretentious, so ordinary room conditions are suitable for her growth. Watering should be regular, but moderate.

Plants are planted in open ground at the end of May. Melissa winters well in our climate, but in autumn it should be mulched with sawdust, peat or fallen leaves. Flowering begins in July and continues until September.

Melissa cultivation:

At home , in open ground. Prefers a well-lit place, but can grow in partial shade

How to grow lemon balm

Melissa is a herbaceous perennial, very sensitive to temperature, humidity, soil. Lemon balm seeds are very small and have low germination, germinate at temperatures above 10 degrees for about 1 month.

In view of this, it is very difficult for many homeowners to breed this useful plant. So what to do in this case?

Soil for lemon balm

Firstly, it should be understood that lemon balm does not tolerate acidic and heavy clay soils. The soil should not be very wet, since in this case the lemon balm is affected by fungal diseases and dies. Secondly, given that the seeds of the lemon balm are very small and take a long time to germinate, the lemon balm should be planted with a lighthouse culture (lettuce, radish).

To do this, the seeds of lemon balm and lighthouse plants are mixed in a ratio of 2: 1 and sown in one groove. By the time the lemon balm sprouts, the lighthouse plants are already ripe, and they can be carefully removed along with the root. Thirdly, lemon balm can be grown through seedlings (preferably peat pots).

It is not necessary to dive Melissa. When the first true leaves appear, thin out. After 40 days, lemon balm can be planted in a permanent place. In the first year of life, lemon balm plants form a rosette of basal leaves.

In the second year, lemon balm gives abundant greenery and blooms. The crop is harvested in the second year before the flowering of the plant.

Rules for growing lemon balm in pots on the windowsill

Melissa is well suited for growing in a pot culture as a houseplant. Bushes in room conditions do not grow tall (unlike street bushes), and with the systematic pruning of young shoots, lemon balm bushes well and pleases the eye with its splendor.

Fresh leaves and young shoots of mint-lemon flavor are used for food in the preparation of salads, soups, meat dishes, drinks. Successful cultivation of 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 the 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 minimal costs, and the bush will delight with its lush greenery for 3-4 years in a row (melissa is a perennial plant). Further, the bush is updated and transplanted into a pot with new (fresh) soil. In winter, lemon balm will not disappear without additional lighting. The bushes will give green growth, although they will not be so lush and lighter. 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 breeding.

Melissa reproduces by dividing the bush, layering, cuttings, seeds. By dividing the bush you can propagate lemon balm to grow it in a pot on the windowsill if you have lemon balm growing in the garden in your country house. This procedure is good to do in the spring, when the growth of green shoots is just beginning.

They dig up an overwintered lemon balm bush, shake off the roots from the soil and carefully cut the bush into several smaller bushes. Cut the thick rhizomes into pieces so that each part has several (at least one) shoots with buds. After a couple of weeks, the bush will gain strength and the new young shoots that have grown will be ready for use.

layering propagating lemon balm for growing in a pot is convenient if you have an adult melissa bush, but you don’t want to dig it out for some reason. In this case, shoots are rooted directly on the bush.

This procedure is best done in the first half of summer, before the melissa 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 horn and covered with earth. After a few weeks, roots form on the buried nodes pressed to the ground.

We cut off a new young bush with a pruner from an adult bush and transplant it into a pot. We put the pot in the shade for a couple of days. After a couple of weeks, new young shoots will begin to grow.

cuttings you can propagate lemon balm for growing it in pots if the first two methods are not suitable. We go to the market or to the supermarket, buy a bunch (necessarily fresh!) of lemon balm, cut off the upper parts of the shoots and put them in water. After 7-10 days, the rooted shoots can be planted in a pot.

We put the pot in the shade for a couple of days. After 2-3 weeks, new young shoots will begin to appear. seeds Melissa breeds longer and more troublesome.

