Description
Imagine lovely lemon balm sparked with a warm, orange scent: this is ‘Mandarina’. Its delicious herbal tea lures and lulls you to sleep. Waft away! Spreading 14–24" plant has alluring fragrance and attractive foliage. Perfect for large, mixed patio containers. Easy to grow, healthful perennial herb is hardy from USDA zones 4a to 9b.
How to Grow
Mulches help retain soil moisture and maintain even soil temperatures. For herbs, an organic mulch of aged bark or shredded leaves lends a natural look to the bed and will improve the soil as it breaks down in time. Always keep mulches off a plant’s stems to prevent possible rot.
Keep plants well-watered during the growing season, especially during dry spells. Plants need about 1 inch of rain per week during the growing season. Use a rain gauge to check to see if you need to add water. It’s best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
Cut plants back by up to two-thirds after they bloom, about 40 days after emergence, to encourage new growth.
Monitor for pests and diseases. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for pest controls recommended for your area.
Divide plants every year or two in spring or early fall to control their spread.
Tips
Lemon balm is one of the easiest lemon-scented herbs you can grow and is suitable for flower borders, herb gardens, containers, or vegetable gardens.
Use the fresh leaves to add to flavor to foods and teas, or toss them into your bathwater.
Include the dried leaves in potpourri.
To dry lemon balm, cut a bunch of stems on a sunny morning, tie them loosely and hang them in a dry, airy location out of the sun. When thoroughly dry, store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a dry, dark location, such as a cupboard, for one year.
Lemon balm may be chopped and frozen in vegetable oil or water in ice cube trays.
