This patch of lemon balm is going to be torn out this year. Grampa Tom and I use so much lemon balm during the summer that I thought I needed another bed, but I've got so many little patches turning up here and there that I've decided this space would be better used as a parsley patch.
I usually don't bring cut lemon balm to the markets because it wilts to quickly, but I'm planning to put this bed in pots to bring all summer long so my customers can grow it too. Lemon balm needs full sun to produce to it's full potential, but like any plant in the mint family, it can survive just fine in partial shade. Be careful where you put it though! It's a weed. It spreads by the roots as well as by seed. To keep it contained, you should put some sort of a boarder around it and keep it cut so it doesn't flower.
We use lemon balm on a daily basis during the summer when it is abundant. I even bring a pot of it in during the winter. Lemon balm makes a wonderful tea. We mix it with the green tea that we make into iced tea. It is also great in salads, soups or on sandwiches.
It's great for any type of skin irritant, bee stings, bug bites, rashes, cold sores ... just rub the leaves on the affected area. Lemon balm has been shown to have anti-viral qualities. Citral (the chemical that creates the lemon smell) has been shown to cause cancer cells to self-destruct.
Got a toothache? Put a few leaves between the affected tooth and your cheek. The pain will start to subside within a few minutes :)
I make a tincture of it to use on mouth sores during the winter, and I'm experimenting with making lotions, creams and salves with it. Haven't got that one down yet - still in product development (shhh... That means I haven't gotten around to finishing what I started.)
It's also reported to be good for anxiety, insomnia, colic and upset tummies. It is even been proven to help Alzheimer's patients be less agitated.
Lemon balm also seems to be a pretty safe herb to use. The only warnings I can find about it are cautions when using with sedatives. Lemon balm can increase the potency of these drugs.
Our chickens love it. They always keep any stems that try to escape the garden trimmed back well. I try to dry some every summer to give them a treat during the winter :) Dried lemon balm looses it's scent quickly, but if you put it in the freezer it keeps pretty well.
So be looking for it when you come see me!
God Bless You All!
~Grama Sue
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