How to Harvest Lemon Balm. When to harvest: Pinch off and use leaves and sprigs as needed during the growing season. Older, lower leaves have the strongest aroma. Leaves for drying are best harvested before the plant flowers in summer, usually about the time lower leaves begin to yellow.
How do I harvest my lemon balm?
You can harvest small amounts of lemon balm for use throughout its growing season by snapping off a few leaves at a time. For a bigger harvest, use shears to snip leaves from the center stem, in between side shoots, to continue encouraging bushy, full growth.
Will lemon balm grow back after cutting?
To keep plants vigorous, thin plants out in mid-summer by cutting out stems to open up the plant to better air circulation. Lemon balm can also be cut back to about one-half its height to encourage fresh, vigorous new growth. Watering after this heavy pruning helps the plant recover quicker.
How often can you harvest lemon balm?
You can harvest handfuls of lemon balm leaves for fresh use almost any time during the growing season. For a large harvest of leaves that will be dried for tea or medicinal use, it is preferable to wait until the plant begins to put on flower buds or just as the flowers begin to open.
What part of the lemon balm plant is used?
leaves
Lemon balm supplements are made from the leaves of the plant. Essential oils made from lemon balm leaves contain plant chemicals called terpenes, which play at least some role in the herb’s relaxing and antiviral effects.
Do you wash lemon balm before drying?
If you grow your own lemon balm plant and it is free of pesticides, there is no need to wash the plant before using it or drying it. Washing can strip the oils from the leaves; if you are using store-bought herbs, gently rinse them and dry them completely.
Can I still use lemon balm after it flowers?
Keep plants well watered during dry spells in summer, and cut back after flowering to encourage a fresh flush of leaves. Lemon balm will self-seed readily, so if you don’t want more plants, remember to remove the faded flowers before they set seed.
What can you do with lemon balm clippings?
Add a few Tablespoons of chopped lemon balm leaves to fruit salads to impart some lemony flavor without making it sour or too tart. Also, try mixing some chopped leaves with yogurt to use as topping for fruit salads.
When should I trim my lemon balm?
How to Prune Lemon Balm
- Pinch back the main stems when they reach 6 to 8 inches tall, typically at transplanting.
- Cut back the entire plant once a month after it reaches full size in early to mid summer.
- Remove the old flowers once they wilt.
- Inspect the plant monthly during pruning.
Does lemon balm come back every year?
Container Growing Lemon Balm
Winter growing: Cut back lemon balm in fall leaving just 2 inches of stem. The plant may freeze back to the ground in winter but will re-grow from underground roots and renew itself in spring.
Can you freeze lemon balm leaves?
Some herbs maintain their flavor better when frozen instead of dried. Freezing works well for herbs like parsley, dill, basil, chives lemon balm, mint or tarragon.
What can I make with dried lemon balm?
Use lemon balm in place of lemon peel in recipes and to flavor soups, sauces, vinegars and seafood. Or add it to your favorite sugar cookie dough for a delicious lemony tea cookie.
Can you eat lemon balm raw?
You can certainly enjoy lemon balm fresh on salads, or in your favorite recipes, too. Be brave! Experiment with its bright flavor.
Can you eat fresh lemon balm leaves?
As a general rule of thumb, treat lemon balm as you would any other fresh herb. It works especially well in place of mint, offering bright, fragrant notes. Add whole lemon balm leaves to green salads, or chiffonade the leaves and scatter them over a fruit salad for added zesty flavor.
Does lemon balm deter mosquitoes?
Lemon Balm
The lemon scent, which repels the bugs, is powerful. It rubs off very well onto the skin. Lemon balm repels mosquitoes and gnats.
Is Lemon balm tea better fresh or dried?
Herbalists note that the medicinal properties of lemon balm may be stronger in an infusion made from dried lemon balm leaf, but using more fresh lemon balm and a longer steep time can help extract more of this fragrant herb’s compounds.
What happens if you smoke lemon balm?
In the research, they gave the mixture to two groups, and reports showed that participants noticed favorable effects on different aspects of their moods and lower anxiety levels. Likewise, herbal smoking blends containing lemon balm may be able to offer similar effects for those dealing with anxiety.
Does lemon balm spread?
Lemon balm does not spread by underground runners like mint. It will increase in size, though, making a bigger clump in the garden each season and sprouting from seeds that develop from inconspicuous flowers.
Does lemon balm repel ants?
Lemon Balm
This member of the mint family emits a clean lemon scent. Mosquitoes don’t like it. Neither do flies and ants.
Do butterflies like lemon balm?
When lemon balm flowers, it brings in bees and butterflies and other beneficial pollinators. (Check out other plants I recommend to attract pollinators here.)
How do you collect lemon balm seeds?
The delicate task of extracting lemon balm seeds can only be done by hand: Carefully separate the dried stalks from the stem. Roll the dried flower or stalk over your open palm using your fingers. The dried material will get crushed, leaving a few tiny seeds.