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 spicy seasoning for preparing various dishes, preserving vegetables and giving a special flavor to liquors and drinks, and a cup of tea brewed with lemon balm is an incomparable pleasure. The beneficial properties of the plant have been used for many years in traditional medicine for the treatment of many diseases, as well as lemon balm is part of many well-known drugs.
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. personal plot. Some useful advice help 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 crowns 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 up 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 one is suitable as a landing tank. Plastic container, and the soil for planting can be taken from the bed where it is planned to subsequently transfer the grown bushes. Important! Before planting, garden soil must be disinfected - kept in a hot oven or spilled 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.
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, expand the "plantation" fragrant grass can be done by 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. Important condition- on each new plant there should be several young shoots with buds. Delenki are seated in shallow holes and watered abundantly. The best time for the procedure - mid-spring or late summer.
- layering- several young shoots 10-15 cm long are bent to the ground and fixed with 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 on permanent place.
- Root cuttings- not the most popular, but effective method. Before the start of the growing season, an adult melissa bush is dug up. With a sharp knife cut out several segments 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 a 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 above-ground part, then covered with a layer of fallen leaves.
With proper care, lemon balm actively increases the vegetative mass and blooms profusely.
Often in the garden you can see a modest plant - lemon mint, the care and cultivation of which will not cause complications even for beginner gardeners. The scientific name of the inconspicuous bush is lemon balm. The herb has many advantages, the use of fragrant leaves and stems is recommended in cooking, traditional medicine, and home cosmetology. Before you start planting and caring for lemon balm in the open field, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the features of agricultural technology.
Origin and description of culture
According to one of the legends, medicinal or lemon balm owes its name to the exhaled honey aroma - “honey” and “leaves”. The Greeks interpret differently, in their opinion, the culture was named after a girl who disrespectfully treated the Olympic deities. For her defiance and pride, she was turned into a bee that preferred lemon balm to other plants.
Another version of the origin of the name is Ancient Greece the nymph Melissa lived, who regaled Zeus with a special drink made from milk and honey. In honor of her, an inconspicuous fragrant culture was named.
Lemon mint is a perennial. The height of the bush reaches one and a half meters. The base is a powerful rhizome, reaching a length of several meters. The leaves resemble hearts, have teeth.
In July and August, lemon balm is covered with small white (sometimes pink) flowers that exude a delicate aroma. Fragrant mint is revered by bees - at the time of flowering, tireless workers circle over it, collecting nectar. Taste, smell, useful qualities honey did not go unnoticed - the bee product collected from lemon balm is considered the most valuable. The peculiarity of the perennial is that after flowering the fragrant aroma disappears. Leaves exude quite bad smell.
Varietal diversity
If the owners plan to grow lemon balm in the garden, it is better to study its varieties in advance, this will help to make a choice. There are many types of lemon mint, they differ in the height of the bush, flowering, aroma intensity:
- It has a bright green shade of leaves and a persistent aroma. The height of an adult bush does not exceed a meter. Flowering begins in June, continues until mid-August. Used in cooking.
- Inconspicuous bushes, reaching a height of 55-60 cm. The leaves are ovate, exude a delicate aroma. Flowers begin to bloom in early summer.
- A feature of the bush is a height that reaches 130 cm. Flowering begins in mid-summer and lasts almost until autumn. Distinguished by the persistent fragrance of the leaves.
- Melissa of the Lemon flavor variety is especially popular with gardeners, the smell of which does not differ from the fragrance of citrus fruits. It is commonly used in conservation, for the manufacture of perfumes and face and body care products.
Agrotechnical requirements
Growing lemon balm is not as difficult as it seems to many novice gardeners. It is enough to follow simple agrotechnical requirements, which include:
- soil preparation;
- choice of location;
- proper hydration;
- timely feeding.
The soil for growing in open ground will need light, nutritious. Melissa loves good lighting, but without drafts, so it is better to choose a cozy corner in the garden. The earth should not be abundantly moistened, often the bushes do without watering - dirt can destroy lemon mint, causing root rot.
