How to propagate lemon balm. Lemon melissa - we grow a green doctor at home. Melissa tea and pregnancy

American linden is perfect for growing bonsai. Homeland - North America (eastern part).

Deciduous plant has a beautiful spreading crown. The branches may be slightly drooping. Light brown bark, sometimes with a grayish tint, covered with narrow shallow cracks. Young shoots are smooth to the touch. They are reddish gray in color, but gradually turn brown.

The root system is powerful. The buds are dense, oval and pointed at the ends. Simple leaves, which are held on elongated petioles, have a regular arrangement. In length, they reach 5–8 cm, the edge is serrate. Young foliage is pale green. The fully formed leaf is slightly shiny (top). Below, at the base, it is covered with fine hairs.

In autumn, the green color of the leaves is replaced by golden yellow.

In early or mid-summer, American linden blooms with small flowers. They are regular in shape, five-petal and collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences, emitting a pleasant honey aroma.

There will be no particular difficulties in the formation of a beautiful neat bonsai from this species of Linden. The biggest challenge is reducing the size of the branches and forming a compact spherical shape.

The exact origin of the name Melissa not clarified due to disagreements among its interpreters. But it is known that the herbaceous plant of the Yasnotkovye family called lemon balm, the cultivation of which as a medicinal raw material is widespread, is also called a censer, lemongrass, lemon and bee mint. This inconspicuous grass is cultivated by gardeners, gardeners and even planters for industrial purposes, focusing primarily on the richness of biologically active substances contained in lemon balm.

Did you know?According to one version, the name melissa was formed from the addition of Greek words meaning honey and leaves. According to the second - on behalf of the nymph Melissa, who allegedly treated Zeus with honey and milk. According to the third, Melissa was the name of a beauty turned into a bee by the will of the Olympic gods.

Melissa: plant description

The height of a perennial can reach one and a half meters. Its basis is a highly branching rhizome. The petiolate opposite leaves of a complex shape, resembling both a heart and an egg and possessing large teeth, are located on a branched stem, as if cut on four sides.

Short pedicels are crowned with axillary bunches of small white flowers, which can also have pale pink or purple tones. The flowers have four stamens, the upper four-part ovary of the pistil is on a long column. The flowering of lemon balm marks July and August of the second year of growth.

A large, with black sheen, four-root fruit, which matures in August-September, has an ovoid shape. Before flowering, the herb smells like lemon. When the bloom ends, the fading odor becomes unpleasant.

How to choose a place and prepare the soil for growing lemon balm

In order for lemon balm to grow well, you need to create certain conditions for it.

Lighting for active growth

It is recommended to plant lemon balm in a place with good sunlight, which is especially important for the germination of naturally small seeds. Frosts can kill new lemon mint bushes, so their cultivation should begin with planting in a warm season. In the future, the plant demonstrates a fair resistance to cold weather, although the place where lemon balm grows is still better to choose on the southern side, protected from air currents coming from the north.

Important!In an open, sunny place, lemon balm has a richer aroma.

Preparing the soil for planting lemon balm

The soil for planting must be fertile and free of weeds. Melissa prefers loamy soils, as they have high water and air permeability, which makes it possible to grow a full-fledged plant. Loose sandstones are also possible. They need good drainage from fine gravel or broken brick, which will protect the root system from decay.

If the entire site is located on clay soil, then at the place of planting lemon balm it must be mixed with river sand. The reaction of the soil to acidity should be slightly acidic or neutral. The first digging with weeding and fertilization can be done in the fall, and in the spring, loosen and clean the heated soil again.

Lemon balm breeding methods, how to plant a medicinal plant

To understand how lemon balm reproduces most successfully, you must first carefully study and only then choose seeds, lemon balm seedlings, cuttings or separated parts of the bush for planting.

Sowing seeds

A thousand seeds weigh approximately 0.62 g. Their germination capacity lasts for 2-3 years. Based on practical experience, it was concluded that plants grow stronger and more resilient from seeds. When it is best to sow lemon balm depends on the planting material chosen for open soil.

Landing in open ground

Rapid germination of seeds will occur when sowing lemon balm in open ground begins at the end of May. Moreover, as close to the surface as possible, that is, it is necessary to plant lemon balm seeds to a depth of no more than 1-1.5 cm. For a row spacing, a gap of up to half a meter is sufficient. Between the bushes, since they grow decently, it is advisable to leave at least 40 cm.