But if you have patience, then a bush grown from seeds will be more durable than bushes grown by the above methods. Pickled seeds in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for several hours are planted to a depth of 0.5-1.0 cm. Cover the pot with cellophane until the first shoots that will appear in a warm room in 10-15 days. They are planted in well-moist soil, not forgetting about drainage. Drainage, when planting seeds, is required (a layer of expanded clay, 2? you can immediately into large containers, or you can into a small container (peat cups, disposable 100-gram cups) with subsequent picking into a permanent container. After a while, after the appearance of 2-4 true leaves, lemon balm planted in a small container is dived into large (permanent ) pots. Dive into pots (containers), with a volume of 1? 2 liters. The height of the pot should be at least 15 cm. After 6-7 weeks after sowing the seeds, it will be possible to cut off the upper young shoots of lemon balm.

Melissa care on the windowsill.

For growing lemon balm in pots on the windowsill, it is better to choose a high-quality (fertile) earthen substrate. It is good if it is a mixture of biohumus and coconut fiber (1 part of biohumus and 2 parts of coco fiber). Melissa is a light-loving plant.

For her, it is desirable to choose a sunny window sill. Although the bush does not die with 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 plentifully, especially in the summer. In winter (on cloudy days), watering is transferred to moderate. Waterlogging 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 her. The bush gets sick and dies. Therefore, drainage is required when planting a bush. Melissa is sensitive to air humidity, especially in summer.

Every day, daily spraying is carried out from a spray bottle, then the lemon balm leaf becomes more juicy and tender. Systematic pruning of young shoots delays the flowering of the bush as much as possible (during flowering, the lemon balm leaf coarsens). The optimum temperature for the growth and development of lemon balm is 18-20?

Melissa tolerates both cold and heat. Although for the quality of the leaf (juiciness and tenderness), heat is more destructive than coolness. It grows well on glazed balconies and verandas.

It painlessly tolerates a decrease in temperature to +5 - +10 ? C. In order for the bush to last as long as possible, do not forget about top dressing. Try to feed him once or twice a month (a teaspoon agrolife in the top layer of the earth, or watering Rostom- 1 cap per 2 liters of water, or adding biohumus to the pot once a month). Related articles:

Melissa: planting, growing

Melissa lemon is loved by many gardeners for its unique aroma and healing properties. Melissa is a perennial plant that came to us from Southern Europe. That is why, it does not always survive our harsh winter.

And in the Northwestern climate, lemon balm can die from dampness and lack of sun. It does not tolerate acidic and heavy soils. The name "Melissa" in Greek means "honey bee".

The nectar of lemon balm flowers is very fond of bees.Caring for lemon balm is very simple - this plant does not require much attention. Moreover, if you once grow a bush of lemon balm, then over time it can flood your garden like a weed.

But its seeds are not famous for their high germination, and many gardeners do not always succeed in growing it by seed. In addition, they are very small and sometimes simply "lost" when weeding.

Keep in mind that lemon balm seeds germinate at t ° = not lower than 10 ° C and the time for their germination is quite long, about a month. That is why the shoots of lemon balm become invisible: after all, by this time more than one generation of weeds has grown.

An interesting piece of advice was given in the old tear-off calendar: sow lemon balm with a fast-growing crop: lettuce or radish. Then, by the time the lemon balm seeds sprout, lettuce or radish ripen, and by carefully pulling them out, you can save the tender melissa shoots. You can sow the crop and lemon balm in one furrow by mixing the seeds 2: 1 or in different furrows, but very close.

It is convenient to grow Melissa in seedlings in containers, in greenhouses or on a windowsill. As soon as the first pair of true leaves appear. the plants are thinned out, leaving 3 cm between them, and after 35-40 days they are planted in a permanent place.

Melissa can be sown in early spring at home, in early March, or before winter in November. In November, she will need a good shelter-mulching.

Melissa will grow in both partial shade and full sun. Choose a place for lemon balm without stagnant water: it will survive the drought better than waterlogging.