It grows in one place up to 10 years, this must be taken into account when planning plantings. Adult bushes endure movements painfully, take root for a long time and may die.
How to plant melissa
Growing lemon balm is a simple process, but on condition that all the requirements of agricultural technology are met. Landing is carried out in several ways:
- seedlings;
- cuttings;
- seeds in open ground;
- layering.
The most difficult and time-consuming method of reproduction is through seedlings. Difficulties arise even when sending planting material into the soil - the seeds are small and not everyone can distribute them evenly over the surface of the substrate. Another feature of sowing is the need for stratification. For soaking, a pink solution of potassium permanganate is most often used.
Adult bushes can also be used for breeding - delenki take root well. If everything worked out and the plants survived, lemon balm will please you with a good harvest in the first year after planting. The bushes branch well, so an easier way is to propagate by layering or cuttings.
seeds
Getting lemon balm from seeds is troublesome, but interesting. Before sowing, be sure to soak the seed in a solution of potassium permanganate, then dry it on a napkin. It is recommended to use soil for growing seedlings for tomatoes and peppers - it is light, well passes moisture and air, necessary for plant growth.
Required condition – good drainage. At the bottom of the container, put a layer of expanded clay, clay shards, pieces of foam. Send the seed material to a depth of about 1 cm. After sowing, cover the container with a piece of glass or polyethylene. Shoots will appear in 4 weeks. After half a month, carry out a pick. Send seedlings to the beds at the age of 6 leaves.
The division of the bush
If there is no desire to grow lemon balm from seedlings, you can do it easier - get full-fledged specimens from cuttings. Engage in the process better in spring before the leaves appear. Dig up an adult bush, divide it into several parts, each of them must have a kidney. Delenki are planted in pre-prepared soil. Add ash, a small amount of sand, compost to the soil.
The first time after transplanting, it is necessary to irrigate the soil abundantly, especially if spring does not indulge in rains.
Reproduction by layering
A quick and easy way to get full-fledged bushes is to use layering for propagation. The process is simple:
- Dig a few deep grooves from an adult bush.
- Put a shoot of lemon balm in each furrow.
- Press the shoots to the ground with steel clamps.
- Sprinkle the places of contact of the plant with the soil surface with soil.
Water the earth abundantly throughout the summer. Usually by the beginning of autumn strong roots grow. Do not plant the resulting lemon balm bushes, leave until spring. After the snow has melted, cut off the shoots, dig up the plants with big ball land and transplanted to a pre-selected place.
cuttings
You can use cuttings to grow lemon balm. It is recommended to cut them from an adult plant, and if it is not possible, then purchase a bunch of lemon mint in the store and use it for sprouting. The length of the handle should not exceed 15 cm.
At home, place lemon balm cuttings in water on a sunny windowsill. After a week and a half, the roots will appear, you need to let them get stronger and plant them in a nutrient substrate. If the weather is sunny and warm, it is recommended to land immediately in the garden or on the beds.
Growing from seed
Despite the fact that growing lemon balm from seeds is considered the most troublesome, many gardeners prefer to plant lemon balm in this way. In addition to the disadvantages, there are also advantages:
- you can plant several varieties and independently check their differences and advantages;
- renew plants that degenerate over time, which affects the aroma and beneficial qualities.
If garden soil is used for planting, be sure to disinfect it - send it to a hot oven for half an hour. It is better not to use boiling water - hot liquid will not be able to destroy some types of bacteria. Send to beds in open ground planting material in April-May, pre-fertilize and dig the soil.
seedling method
After the lemon balm seeds germinate, care for the seedlings should be carried out as for houseplants. Conduct frequent but sparing watering, loosen the surface of the soil with a sharp stick, trying not to damage the roots that are in the upper layers of the substrate.
When picking at the age of 4 leaves, be sure to leave a clod of soil on the roots. It is better to plant plants in separate cups filled with drainage and a light substrate. After transplanting, place the containers on a bright windowsill, making sure that direct sunlight does not fall on the lemon balm.