Gardeners who care not only about the yield, but also about the aesthetics of the beds, recommend increasing both distances to about 0.6 m. The first shoots appear only after 3-4 weeks, therefore, to the question: "Why does lemon balm do not grow?", The answer is simple - the due time has not come.

Planting lemon balm seedlings

A rich harvest of fragrant lemon balm can be achieved not only by growing it from seeds, but having previously obtained seedlings from them. Planting seedlings should be done at the turn of March and April, and in May the resulting approximately 40-day-old material with four leaves on each seedling is planted in the soil.

Boxes with sown seeds, covered with glass, are kept in a warm room, the illumination of which is increased to a maximum after germination. Seedlings that have grown up to 3-5 cm need to be thinned out to five-centimeter intervals and then planted in separate small containers.

Growing lemon balm by dividing a bush

Shoots that have begun to grow by the end of May signal that you can start dividing the bushes. Another, also favorable time, is the end of August. The dug out bush is cut into pieces of equal size. Each of them should have at least 4-5 shoots and roots. The separated parts take root well and bloom beautifully. A limitation for this method of breeding lemon balm is its age - it must be at least 3-4 years old.

How to cut lemon balm

Cuttings for planting lemon balm are made from the apical part of its young shoots, which, after cutting, are placed in water. After the roots appear (this happens after about two weeks), the cuttings are grown in fertilized loose soil.

Rules for caring for lemon balm in the garden

There is no difficulty in planting lemon balm, it is unpretentious in any case, and therefore caring for it does not provide for any special specifics. But in the first year, until the branched roots of the overgrown bushes began to independently provide them with food and moisture, the plant needs close attention. First of all, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil and remove weeds.

In one place, lemon balm can exist for up to 10 years. But in the sixth year, winter-hardy qualities deteriorate, therefore, in a frosty climate after this period, it is better to divide and plant.

Important!After five years, the winter hardiness of the plant decreases.

Watering and feeding the plant

Several waterings are necessary in the initial stage of growth. It is imperative to water in case of significant drought. Watering must be supplemented by loosening the soil. A protective layer of mulch laid on top will help the soil stay moist longer and also serve as a weed protection. Lemon balm is fed after each cut of greens.

Complex liquid fertilizers are used (for 10 liters of water - 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 50 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium chloride) and mulching with organic matter - a significant layer of humus or compost. No top dressing is done before flowering, as this interferes with the timely ripening of the seeds.

Pinching lemon balm

Pinching of lemon balm seedlings grown for seedlings is carried out at a height of 10-15 cm. The result of this procedure is compact bushes with greater branching.

Lemon balm pruning

Two or three times per season, lemon balm shoots are radically cut at a 10-centimeter distance from the ground. Such an operation leads, in addition to a very quick recovery, to a rather active formation of a large number of new branches and thick pretty bushes, so attractive that they are used as elements of landscape design.

Advice.

* If you add lemon balm to any dish or tea, it is better to do it when the dish is ready and the tea has already been brewed. Otherwise, the essential oils that are in this plant volatilize when boiled.

* Tea with lemon balm perfectly restores restful sleep and relieves feelings of anxiety (for example, before exams or going to the dentist); helps with digestive disorders, colds, can lower blood pressure. Drink lemon balm tea during migraine attacks and as a preventive measure for cardiovascular diseases.

* If you put lemon balm in the refrigerator, it will retain a pleasant aroma in it, and unpleasant odors will disappear. Wrap dry leaves in a clothes bag or cheesecloth and place them on the shelf of the refrigerator door.

* The aroma of lemon balm is very disliked by mosquitoes. Plant it in front of your front porch to scare off annoying insects. You can soothe nerve scratching or itching from a mosquito bite with a lemon balm leaf: just rub the bite.

* Bees love lemon balm, so it can be planted close to plants that require bee pollination.

* If you want the scent of lemon balm to accompany you while walking in the garden, then plant it along the paths.