During the first season, lemon balm grows only a rosette of basal leaves, but the next season, numerous shoots with leaves. The harvesting of lemon balm just begins from the second year, during the period when the first flowers begin to open.

After cutting, lemon balm is well fed with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers. Or feed with chicken manure diluted with water (1:10) or slurry (1:6). You can repeat the cut until the beginning of autumn, about 2-3 times. When cutting, leave about 10 cm of the plant above the soil.

In the future, it is best to propagate lemon balm by dividing the bush: this is how you still thin out thickened bushes. For this, 5-year-old plants are suitable. The bush is dug up and divided into three parts, cut with the tip of a shovel. Reproduction of lemon balm can be done at the end of May, and at the end of August-beginning of September.

So that lemon balm, growing, does not crowd out other crops, grow it in separate containers (for example, in old car tires) or fence off the place of its growth by digging sheet iron into the ground by 30-40 cm, cutting it into strips.

If you add lemon balm to any dish or tea, then it is better to do this when the dish is ready and the tea has already been brewed. Otherwise, the essential oils that are in this plant evaporate when boiled. Melissa tea perfectly restores restful sleep and relieves anxiety (for example, before exams or going to the dentist); help with digestive disorders, with colds, can lower blood pressure.

Drink lemon balm tea during migraine attacks and as a prophylactic for cardiovascular diseases. If you put lemon balm in the refrigerator, it will retain a pleasant aroma in it, and unpleasant odors will disappear. Wrap the dry leaves in a cloth bag or gauze and put them on the refrigerator door shelf.Bees love lemon balm, so it can be planted near plants that require bee pollination.If you want the smell of lemon balm to accompany you while walking in the garden, then plant it along tracks. The aroma of lemon balm is not liked by mosquitoes.

Plant it in front of your porch, thereby scaring off annoying insects. You can soothe nervous scratching or itching from a mosquito bite with a leaf of lemon balm: just rub the bite.

What are the benefits of Melissa? How to grow lemon balm in a summer cottage

Melissa is a very useful spicy plant. It can be used as a medicine or to improve the taste of some dishes. In this article we will tell you what the benefits of lemon balm are and how to grow it in your summer cottage. What are the benefits of Melissa?

Melissa is widely used in folk medicine. This plant contains a large amount of essential oils that help the body cope with certain ailments.

Thanks to such substances, lemon balm is used to make preparations that have sedative, carminative and antispasmodic properties. Melissa is good for the stomach. It normalizes digestion and helps the stomach heal an experimental ulcer.

Motility of the stomach, when lemon balm gets into it, increases. Which has a positive effect on the processes taking place in it. In addition, this spicy herb lowers blood pressure, improves heart rate and heart function. Melissa also helps with skin diseases.

Fungal diseases, acne, eczema and shingles are treated with this herb. For boils and inflammation of the gums, you need to apply a tincture of lemon balm. For this, 2 tbsp. spoons of crushed leaves pour 2 cups of boiling water. You need to insist at least an hour.

After filtering, a mass will remain, which is used as compresses. After a few days of use, the boils disappear. Rinsing with lemon balm tincture will help with gum disease. Melissa tincture can also be used for back pain and insomnia.

Melissa tinctures and decoctions are also used to improve the functioning of the brain, liver and to stimulate the whole body, increasing its immunity. How to grow lemon balm in your summer cottage. Melissa is a wild plant, but it can also be planted in a summer cottage.

For this, large bushes of this spicy herb are dug up. They are dug in early spring or late August. The mother bush is divided into several parts so that each division has at least 4 shoots with roots. Melissa does not like the proximity of water.

If large trees and shrubs cast a shadow on the lemon balm, then it will grow poorly and the content of essential oils in it will be minimal. The distance between the lemon balm bushes should be at least 30 cm. The place for the lemon balm is prepared carefully.

The bush of this plant can be in one place up to 10 years. In early spring, the bed is dug up to a depth of 20 cm. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied to it.

