How to Use Lemon Balm from Your Garden? Benefits and Recipes

Last Updated on April 3, 2024 by Real Men Sow

I really wish everything grew as fast as my lemon balm plant. I dug this speedy herb up and it had rooted itself a few yards from another one. The plant fitted into the palm of my hand, and I had no idea what I was to use lemon balm for, but I was on a herb mission, and it was free.

Until recently, I’d never used my lemon balm plant. All I’d done so far was gaily rejoice in the lovely citrus smell after a rain shower. However, things have to change. I can’t have a plant taking up valuable space without any return. The time has come for the lemon balm to start pulling its weight. So here are the top things I use my lemon balm for:

Lemon Blam is Great in Salads and Tea

Try Lemon Balm in Your Salads

I began experimenting. I’ve been trying the leaves in salads to bulk up my early harvests and mixed in with couscous and other garden foodstuffs for lunch. Both these experiments were good, and I enjoyed the kick that the leaves provided.

Lemon Balm Tea

I tried lemon balm tea too, by steeping a large handful of leaves in hot water for 5 minutes before draining the water into a mug. I’m much more of a strong, milky builder’s tea kind of guy, so probably not the best judge of a fresh herbal equivalent, but the lemon balm drink was all rather soothing, especially before bedtime. I added a dollop of honey as well because I’ve got a sweet tooth.

Upping the ante, I tried spearmint leaves in with the lemon balm next time I made a cuppa, and this was a very tasty combination. Ailsa, who is much more refined than me and therefore a regular herbal tea drinker, deemed the drink ‘delicious’. I left the honey out too, so much better for the teeth (I need all the help in that department).

Sneak Some Lemon Balm in Your Baking Recipes

The ever-excellent Self-Sufficientish have a tasty looking lemon balm cake on their website, which is going to be one to try for Allotment Cakes for the Weekend in the not too distant future. If Ailsa picked up on the hefty hints I was dropping and buys me an ice cream maker for my birthday, I’ll be trying some of the lemon balm recipes that can be found on the web too. This honey, lemon balm, and rum ice cream sounds insanely good.

Lemon Balm in The Garden

It is Super Easy to Grow

From my experience, growing lemon balm couldn’t be easier. It is happy everywhere except very poor soil and I rarely water the plant. As a member of the mint family, lemon balm will root elsewhere, so dig up these roots if you don’t want the plant to spread.

Keep Cats Away 

I’ve done this a couple of times and planted out elsewhere as Bob reckons lemon balm is useful for keeping cats away as they don’t like the citrus smell. I have a problem with the local cats using the same spot in my garden, so I’ll report back as to whether the lemon balm makes any difference.

Let’s Hear from You…

Does anyone else have any interesting uses for a lemon balm? I’d be keen to hear them, and you’d be helping the lemon balm extend its stay of execution – especially if I go off my new love of a pre-bedtime herbal tea…

Since the last time I checked, my lemon balm has gone nuts. The plant is huge, towering over every other herb in the patch. There are two reasons for this: one, it’s growing at a faster rate than even my feed-every-hour monster of a baby boy, and two, all the other herbs get used a lot more. Luckily this plant is growing fast and has a lot more benefits than I thought!

Would you give your lemon plant a try? 

Real Men Sow
Real Men Sow

Hello, I’m Pete and I’m currently based in the west of Scotland, in a small place called Rosneath, where I’m exploring my garden adventures. I personally started gardening around 6 years ago and initially, I started out by growing my favorite fruits and berries, such as strawberries, Raspberries & Gooseberries. Since then I’ve added a lot of vegetables and working closely with my neighbor, it’s been a lot of fun.

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