Sowing in open ground
It is possible to carry out the cultivation of seeds not through the seedling method, but immediately in the open field in the country. The danger for such plants is in the weeds - they are able to drown out the tender sprouts of lemon balm, preventing them from growing and developing. It is difficult to cope with herbs - it is not easy for an inexperienced gardener to determine where the weed is and where the spicy culture is.
If you carefully weed the weeds, there will be no difficulties in growing lemon balm. A month after germination, thin out the bushes, leaving the strongest. Melissa bushes grown from seeds are resistant to diseases and climatic conditions, they easily tolerate frosts.
The main thing is to make sure that the soil is moist, but not dirty.
Features of care
Caring for mint is simple, the main processes that need to be carried out during the season:
- Watering. Irrigation is rarely carried out - excess moisture causes rotting of the roots and the death of lemon balm bushes.
- Soil loosening. Carry out carefully, without delving into the lower layers in which the rhizome of lemon balm is located - it can be damaged.
- Mulching. A thick layer of mulch (pine bark, chopped straw, sawdust) will protect against evaporation of moisture and weeds, loosening will have to be done much less frequently.
- Top dressing. It is recommended to apply nutrients only when growth slows down. Most often used nitrogen compounds. Do not use fertilizer before collecting leaves.
- Shelter for the winter. Some varieties of lemon balm do not tolerate frost, so in the fall it is recommended to cut off the aerial part of the plant and cover the soil with agrofiber, sawdust, spruce branches, and dry grass.
In the cultivation of lemon mint, you need to remember one feature of the plant - despite the fact that in one place the bush can grow up to 10 years, cold resistance sharply decreases already in the fifth year. It is imperative to cover an adult lemon balm for the winter, otherwise it will die at the first frost.
Growing a house on a windowsill
You can grow lush compact bushes at home, using a sunny windowsill instead of a garden bed.
Growing and caring for lemon balm on a windowsill starts with seedlings. It differs little from the preparation of young plants for planting in the beds - send seeds to a nutritious light substrate, wait for germination and dive into pots. After the bushes grow a few full-fledged leaves and begin to branch, transplant into larger containers. Transplantation is carried out annually.
You need to take care of lemon balm, as for unpretentious houseplants:
- prevent waterlogging of the soil;
- protect from direct sunlight;
- loosen periodically upper layer substrate;
Lemon mint growing on the windowsill needs to be pruned - this will allow you to get a compact beautiful bush. For the winter, it is better to completely cut off the aerial part - in the spring, young shoots will begin to grow from the root.
Melissa is one of the few crops that is easy to grow and care for. The main thing is that you can collect the spice 2-4 times a season, make preparations and even dry it, which will allow you to enjoy the aroma and taste of lemon mint in your favorite dishes throughout the year.
The origin of the name, unsightly in appearance, but fragrant and rich useful properties plants shrouded in legends. According to one version, the name is formed by two Greek words, in translation meaning "honey bee"; Melissa is the name of the nymph who treated Zeus himself with milk and honey; according to another version, the beauty, turned into a bee by the will of the gods of Olympus, was called Melissa.
Melissa is a good honey plant, thanks to which the people received such nicknames as honey, mother liquor, beekeeper, swarm. You recognize the plant by its strong lemony scent, giving rise to another name, lemon balm. Other names: censer, lemon mint, mint, bee mint.
When Melissa Blooms
Melissa begins to bloom in the second year of growth. The flowering period of lemon balm falls on July-August. Before flowering, the plant smells of lemon aroma, at the end of flowering, the aroma becomes sharp.
When to plant
Reproduction of lemon balm by dividing the bush
You can divide bushes aged 3-4 years - by this time they will grow well. The most favorable time for division is the end of May or the end of August. Carefully dig up the bush and divide it into parts of approximately the same size, each of which should contain well-formed roots and 4-5 shoots. Delenki plant immediately in open ground. In order for them to take root well, provide shade and moderate watering.