In the hot period, lemon balm must be watered. In addition, several times a season, lemon balm bushes need to be fed, and cut 2-3 times, leaving a shoot no more than 10 cm in length. Since lemon balm bushes older than 5 years do not tolerate frost well and their winter hardiness is somewhat less than a young plant, then the old bushes must be divided. In addition to propagation by dividing the bush, lemon balm can be propagated by seeds. They rise badly.

Therefore, it is better not to plant them in open ground. Melissa seeds are planted in a special box on the window. Planting depth should not exceed 1 cm.

After germination, lemon balm seedlings need to be discharged. Melissa seedlings are transferred to open ground at the age of 1-1.5 months. Melissa tea recipe. Take 1.5 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of black tea, 1 teaspoon of lemon balm.

We have already written about how to brew tea. In short, the teapot is rinsed with boiling water, the ingredients are poured into it. After that, you need to pour boiling water and leave for 10-12 minutes. Such tea has an original astringency and a delicious spicy smell of lemon balm.

It calms the nerves, helps with insomnia and high blood pressure.

Melissa varieties

Many varieties of lemon balm with green leaves have been bred, which differ in the shape and height of the bush, the intensity of the color of the leaves, the color of the flowers and the timing of flowering, the strength and tenderness of the lemon aroma, and winter hardiness. For example, "Erfurt erect", "Quedlinburg creeping", "Lime", "Quadrille", "Isidora", "Freshness", "Dose", "Pearl", "Tsaritsynskaya SEMKO", "Lemon aroma". Very decorative varieties of lemon balm, in the color of which there are golden tones: - "Pure Gold" - with golden yellow leaves, white flowers become pale lilac over time; - "Golden", or "Variegated" - dark green leaves are covered with a golden variegated pattern. Unlike Russian plant lovers, in European countries, lemon balm is cultivated very widely, and not only in the garden, but also on the balcony. It is useful for beginner gardeners to know: how to breed lemon balm on your site, what conditions she prefers, and what she doesn’t like at all. I will be happy to share my experience of breeding lemon balm with Gardenia.ru readers.

Sowing melissa seeds and seedling maintenance

Lemon balm seeds are very small, remain viable for 2-3 years. You can try to sow lemon balm in the spring directly into the open ground (the seeds should be sprinkled no deeper than 1.5 cm), but this is a risky business.

If you still manage to grow lemon balm directly in the garden from seeds, then do not expect flowering from it in the first year. The most preferred way is to plant lemon balm in the garden with seedlings. To do this, around the end of March, sow the seeds in cups or a box and place it on a bright windowsill.

Please note that the germination rate of lemon balm seeds is low. If there is a greenhouse, then you can sow lemon balm seeds for seedlings in the greenhouse. When planting lemon balm seeds for seedlings, bury them not at all deep (about half a centimeter). Then the shoots will be more friendly.

Discharge the plants that have appeared so that there is room for growth between them, otherwise they will prevent each other from developing normally. Between sprouts of lemon balm there should be gaps of about 5 cm. Small seedlings of lemon balm require a lot of light.

Keep a box with seedlings on the brightest window sill, and on warm sunny days, take it out to the balcony. It will not be superfluous to introduce a little nitrogen fertilizer for the best development of lemon balm seedlings.

Choosing and preparing a place for lemon balm

For planting lemon balm, choose a suitable place in the garden. Melissa is a rather unpretentious plant, but in favorable conditions it grows and looks especially good.

Melissa prefers loose, loamy or sandy loam soil, sufficiently fertilized. You should not plant lemon balm bushes near water - this plant prefers drier places, and it can get sick and die from an abundance of moisture. Melissa loves a sunny location, which is important for her aromaticity. If you plant lemon balm in the shade of trees, then, of course, it will survive, but the smell of its leaves will be less intense.

With a lack of sun, less essential oil is formed in the leaves of the plant, namely, it is the most valuable component of lemon balm. And her bushes will not be so lush. Light penumbra is quite suitable for growing lemon balm.

