How to Grow Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -23°C
Plant Family
Lamiaceae
Growing Season
Cool & Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Sow about 2 weeks before your last spring frost, since lemon balm shrugs off light frost. Press the tiny seeds onto the soil and barely cover them (0.5 cm at most), because they need light to sprout. Keep the surface damp and they come up in 10 to 14 days. Thin them (pull the extras so each has room) to 30 cm apart.
Lemon balm is a cousin of mint and almost too easy: it comes back every year and drops seed everywhere if you let it flower. It stays in its clump better than mint, but snip off the flowers before they set seed to keep it from popping up all over your growing space.
When To Start
First chance to plant
14 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Lemon Balm?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Lemon Balm Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Lemon Balm Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow lemon balm seeds on the surface and barely cover them
2 weeks before your last frost
Optional: plant or divide lemon balm in sun or part shade
Around your last frost· every year· optional
Cut lemon balm back for fresh leaves and snip off the flowers
50 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your lemon balm seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Your lemon balm is coming along! Keep the soil lightly damp while the young plants fill out.
About 37 days after you plant it
Looking good! Snip leaves from the top often, it keeps the plant bushy and full of fresh growth.
About 61 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your lemon balm.
About 70 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Lemon Balm's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 10–14 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow lemon balm in full sun or part shade, at least 4 to 6 hours of sun a day, with some afternoon shade in hot spots.
- 2It grows in almost any soil that drains well, and a little compost at planting is plenty.
- 3Water once a week in dry weather so the soil does not dry out completely.
- 4Skip extra feeding, because rich soil makes soft growth with less lemon scent.
- 5Cut the whole plant back by half in midsummer for a fresh crop of clean, tender leaves.
- 6Space plants so air can flow between them to keep powdery mildew (a white dust on the leaves) away, and wash aphids off with a spray of water.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~70
Days to Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
60 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
60 days
When to Pick
Harvest leaves continually through season
How to Harvest
- 1Pick leaves any time once the plant is about 15 cm tall, and they taste best just before it flowers.
- 2Cut whole stems about 5 cm above the soil, and never take more than a third of the plant at once.
- 3Snip off flower stalks as they appear to keep the leaves coming.
- 4Steep a handful of fresh leaves in hot water for a calming lemon tea.
- 5To dry them, hang small bunches in a shady, airy spot for a week or so, then store them in a sealed jar.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Lemon balm grows true from seed and does not cross with mint or other herbs. Let a few stems flower and wait until the flower stalks turn brown and dry. Cut them into a paper bag and shake or rub them to free the tiny dark seeds. Let the seeds dry a few more days, then store them in a labelled envelope somewhere cool, dark and dry, where they keep a few years.
Seed Production
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