Article author: Love

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The origin of the name of a plant that is unsightly in appearance, but fragrant and rich in useful properties, is shrouded in legends. According to one version, the name is formed by two Greek words, translated as "honey bee"; Melissa is the name of a 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, queen, bee, swarm. You recognize the plant by its strong lemon scent, which is another name for lemon mint. Other names: censer, lemon mint, mint, bee mint.

When melissa blooms

Melissa begins to bloom in its second year of growth. The flowering period of lemon balm falls in July-August. Before flowering, the plant smells of lemon scent, at the end of flowering, the aroma becomes sharp.

When to plant

Reproduction of lemon balm by dividing the bush

You can divide the bushes 3-4 years old - by this time they will grow well. The most favorable terms for division are the end of May or the end of August. Dig out the bush carefully and divide it into approximately equal-sized pieces, each of which should contain formed roots and 4-5 shoots. Plant the plots directly into the open ground. For them to take root well, provide straining and moderate watering.

Propagation by cuttings

For spring rooting, cut from young shoots. After cutting, place in water, you can add a growth stimulant. The roots will appear in about 2 weeks. Grow in a container with nutritious loose soil, then transplant to open ground.

Melissa propagates easily by cuttings, and if you don't want to disturb old bushes, just cut the cuttings and root to quickly get excellent planting material.

Lemon balm outdoor care

There is no difficulty in planting and caring for lemon balm - it is unpretentious, care does not require any special specifics.

Weeding and loosening the soil

In the first year after, more attention will be required. Young plants have not yet matured, they can easily be destroyed by weeds. It is better to pull the weed grass by hand. Loosen the soil regularly to provide oxygen to the root system. Successful rooting will have a beneficial effect on the further development of lemon balm and yield.

Watering

Water sparingly during the early stages of growth. Adult plants are watered only during severe drought, while watering is complemented by loosening the soil. A layer of mulch will help keep the soil moist for longer and prevent weeds. Use humus or compost as mulch for additional fertilization.

How to feed

It is enough to feed the lemongrass once a season - at the beginning of the growing season. Apply 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, at the end of summer with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

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 harvest a good harvest, and neat, pretty 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 a season, the bushes are radically: at a distance of 10 cm above the soil surface.

Wintering lemon balm 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 additionally with a thick layer of straw.

Lemon balm transplant

Lemon balm bushes can grow in one place for about 1 decade. 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.

Harvesting and storage

Regarding the question of when to cut lemon balm for drying, everyone decides for himself. Melissa is capable of producing 3-4 crops per season. In June, young leaves have a delicate taste and aroma - at this time you can already harvest. With the onset of flowering, the concentration of essential oils is maximized, due to which the aroma is enhanced, but the leaves become more rigid.

Leaves and tops of lemon balm shoots, collected during flowering, are medicinal raw materials. It is officially recognized in over a dozen countries. Gourmets also prefer to harvest lemon balm at this time. Lemon balm's ability to quickly recover allows harvesting 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. To dry, lay the raw material on paper or cloth, you can use cold dryers. After drying, store in glass jars with a well-closing lid, porcelain containers, and can be folded into a plastic bag. The shelf life is two years.

Useful properties of lemon balm

Melissa can be called a dream come true for the most sophisticated gourmets: it combines citrus aroma and subtle honey notes. It gives a tonic, refreshing taste to dishes. Fresh or dried, lemon balm is added to hot dishes (be it meat, fish or soup), to mushrooms, salads are seasoned with spices, and is also used in pickling cucumbers and tomatoes. An incredibly aromatic and healthy tea, a refreshing summer drink or liqueur can be made from this herb.

Melissa can be called a universal remedy. Since ancient times, the plant has been used to treat diseases of the stomach, liver, gall bladder. It is an excellent sedative for 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 also helps the female body with various diseases of the genital tract, hormonal disruptions, and menstrual irregularities.

Melissa varieties with photo name and description

Consider the best varieties of lemon balm for growing on a personal plot.

Lemon tea - flowering occurs 80 days after sowing, white flowers. 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 blue flowers. For two cuts, you can collect 4.3 kg of young shoots and leaves. Suitable for growing on farms and in personal plots.

Lada is a very productive variety (yield of dry matter 34 c / ha), grown on an industrial scale.

Pearl - the variety is suitable for growing in all winter hardiness zones. The yield reaches 5.6 kg per 1 m².