Such a location is even more preferable for yellow-leaved lemon balm, which can get sunburned in hot summers. When choosing a place for planting lemon balm, be sure to consider that the plant is long-lived - under favorable conditions, the bush can grow in one place for up to ten years! Plot intended for growing lemon balm we have been preparing since autumn. We dig the soil to a depth of 20 cm, removing weed roots, and fertilize with manure.

Growing lemon balm in the garden

Melissa seedlings are usually planted in open ground at the age of 1-1.5 months. Small bushes are afraid of the cold, so plant them when the return frosts have passed. In the garden, we place lemon balm seedlings at a distance of 30 cm from each other, and we make row spacings twice as large. Lemon balm care consists in periodically loosening the soil and removing weeds.

We have to water the plants when the summer turned out to be very dry. Melissa loves to feed. But if you need to collect seeds, do not feed the plant before flowering, as this will prevent the seeds from ripening on time. Cardinal pruning of lemon balm shoots twice or thrice per season (at a height of about 10 cm from the ground) helps the plant then quickly recover, actively branch and forms a dense attractive bush.

In landscape design, such bushes can be used as a border. Melissa successfully winters with enough snow. However, the winter hardiness of lemon balm bushes older than 5 years is greatly reduced, so valuable varieties should be regularly divided and planted.

Vegetative propagation of lemon balm

If you already have one melissa bush, but this is not enough, then you can propagate the plant vegetatively without resorting to sowing seeds. Bend a few branches of lemon balm to the ground, pin and sprinkle with earth - they will take root.

This procedure should be carried out at the beginning of summer. Do not forget to regularly water the soil around the plant so that the sprinkled branches can take root. And in the spring it will be necessary to separate them from the mother bush and plant them in a permanent place. Melissa, at least three years old, can be propagated by dividing the bush.

It is better to do this in early spring, when young shoots are just appearing in the plant, or at the end of August. We cut the mother bush into pieces of approximately equal size so that each division has at least 4 shoots with roots.

Use of lemon balm

Melissa has long been used in cooking and medicine. From the leaves of this plant, a wonderful herbal tea is obtained, very fragrant and healthy. During the garden season, fresh lemon balm leaves are used in all salads.

Dried leaves can be added to pickles, and melissa leaf powder can be sprinkled on meat and fish dishes. We definitely use lemon balm when preparing and decorating stuffed pike. We use this plant not only as a spice that has a pleasant lemon smell.

Melissa is a good honey plant. Lemon balm leaves have a calming effect on bees. Therefore, during the swarming of the bee colony, we hang fresh shoots of lemon balm on the branches of nearby trees in advance.

So we do not lose the young bee family - the smell of lemon balm attracts bees. Melissa in our family is also used in the manufacture of bath brooms. We knit branches of different trees (linden, birch, oak, mountain ash), young branches of lemon balm and nettle together - and then there is a pleasant aroma in the bath. I wish gardeners good health, vigor of soul and body for successful work in the garden! Tatyana Alekseevna Semyonova (Republic of Mari El, village Kozhlaer)

A modest inhabitant of the forests of the middle belt, lemon balm, popularly known as lemon mint, honeydew, bee grass, is a fairly well-known culture. The greenery of its leaves and shoots with a refreshing lemon aroma is widely used as a savory seasoning for preparing various dishes, preserving vegetables and giving a special flavor to liqueurs and drinks, and a cup of tea brewed with lemon balm is an incomparable pleasure. The beneficial properties of the plant have been used in folk medicine for many years to treat many diseases, and lemon balm is also part of many well-known medicines.

Due to its unpretentiousness in care, lemon balm is perfectly adapted for cultivation in open ground, so you can grow healthy and fragrant greens on your own in the backyard. A few useful tips will help you avoid common mistakes and get a great harvest.