Reproduction by cuttings
For rooting in spring, cut from young shoots. After cutting, put in water, you can add a growth stimulator. Roots will appear in about 2 weeks. Grow in a container with nutritious loose soil, then transplant into open ground.
Melissa is easy to propagate from cuttings, and if you don't want to disturb old bushes, just cut and root cuttings to quickly get excellent planting material.
Lemon balm care in the open field
There is no difficulty in planting and caring for lemon balm - it is unpretentious, care does not require special specifics.
Weeding and loosening the soil
The first year after will require closer attention. Young plants are not yet strong, they can easily be destroyed by weeds. Weeds are best pulled out by hand. Loosen the soil regularly to ensure oxygen access to the root system. Successful rooting will favorably affect the further development of lemon balm and yield.
Watering
Water sparingly during the initial growth stage. Mature plants are watered only during a severe drought, while watering is supplemented by loosening the soil. A layer of mulch will help keep the soil moist longer and prevent weeds. As mulch, use humus or compost, which will additionally serve as fertilizer.
How to feed
feed lemongrass enough 1 time per season - at the beginning of the growing season. Use complex mineral fertilizers (proportions per 10 liters of water are 50 g of superphosphate, 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 15 g of potassium chloride, consumption per 1 m²). In order for the plant to successfully overwinter, potash-phosphorus fertilizers are applied at the end of summer.
pruning
Don't be afraid to trim the lemon balm. After pruning, it quickly recovers, gives a large number of new branches, the bushes become thick. This will allow you to collect good harvest, also neat cute bushes will decorate the site. Even when growing seedlings, pinch the shoots at a height of 10-15 cm. In the future, two or three times per season radically bushes: at a distance of 10 cm above the soil surface.
Melissa wintering in the Moscow region and the middle lane
To protect the roots of lemon balm from freezing, in the fall, mulch the soil surface with peat, compost and humus. Cover with additional thick layer of straw.
Melissa transplant
In one place, lemon balm bushes can grow for about 1 dozen years. At the same time, it was noted that frost resistance decreases from the 6th year of growth. Therefore, in the conditions of central Russia, it is better to transplant lemon balm with dividing the bush every 5 years.
Harvest and storage
Regarding the question of when to cut lemon balm for drying, everyone decides for himself. Melissa is able to produce 3-4 crops per season. In June, young leaves have a delicate taste and aroma - at this time it is already possible to harvest. With the onset of flowering, the concentration essential oils maximum, due to which the aroma is enhanced, but the leaves become more rigid.
Lemon balm leaves and tops of shoots collected during flowering are medicinal raw materials. It is officially recognized in more than a dozen countries. Gourmets also prefer to harvest lemon balm at this time. The ability of lemon balm to quickly recover allows you to harvest before and during flowering.
For collection, it is better to choose a cloudy day, when the evaporation of beneficial essential oils is minimal. Dry in the shade at an air temperature of no more than 35 ° C, ventilation is necessary. For drying, spread the raw materials on paper or fabric, you can use cold dryers. After drying, store in glass jars with a well-closing lid, porcelain containers, can be folded into plastic bag. The shelf life is two years.
Useful properties of lemon balm
Melissa can be called the embodiment of the dream of the most sophisticated gourmets: it combines citrus aroma and subtle honey notes. It gives the dishes a tonic, refreshing taste. Fresh or dried, lemon balm is added to hot dishes (be it meat, fish or soup), mushrooms, salads are seasoned with spices, and is also used for pickling cucumbers and tomatoes. From this herb you can make an incredibly fragrant and healthy tea, a refreshing summer drink or liquor.
Melissa can be called a universal remedy. Since ancient times, the plant has been used to treat diseases of the stomach, liver, gallbladder. It is an excellent sedative nervous disorders, hysteria, insomnia, lemon balm tea helps relieve headaches and dizziness. Currently, lemon balm is used in the complex treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous and cardiovascular systems, diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Melissa helps the female body with various diseases genital tract, hormonal disruptions, menstrual irregularities.
Melissa varieties with photo name and description
Consider the best varieties lemon balm for cultivation on a personal plot.