Lemon balm - blooms 2.5 months after germination. Stems are semi-lying, flowers are purple. Productivity - 3 kg.

Dozia is a plant with a height of 0.9 m 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 in 80 days.

Lemon aroma is an excellent variety for gardening. The height of the bushes is 60 cm, which is convenient for growing in a container as well. The plant produces a yield of 1.2 kg per 1 m².

Tsaritsynskaya Semko - erect, branched stem, shoots densely covered with small leaves. The yield is over 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.

Growing lemon balm Melissa-medicinal (lemon mint) is a perennial herb with a branched stem. The aroma of lemon balm gives a unique taste to soups, main courses, compotes and drinks.

Housewives use this plant for canning tomatoes, cucumbers and squash. The leaves contain a large amount of vitamins. The medicinal properties of lemon balm have been known since ancient times.

Lemon balm tincture has a diaphoretic, diuretic, analgesic, antiallergic and stimulating effect, and lemon balm extract has a good effect on the functioning of the stomach. Green tea with lemon balm perfectly tones and improves well-being, and also has a calming effect on the nervous system. in the garden. Melissa propagates by seeds, dividing a bush or cuttings. Growing lemon balm at home from seeds will allow you to have well-developed, flowering plants in the first year. Seeds are sown in containers at the end of March, deepening them by 0.5 cm.

For planting, use a nutrient mixture with the addition of river sand. The seeds are watered, covered with foil and placed in a warm place for germination. When the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the container is transferred to a bright place.

Melisa is unpretentious, so ordinary room conditions are suitable for her growth. Watering should be regular but moderate.

Plants are planted in open ground at the end of May. Melissa winters well in our climate, but in the fall it should be mulched with sawdust, peat or fallen leaves. Flowering begins in July and lasts until September.

Growing lemon balm:

At home , in the open field. Prefers a well-lit place, but can grow in partial shade

How to grow lemon balm

Melissa is a herbaceous perennial, very sensitive to temperature, humidity, soil. Lemon balm seeds are very small and have low germination, germinate at temperatures above 10 degrees for about 1 month.

In view of this, it is very difficult for many homeowners to breed this useful plant. So what do you do in this case?

Soil for lemon balm

First, it should be understood that lemon balm does not tolerate acidic and heavy clay soils. The soil should not be very wet, since in this case the lemon balm is affected by fungal diseases and dies. Secondly, given that the lemon balm seeds are very small and take a long time to sprout, lemon balm should be planted with a lighthouse culture (salad, radish).

For this, the seeds of lemon balm and a lighthouse plant are mixed in a 2: 1 ratio and sown in one groove. By the time the lemon balm rises, the lighthouse plants are already ripe, and they can be carefully removed along with the root. Thirdly, the lemon balm can be grown through seedlings (preferably peat pots).

Dive lemon balm is not necessary. When the first true leaves appear, thin out. After 40 days, lemon balm can be planted in a permanent place. In the first year of life, lemon balm plants form a rosette of basal leaves.

In the second year, lemon balm gives abundant greenery and blooms. The crop is harvested in the second year before the flowering of the plant.

Rules for growing lemon balm in pots on a windowsill

Melissa is well suited for potting as a houseplant. Bushes in indoor conditions do not grow tall (unlike street bushes), and with systematic pruning of young shoots, lemon balm bushes well and pleases the eye with its splendor.

Fresh leaves and young shoots of mint-lemon flavor are used for food in the preparation of salads, soups, meat dishes, drinks. For the successful cultivation of lemon balm on the windowsill, you need a sunny place on the windowsill, abundant watering and a high-quality substrate. Melissa can be planted in windowsill pots at any time of the year.

Although it is preferable to plant it in the spring, since caring for the plant in this case is simple and requires minimal costs, and the bush will delight with its lush greenery for 3-4 years in a row (lemon balm is a perennial plant). Then the bush is renewed and transplanted into a pot with new (fresh) soil. In winter, lemon balm will not disappear without additional lighting. The bushes will give a green growth, although they will not be so lush and lighter. The quality of lemon balm leaves (their delicate and juicy taste) depends on the quality of watering (should be abundant) and sufficient air humidity (systematic spraying with water from a spray bottle).

Reproduction of lemon balm.