Landing area treatment

Under natural conditions, lemon balm settles along forest edges and slopes of shady ravines, therefore, on a personal plot for its cultivation, a place should be allocated in partial shade near outbuildings or under the crowns of fruit trees. The best soils for it are loose, humus-rich loams or sandy loams with a pH of 4.5 to 7.8.

At the end of autumn, the plot is carefully dug up, combining mechanical processing with weeding and moderately filling the soil with mineral fertilizers and organic matter. If the land on the site is too heavy, it is recommended to add several buckets of river sand during digging.

In the spring, when the snow completely melts and the soil warms up well, they form low ridges, carefully loosening the soil with a rake and breaking large clods of earth.

Growing lemon balm from seeds

The seed method of breeding lemon balm is the most time-consuming and at the same time the most effective of all existing ones. Bushes from seeds grow more powerful and viable, they are resistant to adverse climatic influences. Sowing seeds can be carried out directly into the ground or grow seedlings from them for subsequent transplantation to the garden.

To sow the seeds of lemon balm for seedlings, they begin in the second half of March. A low plastic container is suitable as a planting container, and the soil for planting can be taken from the bed where the grown bushes are subsequently planned to be transferred. Important! Before planting, garden soil must be disinfected - kept in a hot oven or spilled with hot water. In the case of using a purchased soil mixture, heat treatment is not required. Sowing works are carried out in the following sequence:

Prepared soil is poured into the container, lightly tamped with hands and moderately watered.
Grooves about 1 cm deep are formed on the surface of the substrate, into which small lemon balm seeds are sown with an interval of 5-7 cm.
Crops are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil, and the container is covered with cling film and placed on a warm, well-lit windowsill.
Melissa sprouts for quite a long time - up to 20 days. During this time, the greenhouse is regularly ventilated, the surface of the substrate is moistened with a spray gun and drops of condensate are removed from the film.
After germination, excessively dense plantings are thinned out and seedlings are fed with nitrogen fertilizer for better development.
Melissa seedlings will be ready for transfer to the garden in 40-45 days. Transplantation is carried out according to the scheme: the distance between the bushes is about 40-50 cm with a row spacing of 55-65 cm.

Recipe for the occasion::

When dry sowing seeds melissa follow the following order:

First of all, it is necessary to mark the places of sowing so that during germination very thin shoots are not lost among the weeds. For the same purpose, lemon balm seeds can be mixed with seeds of early ripening crops (radish, lettuce).
Before starting work, the surface of the beds is loosened and watered abundantly.
Seeds are sown in furrows 1-2 cm deep at a distance of 40-45 cm from each other, completely covering the crops with a layer of old peat or humus. The optimum row spacing is about 60 cm.

In the first year of life, lemon balm grown from seeds adapts to new conditions and blooms extremely rarely, but in the next season it blooms profusely and for a long time.

Other breeding methods

If lemon balm is already growing on the site, you can expand the “plantation” of fragrant grass using the following methods:

Division of an adult plant- the most powerful bush, which has reached the age of 3-5 years, is dug up, the roots are shaken off the ground, and then divided into several parts. An important condition is that each new plant should have several young shoots with buds. Delenki are seated in shallow holes and watered abundantly. The best time for the procedure is mid-spring or late summer.
layering- several young shoots 10-15 cm long are bent to the ground and fixed in any convenient way. The place of contact is sprinkled with a layer of soil and moistened abundantly. After 2-3 weeks, when the layers take root, they are cut off from the mother bush with a sharp knife or secateurs and planted in a permanent place.
Root cuttings- not the most popular, but effective way. Before the start of the growing season, an adult melissa bush is dug up. With a sharp knife, cut out several pieces of roots about 10 cm long, which are placed in moist soil. After planting, adnexal buds actively develop on the root cuttings, due to which young shoots appear in a few weeks. The mother bush is planted in its original place, where it will continue to grow.