Lemon tea - flowering occurs 80 days after sowing, the flowers are white. The yield is 2.9 kg per 1 m².
Mojito - white flowers appear 5 months after sowing. More than 3 kg of crop can be harvested from 1 m².
Freshness - bushes about 80 cm high with flowers blue tint. For two cuts, you can collect 4.3 kg of young shoots and leaves. Suitable for growing in farms and home gardens.
Lada - very productive variety(yield of dry weight 34 q/ha), grown on an industrial scale.
Zhemchuzhina - the variety is suitable for cultivation in all winter hardiness zones. The yield reaches 5.6 kg per 1 m².
Lemon balm - blooms 2.5 months after germination. The stems are semi-deciduous, the flowers are purple. Productivity - 3 kg.
Dozia - a plant 0.9 m high with dark green leaves and snow-white flowers. From the second year of growth, the yield of green mass is 3.4 kg.
Quadrille - each bush gives no more than 15 shoots, the yield is up to 1.5 kg per 1 m². Flowers of a light lilac shade bloom after 80 days.
Lemon flavor - lovely variety for horticultural cultivation. The height of the bushes is 60 cm, which is convenient for growing in a container as well. The plant yields 1.2 kg per 1 m².
Tsaritsynskaya Semko - the stem is erect, branched, the shoots are densely covered with small leaves. The yield is more than 2 kg.
Isidora is a plant up to 0.8 m high. The first crop can be harvested 2 months after germination. Productivity - up to 3.5 kg per 1 m².
In our previous article, we talked about the cultivation and use of peppermint, one of the most popular spicy aromatic crops in our area. Today we propose to talk about no less popular, and certainly no less fragrant and beloved plant - lemon balm. How is the cultivation of lemon balm, reproduction of lemon balm, planting and care, and what, in fact, is the use of lemon balm - you will now find out.
Melissa lemon: description
Melissa lemon (in Latin - Melissa officinalis L.) is an perennial plant from the family of yasnotkovye. Distributed in countries southern Europe, South America, Central Asia, in the Caucasus and Ukraine. In the wild, this plant is found on the banks of rivers, where it is humid.
Lemon balm stems are tetrahedral, branched, straight, up to 0.8 m high. The leaves are ovoid, opposite, with coarsely serrated edges, petiolate, about 5 cm wide, up to 10 cm long. The upper side of the leaves is dark green, with a sparse fluff, and the lower side is light green, with shiny veins. The flowers are located in the axils of the leaves, painted in pink or White color, form fake whorls.
In the first year, lemon balm develops only vegetative organs, and from the second - generative ones. In the southern regions, it blooms in June or July, the flowering period is quite extended. Seeds ripen in August-September. The fruit is a black, ovoid, smooth nut 2 mm long. The germination of lemon balm seeds lasts for two years.
Melissa rhizome is large, very branched, with underground shoots. The biochemical composition of the productive organs of lemon balm is as follows: 20-23% dry matter, 1.6% total sugar, 1.9% fiber (fresh weight), 43 mg% vitamin C. Due to the content of essential oil, the main component of which is citral, leaves and young stems pleasant aroma lemon.
Both fresh and dried, young stems and leaves of lemon balm are used as a spicy seasoning for fish and meat dishes, salads, when salting and pickling vegetables, for compotes, brewing tea. In addition, lemon balm is often used in folk medicine and is an excellent honey plant.
Melissa lemon: cultivation
Melissa does not grow well on heavy soils, preferring rich clay and loamy soils. It winters well in the southern regions, but in middle lane freezes for the winter.
Reproduction of lemon balm most often carried out by dividing the bush or seeds, less often - cuttings and jigging. Lemon balm seeds germinate at a temperature of ten to twelve degrees, optimal temperature for growth and development is considered 20-25 degrees.
Melissa is demanding of light, it is better to grow it in open, well-lit areas. You can plant lemon balm in a shaded place, but in this case, the content of essential oils in the plant will be low.
