Lemon Balm is perfectly cold hardy where you are.

I live in Missouri, and my lemon balm self seeds, and is becoming a veritable bush in places. Enjoy!!! GW

It both self seeds and overwinters just fine at -15 and no mulch in a zone 5 winter ... just trim the flowers and it's a great 3 foot tall bush. Good luck.

Is this an invasive plant? - I just bought some at Lowes but was wondering if it was something I should grow in a container. I don't mind some coming up from seed but don't want something that will totally take over. It smells wonderful!!!

Mine isn't spreading from the roots - it's pretty well behaved that way. But, if you let it go to seed, it will show up around the garden ... mine's moved about 25 feet by seed in a year. It's not that bad to yank up after a rain though.

Thanks for all the information! I just bought the plant and cant believe how much its grown already!

I pruned my lemon balm way down yesterday. I'd intended to prune it before it flowered, and should've pruned it back a couple weeks ago, because all the stems were elongated and ready to flower. (Last year I pruned it on June 10.) I read today you're supposed to prune it so all the stems are 6 inches high, but I pruned back to the lowest new growth, maybe 8 to 12 inches high.

I saved a grocery-bagful of the best leaves for tea (for me to drink), made a compost tea with a bunch more, and composted the rest (mostly stems).

I think if I wanted to harvest the most biomass, I could prune it back perhaps 3 times a year. Last year I cut it way back a couple times, and harvested a branch or two every week or so as well.

It has not spread in my garden, since I have not let it go to seed. But it does get at least 3 feet high with no special care (occasional sprinkling when I think of it). The yerba buena (Satureja douglasii, a native groundcover mint) that I planted nearby loves growing under and around the lemon balm.

I wonder if I'm doing something wrong with mine - I've had it for a few months - and it's nothing but a bunch of small leaves, keeping close to the ground. I'd say it's probably no more than 1" tall (and yes, I mean inch)

Maria...
I put a plant in too in April that was a volunteer on school campus...it sat there until I'd say the last 3 weeks or so and now it's bursting forth with new growth.

Vera

I just recently aquired a this plant, how do you make tea from it? and your compost tea what does it do for your garden?

If nothing is happening above ground, it's growing roots!

I make tea by boiling water, turning off the heat, adding a bunch of lemon balm leaves, and covering the pot for 10 minutes. Then strain out the leaves. If I'm making a gallon, I make it stronger and use only a quart of water, then add more water after it has steeped.

The compost tea with lemon balm is an experiment. I used mostly stems and the leaves that I didn't want to use for tea (discolored, bug holes, etc.), and I thought I'd make a tea for the garden rather than put it all in the compost pile. I don't know what it'll do, but steeped compost teas in general add nutrients. I made comfrey tea last week; comfrey is reputed to be good because it brings minerals from deep in the soil.

I grew some from seed about 7 years ago and it still pops up everywhere and i mean everywhere. I filled a wheelbarrow with feral lemon balm and could probably fill another one today.

Yeah me too... which is odd in my climate for mints... too dry here... stuff spreads EVERYWHERE! Tompy, does feral lemon balm bite? :oD

I am growing my lemon balm in a container. It's a pretty small container...I'm bad at guessing, but I'd say 1/2 gallon? Anyway, is it going to get too big for this? Or if I keep it trimmed down will it always just stay the size it is?

Do I trim the bigger top leaves?

I live in 2a...gets downright cold here...should I bring it inside over the winter since it's in a container?

How much water to leaves ratio for the tea?

Sorry for all the questions...I am new to gardening and herbs! Thanks!

You can also take a generous handful of lemon balm, stuff into a gallon sized glass jar, fill with water and let sit in the sun 2-3 hours. Remove greens, chill and enjoy.

A spring tucked into a jug of sun tea makes a nice note as does spearmint. I also have feral lemon balm all over the garden. I'm learning to be more ruthless with the seedlings. Its even out competed the bee balm in my bed that I call "Battle of the Mints". It may not bite but the mosquitos living around it sure do. But doesn't it smell just wonderful!

Is lemon balm the same as lemon mint?

Melissa officinalis L. Or better known as Lemon Balm but never as Lemon Mint. Can't hardly get rid of with out some effort and almost as bad as Oregano. :O)

"Lemon Mint" is actually a form/relation of Monarda (bee balm).

My granddaughter and I planted a small lemon balm plant this spring next to my patio/sidewalk and in no time its grown into a HUGE plant, overtaking the sidewalk !!
I want to trim it back or better yet, move it, but should I? I have a flower bed that I can place it in right now. I am thinking this thing is so hardy, I should have no problem? Its gone to the seeding stage as of now.
Thanks! ginstra, "novice gardener"

I always trim mine way back (to 6 inches high) before it starts to bloom. Otherwise, it takes over, and the leaves are less fragrant and flavorful once it starts to bloom. In this climate, it grows back really fast. And since I trim (hack) it before it flowers, I have no problem with reseeding -- no volunteers at all! It gets past 3 feet high.

Hi, i'm new to gardening, having watched my father for many years. Now we have our first home. I had a beautiful lemon balm plant this summer. It grew and so I divided it and put it in two containers outside on the patio. They were doing wonderful, but I forgot to water them - remember I told you I'm new to all this gardening stuff.... anyway, the leave are all brown and dried up. My sister has lemon balm in the ground all year round and she lives in the UK. Should I put these plants in the ground or should I bring them inside for the winter. I live in Washington State.

East or west WA? Here my lemon balm starts to die back after the first hard freeze. We got our first freeze one on Oct. 26th, but does well with frost until then. It grows under a tree where it gets partial shade from the hot midday sun, but otherwise doesn't mind a little dryness. Anything in a container will have higher water needs though.

Vera

maryline_2007, I would just put your lemon balm in the ground. It may come back or it may not but I suspect that will be the best chance you can give it to survive. They are pretty hardy and you might not see anything until spring but then again you live some place warmer than I do so it may reprout before winter proper sets in for you.

Fatamorgana