Features of care

Many gardeners mistakenly believe that after planting, lemon balm can grow like a weed without needing care. However, an undemanding culture for well-being still needs a few basic activities:

Timely and competent watering - in the heat, lemon balm is watered every two days, in cool cloudy weather - twice a week. Stagnation of excess moisture leads to rotting of the roots, so waterlogging should be avoided.
One-time top dressing - every spring at the beginning of the growing season, a bucket of mullein solution with the addition of nitrogen fertilizer is applied under each bush. In the future, to maintain the nutritional value of the soil and preserve moisture, the root zone of plants is mulched with humus or old peat.
Every 3-5 years, the bushes are rejuvenated by dividing, otherwise the lemon balm leaves coarsen and shrink, and the plant's yield gradually decreases.
To protect lemon balm from winter freezing, at the end of autumn it is highly spudded, having previously cut off the aerial part, after which it is covered with a layer of fallen leaves.

With proper care, lemon balm actively increases the vegetative mass and blooms profusely.

Melissa officinalis - this is the full botanical name of the plant. Popularly known by the names: lemongrass, lemon mint, bee mint, citronmelissa. Planting and propagating it is not difficult if you know the structural features and preferences for growing conditions. We will tell in the article, growing lemon balm at home, how to plant, what care rules gardeners need to follow.

Growing lemon balm at home on the windowsill

Requirements for soil and fertilizers when planting

Gardeners have long sown with seeds, propagated by dividing the rhizome and cuttings. Fragrant lemon balm was so fond of flower growers that they began to grow it as a houseplant in pots. Not surprising, because it is not only fragrant, but also useful. Its greatest advantage is essential oils.

Scientists say that their number 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. There is no doubt that in order to get the most benefit from a plant, you need to take care of it. Vegetable soil for lemon balm is a soil mixture in which:

On sandy soils, it dries quickly due to lack of moisture and nutrients; on heavy, moist 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 fertilizing, you need to determine the pH level. This can be done using a special device.

To increase the pH level by one unit of the scale, 200 g of slaked lime per 1 m 2 of soil is required. To improve the aeration of heavy soils, coarse-grained river sand is introduced to obtain light loam. For 1 m 2 it is required:

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

A proven folk method is the application of organic fertilizers at the rate of:

Dry bird droppings are diluted 400 g per 10 liters of water, applied to 1 m 2.
Horse rotted manure - 3 buckets per 1 m 2.
Compost - 3 kg per 1 m 2.

Soil preparation for planting lemon balm seeds

Recently, organic farming methods have become popular, using efficient microorganisms. They can be purchased in the form of preparations "Emochki", "Shine", "Baikal", "Bokashi".

Melissa growing conditions, care rules

A living culture, when introduced into the soil, increases fertility in a natural way, as in nature. The formation of humus takes an average of 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" during the cold season and become active in the spring, when the average daily temperature reaches + 12 0 .

Place and growing conditions of lemon balm

Lemongrass is an unpretentious plant, it will survive in the shade and in the scorching sun. But with gentle lighting or in partial shade, it feels more comfortable. Will gratefully respond to generous watering, but not stagnant water. For one session of water procedures, one adult plant needs 10 - 20 liters of water, - 1 - 2 buckets.

Landing dates are shown in the table:

Features of planting in the soil

If basic soil preparation has not been carried out, then it is necessary to provide fertile conditions for each plant individually. To do this, the 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 applied to the soil:

superphosphate - 50 g per 1 m 2;
ammonium nitrate - 20 g per 1 m 2;
potassium salt - 20 g per 1 m 2

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

A common mistake is the dense 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 seedlings or with a lump. If bee mint is intended for medicinal and culinary purposes, it should be placed less often so that it is convenient to collect fragrant leaves. For a decorative effect, the landing is slightly thickened.

Propagation Methods for Lemon Balm

Gardeners use several ways to propagate this spicy herb:

Seeds for seedlings.
Seeds in open ground.
Green cuttings.
The division of the bush.