Melissa cultivation you can spend up to ten years in one place, but if high yield is a priority for you, you need to renew the hive every four years.
Melissa varieties
In culture, two varieties of German selection are common - creeping Quedlinburg and erect Erfurt lemon balm. These varieties differ not only in appearance, but also in winter hardiness and flowering time. However, in the gardens of amateur gardeners, as a rule, not “purebred” varieties grow, but local forms of lemon balm.
Planting lemon balm
Before planting lemon balm the soil should be prepared: fertilize with manure in the fall, dig it up, and in the spring enrich the earth with mineral fertilizers. Potassium salt and ammophos are best suited for lemon balm.
At growing melissa from seeds seedlings are prepared first. Seeds are sown in March. Seedlings are thinned out by four to five centimeters and a solution of nitrogen fertilizer is applied two or three times. Melissa seedlings aged 30-40 days are planted according to a scheme of approximately 70x25-30 cm.
At propagation of lemon balm by dividing the bush it is best to take planting material from 3-4 year old plants. In early spring the bush is dug up and divided into parts, each of which should contain roots and 2-3 buds. Planting lemon balm by dividing the bush is carried out in the same way as seedling way. Already in the first year, a solid crop of green mass is harvested from transplanted plants.
Melissa Care
Lemon balm is generally easy to care for. Several times during the season, the ground around the plants is loosened, weeds are removed, and watered 3-4 times. You can feed the lemon balm - twice a season: for the first time - 20 days after planting the lemon balm (potassium salt and ammophos), the second time - after cutting the greens, with the same fertilizers. You can combine watering and top dressing of lemon balm.
How to collect melissa?
For the use of lemon balm in fresh cut it, of course, as needed. But if you plan to prepare lemon balm for the winter, then it is better to cut it in the budding phase or at the very beginning of flowering. This can be done twice - in July and August. If you grow lemon balm seedlings, then it should be cut off in the second year, and when dividing the bush - already in the first year.
On the garden plot I want to grow unpretentious, multifunctional plants. Planting lemon balm (popularly - lemon mint) will allow not only to evaluate its benefits for the body, but to get decorative element for the flower bed and for the home.
Seeding technology
The first priority before sowing is soil preparation. You need to take 1 cup of biohumus and 2 cups of coconut fiber. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and add the recommended dose of the mineral fertilizer complex to this volume.
Sowing in containers or boxes is done in the second half of March.
- In the soil, you need to make several grooves, the distance between which is 4 - 6 cm.
- The seeds are small, so they should be mixed with a little sand to make the sowing process easier.
- Distribute the mass along the grooves to a depth of 0.5 - 0.7 cm.
- Moisten the surface of the soil.
- Cover the container with glass or film.
- Put in a sunny, warm place.
After the emergence of seedlings, the box must be placed so that they receive enough light, but did not fall under the scorching rays. Watering should be carried out as the soil dries.
Seedlings appear 2-25 days after planting. After the appearance of several leaves, it is necessary to carry out a pick. This is done so that the seedlings do not drown out the growth and development of each other. The distance between the stems should be at least 5 cm. If the sowing was carried out in a special container, then in one cell where several seeds need to be planted at once, the weakest sprouts are removed.
Transplantation in open ground is carried out in the second half of May. To do this, you need to prepare a seat.
Melissa can grow both in a well-lit garden bed and in partial shade. Given enough light, the bush will intensely exude fragrance.
It should be taken into account the fact that this culture is perennial and grows from 4 to 9 years.
The soil should be loose, light and nutritious. Mellisa does not like acidic and wet soil. excess water contributes to the decay of the roots, so the place for the bush must be chosen dry, where moisture does not accumulate during precipitation. If the earth is heavy at the chosen place, then you need to add several buckets of fine sand.
After choosing a place, the soil must be fertilized. For this, 1 sq. m. of soil is introduced:
- 200 g wood ash(1 glass);
- 10-liter bucket of humus;
- Comprehensive mineral fertilizer, on the packaging of which the dosage is indicated.