Melissa reproduces by dividing the bush, layering, cuttings, seeds. By dividing the bush You can propagate lemon balm for growing in a pot on a windowsill if you have lemon balm growing in your garden in your country house. This procedure is good to do in the spring, when the regrowth of green shoots is just beginning.

Dig over the overwintered lemon balm bush, shake off the roots from the soil and carefully cut the bush into several smaller bushes. Cut thick rhizomes into pieces so that each part has several (at least one) shoots with buds. In a couple of weeks, the bush will gain strength and the regrown new young shoots will be ready for use.

Layers It is convenient to propagate lemon balm for growing in a pot if you have an adult lemon balm bush, but you do not want to dig it out for some reason. In this case, shoots are rooted directly on the bush.

This procedure is best done in the first half of summer, before the lemon balm begins to bloom. Shoots that have reached a length of 10-15 cm are bent to the ground, fixed with a bracket or a small spear and covered with earth. After a few weeks, roots are formed on the covered nodes pressed to the ground.

We cut off a new young bush with a pruner from an adult bush and transplant it into a pot. We put the pot in the shade for a couple of days. In a couple of weeks, new young shoots will begin to grow.

Cuttings You can propagate lemon balm for growing in pots if the first two methods are not suitable. We go to the market or to the supermarket, buy a bunch of lemon balm (always fresh!), Cut off the upper parts of the shoots and put them in water. After 7-10 days, the rooted shoots can be planted in a pot.

We put the pot in the shade for a couple of days. After 2-3 weeks, new young shoots will begin to appear. Seeds lemon balm reproduces longer and more troublesome.

But if you have patience, then a bush grown from seeds will be more durable than bushes grown by the above methods. Pickled seeds in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for several hours are planted to a depth of 0.5-1.0 cm. Cover the pot with cellophane until the first shoots, which will appear in a warm room in 10-15 days. They are planted in a well-damp ground, not forgetting about drainage. Drainage, when planting seeds, is required (put a layer of expanded clay, 2 × 3 cm high at the very bottom of the pot). Plant lemon balm can be immediately in large containers, or in a small container (peat cups, disposable 100-gram cups), followed by picking into a permanent container. ) pots Dive into pots (containers) with a volume of 1 × 2 liters. The height of the pot should be at least 15 cm. 6-7 weeks after sowing the seeds, you can already cut off the upper young shoots of lemon balm.

Care for lemon balm on the windowsill.

For growing lemon balm in pots on the windowsill, it is better to choose a high-quality (fertile) earthen substrate. It is good if it is a mixture of vermicompost and coconut fiber (1 part vermicompost and 2 parts cocoa fiber). Melissa is a light-loving plant.

It is advisable for her to choose a sunny windowsill. Although with a lack of light, the bush does not die, it slows down a little in development and the dark green color of the leaves turns into light green. Melissa is a moisture-loving plant.

Water it systematically and abundantly, especially in the summer. In winter (on cloudy days), watering is transferred to moderate. Waterlogging of the soil without sunlight can lead to lemon balm diseases such as powdery mildew.

Stagnation of water in the soil will also be detrimental to it. The bush gets sick and dies. Therefore, drainage is required when planting a bush. Melissa is sensitive to air humidity, especially in the summer.

Every day, daily spraying from a spray bottle is carried out, then the leaf of the lemon balm becomes more juicy and tender. Frequent pruning is good for lemon balm. Do not spare the bush, the more you pick off young shoots, the more lemon balm will bush. Systematic pruning of young shoots maximally pushes the flowering time of the bush (during flowering, the lemon balm leaf coarsens). The optimum temperature for the growth and development of lemon balm is 18-20 ° C.

Melissa tolerates both a drop in temperature and heat. Although for the quality of the leaf (juiciness and tenderness), heat is more destructive than coolness. It grows well on glazed balconies and verandas.

It painlessly tolerates a drop in temperature to +5 - +10? C. In order for the bush to last as long as possible, do not forget about top dressing. Try to feed him once or twice a month (a teaspoon agrolife into the top layer of the earth, or watering Growth- 1 cap for 2 liters of water, or adding vermicompost to the pot once a month). Related articles:

Melissa: planting, growing

Lemon balm is loved by many gardeners for its unique aroma and healing properties. Melissa is a perennial plant that came to us from southern Europe. That is why, she does not always go through our harsh winter.