Planting seeds for seedlings

sown in greenhouses or room conditions in the second decade of March in a container, 7-10 cm high;
into a ready-made seedling substrate, which can be bought at a garden store. If not, you can make your own. In the "Universal soil pH 6.5" add coarse river sand 1: 1.
before sowing, small seeds are mixed with dry sand for even distribution;
in prepared soil, using the long side of a pencil, push grooves 1 cm deep;
gently moisten with a fine spray;
place the seeds evenly along the grooves and lightly press down;
sprinkle with a substrate and moisten with a spray bottle;
cover with foil;
keep in a well-lit, warm place with a temperature of 20 0 .

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

Seedlings are planted in special cassettes for seedlings. They are like egg cups. On sale there are devices of various shapes and sizes. One plant is placed in each cell. Before landing in the garden, a dense lump is formed, which is 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. Lemon balm grains are small, for uniform distribution they are mixed with sand (as for seedlings). The dug-up soil is carefully loosened without leaving large lumps, it should be as sifted. The grooves are prepared shallow up to 1 cm, watered.

After waiting for the water to be absorbed, the seeds are placed, lightly pressed down and covered with loose soil. Watering should be done carefully so as not to wash out. Germination of lemon balm - 60%. The first sprouts appear after 15 days, after 3-4 weeks everything will hatch. After another month, they can be thinned out. Between the remaining distance should not exceed 30 cm.

Propagation of grass with green cuttings

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

Features of this method:

for the cutting, a shoot with 3-4 internodes is chosen;
the lower leaves are cut off;
the stalk is placed in water or in a substrate for seedlings;
for survival in the soil use "Kornevin" or "Heteroauxin";
before planting, the tip of the cutting is powdered with a root;
in moist soil, with a pencil, make a small depression of 2–3 cm, place the stalk and lightly squeeze;
The "greenhouse" is covered with plastic wrap.

After 10 days, you can determine which specimens survived, they are planted in a separate pot, the size of a disposable plastic cup. As the dishes grow, they will have to be increased to transship the plant.

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

Dividing an adult bush into parts

In this way, lemon balm is best propagated in the spring. The rhizome is cut so that the divisions remain 3 - 4 shoots or hatched buds. This "surgery" can be carried out 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 do not retain decorative and healing properties during seed propagation.

Growing lemon balm at home in pots

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

Unpretentious in care:

you need to water 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 Emochka or other "effective microorganisms", they are absolutely harmless to plants and humans.

Unfortunately, the aroma of homemade lemon balm is inferior to its garden relative, but it's still nice 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, it grows up to 1 m in height. Breeders have worked on low-growing varieties so that lemon mint pleases all year round not only with aroma, but also with an attractive appearance. Gardeners call such plants decorative deciduous. For indoor floriculture, the following varieties are popular:

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

It looks interesting when several varieties are placed on the same windowsill. It is not difficult to take care of them, water them in time and feed them seasonally with fertilizers for indoor decorative deciduous plants.

Mistakes when growing lemon balm

Sometimes gardeners complain that they cannot breed bee mint in their area. Melissa is not a picky plant, but there is a limit to her patience. You should not expect a 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;
blown in a draft;
freezes in winter.

If you exclude spartan conditions and choose a cozy place with fertile soil and sufficient watering, she will respond with a generous harvest of useful leaves.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Question №1. Where can I get Melissa?

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

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

Buy seedlings. Advantage:

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

Sow seeds. Advantage:

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

Question number 2. What to do with watering lemon balm if I don’t go to the country often?

The best solution is automatic watering, but not everyone can afford the equipment because of the high cost. It is possible to retain moisture for a long time after ordinary irrigation, if mulch is poured around the plants, with a layer of 5–10 cm. Mowed grass, wood chips, bark, and crushed dry cow dung are suitable. All this creates protection against evaporation and serves as a slow acting fertilizer (MRL).

Question number 3. When to harvest melissa?

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

Question number 4. What plants go with lemon balm?

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

Question number 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, mowed grass. Leaves of oak, walnut, hornbeam, poplar are not suitable for this purpose, they contain tannins and inhibit plants.