It should be planted in small trenches located at a distance of half a meter from each other. Each plant needs to be planted in a hole with an interval of 30-35 cm.
If you decide not to grow seedlings, but plant seeds immediately in open ground, then you need to be prepared for poor germination, even careful care may not help. Several factors can influence this:
- low quality of planting material;
- heavy rainfall;
- "clogging" of sprouts with weeds.
Landing is carried out on the 3rd week of May according to the following algorithm.
- Make holes at a distance of 50 - 60 cm from each other.
- Mix grains with sand.
- Deepen the mixture by half a centimeter.
- Sprinkle with peat or humus.
- Moisten the surface of the soil.
- Cover with foil.
To harden seedlings and make them more hardy, you need to remove the film. First, for several hours, then for a whole daylight hours, and after picking, the covering material is finally removed.
Melissa is propagated by both seeds and layering and cuttings. If you already have an adult lemongrass bush, then planting it will be much easier: bend a few shoots to the ground, secure them and sprinkle with earth. After a few weeks, the branches will take root and can be transplanted to a new place.
And in order to propagate by cuttings, it is enough to cut in the garden from friends or buy a bunch of fresh herbs in the store, shorten the stems by 2-3 cm and put them in water. They do not require additional care, they appear in a week root system- and the cuttings are ready for planting in a flower bed.
Growing at home
Melissa can be cultivated as indoor plant. Due to the small volume flower pot it will not grow much, and pruning and constant care will create a lush green bush.
Planting seedlings in pots at home is done in the spring, but it is possible to sow seedlings and plant seedlings in the cold season, but growth will be slow, and the leaves will be light. During the spring-summer period, the bush is gaining strength and adapting to external conditions.
Seeds for growing a plant at home are sown in the same way as for a flower bed. Planting seedlings in pots is carried out after the appearance of 3 leaves. You need to act according to the following algorithm.
- Pick up a pot with a volume of 1.5 - 2 liters so that its walls are at least 15 cm.
- Provide good drainage. To do this, you can take pebbles or expanded clay.
- Pour the prepared soil and plant 2 or 3 sprouts in one container.
- Moisten the soil with a spray bottle.
- Put on the windowsill.
The peculiarity of caring for a plant at home is watering. Heating and dry indoor air adversely affect appearance lemon balm and its smell, so you need to additionally moisturize it:
- water as the soil dries;
- spray every day.
Features of care
If you properly care for the bush in the first year of planting, then subsequently there will be less trouble with growing.
Care is provided in 4 main areas:
- watering;
- loosening;
- weeding;
- top dressing.
When the weather is hot, it is necessary to provide lemon balm with sufficient watering. It is carried out 4 times a week, and on cloudy days, if there is no precipitation, you need to water it 2 times in 7 days.
Loosening is carried out after each watering and after rain to ensure good air permeability of the soil and prevent root rot due to excess moisture.
A flower bed or a bed with seedlings should be weeded as needed: the planted seedlings are not yet strong enough, and the grass can drown out its growth. In the 2nd and subsequent years of the life of this crop in your garden, the presence of small vegetation around adult bushes with a strong root system is allowed.
Top dressing is carried out at the beginning of the season, when the seedlings move to a permanent place of residence or the sprouts that sprouted on the street have reached 5-6 cm in height. Nitrogen fertilizer is applied to increase growth and strengthen the stem.
If you store leaves for future use and cut them off as they grow, then after each pruning, you must add a mineral complex, the dosage of which is indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer. Several times during the season, you can add mulch or humus to the flower bed with the plant. 
Melissa is a thermophilic culture. Although it can withstand negative temperatures, it is recommended to cover it for the winter:
- cut off the top, leaving 1–2 cm above the ground;
- loosen the ground and moisten a little;
- sprinkle fallen leaves on top.
So that the leaves do not become smaller, and the mint continues to delight with the fresh aroma of lemon, you need to divide the plant into several bushes every 3 years and plant them.
Despite the usefulness of lemon balm, which is widely used in folk recipes, when growing it does not require special care, it can grow both in the country and at home on the windowsill.