And in the Northwest climate, lemon balm can die from dampness and lack of sun. She does not tolerate acidic and heavy soils. The name "Melissa" in translation from Greek means "honey of the bee".

Bees love the nectar of lemon balm flowers. Caring for lemon balm is very simple - this plant does not require much attention. Moreover, if you once grow a lemon balm bush, then over time it can fill your garden like a weed.

But her seeds are not famous for their high germination rate, and many gardeners do not always manage to grow it by a seed method. In addition, they are very small and sometimes just "get lost" during weeding.

Keep in mind that lemon balm seeds germinate at t ° = not lower than 10 ° C and the time for their germination is quite long, about a month. That is why the seedlings of lemon balm become invisible: after all, by this time more than one generation of weeds has grown.

An interesting tip was given in the old tear-off calendar: sow lemon balm with any crop that grows quickly: lettuce or radish. Then, by the time the lemon balm seeds sprout, the salad or radish ripens and you, carefully pulling them out, will be able to preserve the delicate lemon balm seedlings. You can sow a crop and lemon balm in one groove by mixing the seeds 2: 1 or in different grooves, but very close.

Melissa can be conveniently grown in seedlings in containers, in greenhouses or on a windowsill. As soon as the first pair of true leaves appear. the plants are thinned out, leaving 3 cm between them, and after 35-40 days they are planted in a permanent place.

Lemon balm can be sown in early spring at home, in early March, or before winter in November. In November, she will need a good mulching cover.

Melissa will grow in partial shade and full sun. Choose a place for lemon balm without stagnant water: it will survive drought better than waterlogging.

For the first season, lemon balm grows only a rosette of basal leaves, but for the next season, numerous shoots with leaves. Lemon balm harvesting just begins from the second year at the beginning of the opening of the first flowers.

After cutting, lemon balm is well fed with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers. Or feed chicken manure diluted with water (1:10) or slurry (1: 6). You can repeat the cut until the beginning of autumn, about 2-3 times. When cutting, leave about 10 cm of the plant above the soil.

In the future, it is best to propagate lemon balm by dividing the bush: this way you still thin out the thickened bushes. 5-year-old plants are suitable for this. The bush is dug up and divided into three parts, chopped with the tip of a shovel. Lemon balm propagation can be done at the end of May and at the end of August and beginning of September.

So that lemon balm, growing, does not displace other crops, grow it in separate containers (for example, in old car tires) or fence off the place of its growth by digging 30-40 cm of sheet iron into the ground, cutting it into strips.

If you add lemon balm to any dish or tea, it is better to do it when the dish is ready and the tea has already been brewed. Otherwise, the essential oils that are in this plant evaporate when boiled. Tea with lemon balm perfectly restores restful sleep and relieves anxiety (for example, before exams or going to the dentist); helps with digestive disorders, colds, can lower blood pressure.

Drink lemon balm tea during migraine attacks and as a preventive measure for cardiovascular diseases. If you put lemon balm in the refrigerator, it will retain its pleasant aroma, and unpleasant odors will disappear. Wrap dry leaves in a clothes bag or cheesecloth and place on the shelf of the refrigerator door. Bees love lemon balm, so it can be planted near plants that require bee pollination. If you want the smell of lemon balm to accompany you while walking in the garden, then plant it along The aroma of lemon balm is very disliked by mosquitoes.

Plant it in front of your front porch to scare off annoying insects. You can soothe nerve scratching or itching from a mosquito bite with a lemon balm leaf: just rub the bite.

What is the use of lemon balm. How to grow lemon balm in a summer cottage

Melissa is a very useful spice plant. It can be used as a medicinal or to improve the taste of some dishes. In this article we will tell you what is the use of lemon balm and how to grow it in a summer cottage. What is the use of lemon balm.

Melissa is widely used in folk medicine. This plant contains a large amount of essential oils that help the body to cope with some ailments.

Thanks to such substances, preparations are made from lemon balm that have sedative, carminative and antispasmodic properties. Melissa works well on the stomach. It normalizes digestion and helps the stomach to heal an experimental ulcer.

Stomach motility, when lemon balm gets into it, increases. That has a positive effect on the processes taking place in it. In addition, this herb lowers blood pressure, improves heart rate and heart function. Melissa also helps with skin diseases.

