Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm is a lovely fragrant herb for the garden. The fresh, tangy, lemon-flavored leaves are used for a relaxing tea and to give lemon flavor to poultry and other dishes.   100 seeds   PLANTING Melissa officinalis Perennial, Zones 4-9 Germination: 7-21 days Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 65-75ºF Seed Planting Depth: Sow on the surface, seeds need light to germinate Starting Indoors:  Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Provide 65-75ºF soil temperature for germination. Transplant 12-18” apart after the last frost.  Sowing Outdoors: Direct sow 2 weeks before the last frost or in autumn. Sow a few seeds every 6-8" apart, thin to the most robust seedling, 12-18” apart, or sow seeds close together in a row and when thinning out the seedlings transplant them to other places in the garden.  Growth Habit: Upright branching Height and Width: 48” x 24-36”   Spacing: 12-18” apart Light Needs: Full sun, part shade in hot climates Soil Needs: Average to fertile, well-drained.  Approximate days to harvest: 65-70 days or earlier, when the plant has grown large enough, harvest the leaves before the plant blooms. Uses: Medicinal, culinary, ornamental, deer resistant, ideal for containers and small spaces, attracts bees and beneficals