Fungal diseases, acne, eczema and shingles are treated with this herb. For boils and inflammation of the gums, you need to use lemon balm tincture. For this, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of crushed leaves are poured with 2 cups of boiling water. You need to insist for at least an hour.

After straining, a mass will remain, which is used as compresses. After a few days of application, the boils disappear. Rinsing with lemon balm tincture will help with gum diseases. Lemon balm tincture can also be used for back pain and insomnia.

Also tinctures and decoctions of lemon balm are used to improve the functioning of the brain, liver and to stimulate the whole body, increasing its immunity. How to grow lemon balm in your summer cottage. Melissa is a wild plant, but it can also be planted in a summer cottage.

For this, large bushes of this spicy herb are dug out. They are dug up in early spring or late August. The mother bush is divided into several parts so that each delenka has at least 4 shoots with roots. Melissa does not like the close location of water.

If large trees and shrubs cast a shadow on the lemon balm, then it will grow poorly and the content of essential oils in it will be minimal. The distance between the lemon balm bushes should be at least 30 cm. The place for the lemon balm is prepared carefully.

The bush of this plant can stay in one place for up to 10 years. In early spring, the garden bed is dug to a depth of 20 cm. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied to it.

In the hot period, lemon balm must be watered. In addition, several times during the season, lemon balm bushes need to be fed, and cut 2-3 times, leaving a shoot no more than 10 cm in length. Since lemon balm bushes older than 5 years do not tolerate frosts and their winter hardiness is somewhat less than a young plant, the old bushes must be divided. In addition to reproduction by dividing the bush, lemon balm can be propagated by seeds. They come up badly.

Therefore, it is better not to plant them in open ground. Lemon balm seeds are planted in a special box on the window. Planting depth should not exceed 1 cm.

After germination, the lemon balm seedlings need to be discharged. The lemon balm seedlings are transferred to open ground at the age of 1-1.5 months. Melissa tea recipe. Take 1.5 glasses of water, 1 teaspoon of black tea, 1 teaspoon of lemon balm.

We have already written about how to make tea. In short, the teapot is rinsed with boiling water, the ingredients are poured into it. Then you need to pour boiling water and leave for 10-12 minutes. This tea has an original astringency and a delicious spicy smell of lemon balm.

It soothes the nerves, helps with insomnia and high blood pressure.

Lemon balm varieties

Many varieties of lemon balm with green leaves have been developed, which differ in the shape and height of the bush, the intensity of the color of the leaves, the color of the flowers and the timing of flowering, the strength and tenderness of the lemon aroma, and winter hardiness. For example, "Erfurt upright", "Quedlinburg creeping", "Lime", "Quadrille", "Isidora", "Freshness", "Dozya", "Pearl", "Tsaritsynskaya SEMKO", "Lemon aroma". Lemon balm varieties are very decorative, in the color of which there are golden tones: - "Pure Gold" - with golden yellow leaves, white flowers eventually turn pale lilac; - "Golden" or "Variegated" - dark green leaves are covered with a golden variegated pattern. Unlike Russian plant lovers, in European countries lemon balm is cultivated very widely, and not only in the garden, but also on the balcony. It is useful for beginner gardeners to know: how to breed lemon balm on your site, what conditions it prefers, and what it doesn’t like at all. I will gladly share my experience of breeding lemon balm with the readers of Gardenia.ru

Sowing lemon balm seeds and keeping seedlings

Lemon balm seeds are very small, remain viable for 2-3 years. You can try sowing lemon balm in the spring directly into the open ground (seeds should be sprinkled no deeper than 1.5 cm), but this is a risky business.

If, nevertheless, it is possible to grow lemon balm from seeds directly in the garden, then do not expect flowering from it in the first year. The most preferable method is to plant lemon balm in the garden with seedlings. To do this, at the end of March, sow the seeds in cups or a box and place it on a light windowsill.

Please note that the germination rate of lemon balm seeds is low. If you have a greenhouse, you can sow lemon balm seeds for seedlings in the greenhouse. When planting lemon balm seeds for seedlings, do not bury them at all deep (about half a centimeter). Then the seedlings will be more friendly.

Discharge the emerging plants so that there is room for growth between them, otherwise they will prevent each other from developing normally. There should be about 5 cm gaps between the lemon balm sprouts. Small lemon balm seedlings require a lot of light.

Keep the box with seedlings on the lightest windowsill, and on warm sunny days, take it out to the balcony. It will not be superfluous to add some nitrogen fertilizers for the better development of lemon balm seedlings.

Choosing and preparing a place for lemon balm

For planting lemon balm, find a suitable spot in the garden. Melissa is a rather unpretentious plant, but it grows in favorable conditions and looks especially good.

Lemon balm prefers loose, loamy or sandy loam soil, sufficiently fertilized. Do not settle lemon balm bushes near water - this plant prefers drier places, and from the abundance of moisture it can get sick and die. Melissa loves a sunny location, which is important for its aroma. If you plant lemon balm in the shade of trees, then, of course, it will survive, but the smell of its leaves will be less intense.

With a lack of sun, less essential oil is formed in the leaves of the plant, namely, it is the most valuable component of lemon balm. And her bushes will not be so lush. Light partial shade is quite suitable for growing lemon balm.

This location is even preferable for yellow-leaved lemon balm, which can get sunburn in hot summer. When choosing a place for planting lemon balm, be sure to keep in mind that the plant is long-lived - under favorable conditions, the bush can grow in one place for up to ten years! , we have been cooking since autumn. We dig the soil to a depth of 20 cm, removing the roots of weeds, and fertilize with manure.

Growing lemon balm in the garden

We usually plant lemon balm seedlings in open ground at the age of 1-1.5 months. Small bushes are afraid of the cold, so plant them when the return frosts have passed. In the garden, we place lemon balm seedlings at a distance of 30 cm from each other, and make the row spacing twice as large. Care for lemon balm consists in periodically loosening the soil and removing weeds.

We have to water the plants when the summer is very dry. Melissa loves feeding. But if you need to collect seeds, do not feed the plant before flowering, as this will prevent the seeds from ripening in time. Cardinal pruning of lemon balm shoots twice or three times per season (at a height of about 10 cm from the ground) helps the plant to quickly recover, actively branch and forms a dense, attractive bush.

In landscape design, such bushes can be used as a curb. Melissa hibernates successfully with enough snow. However, the winter hardiness of lemon balm bushes older than 5 years is greatly reduced, so valuable varieties should be regularly divided and planted. In autumn, for better overwintering of lemon balm, so that the rhizome does not freeze, we mulch the ground with fallen leaves of trees.

Vegetative reproduction of lemon balm

If you already have one lemon balm bush, but this is not enough, then you can propagate the plant vegetatively, without resorting to sowing seeds. Bend a few lemon balm twigs to the ground, pin and sprinkle with earth - they will take root.

This should be done in early summer, and be sure to regularly water the soil around the plant so that the sprinkled twigs can take root. And in the spring it will be necessary to separate them from the mother bush and plant in a permanent place. Melissa at least three years old can be propagated by dividing the bush.

It is better to do this in early spring, when the plant is just emerging with young shoots, or at the end of August. We cut the mother bush into pieces of approximately equal size, so that each division has at least 4 shoots with roots.

Lemon balm use

Melissa has long been used in cooking and medicine. The leaves of this plant make a wonderful herbal tea, very aromatic and healthy. Fresh lemon balm leaves are used in all salads during the garden season.

Dried leaves can be added to pickles, and powdered lemon balm leaves can be sprinkled with meat and fish dishes. We definitely use lemon balm in the preparation and decoration of stuffed pike. We use this plant not only as a spice with a pleasant lemon scent.

Melissa is a good honey plant. Lemon balm leaves have a calming effect on bees. Therefore, during the swarming of a bee colony, we suspend fresh lemon balm shoots in advance on the branches of nearby trees.

This way we do not lose the young bee family - the scent of lemon balm attracts bees. Melissa is also used in our family in the manufacture of bath brooms. We knit branches of different trees (linden, birch, oak, mountain ash), young branches of lemon balm and nettle, and then there is a pleasant aroma in the bath. I wish the gardeners good health, vigor of soul and body for successful work in the garden-vegetable garden! Tatyana Alekseevna Semyonova (Republic of Mari El, Kozhlaer village)