Best way to grow Lemon Balm?

[Troppofoodgardener]

I recently acquired a long stem of lemon balm from a healthy plant. Its owner grew it from seed and has never propagated it herself.

At the moment I have the lemon balm sitting in a container of water. It's been a week and there hasn't been any new roots forming where the stem was broken off. The leaves are still quite green.

Should I wait for roots to form, or should I plant it in a pot/garden bed soon?

[rainbowgardener]

Personally, I think it is often easier to start cuttings in potting soil than water.

Get a little bottle of rooting hormone, dip the stem in it, and put it in moist potting soil. Put some kind of dome over it to keep humidity in and keep it out of direct sun until it starts putting out new leaves.

However, even easier is just to have someone dig up a clump for you that you can transplant into your garden. Lemon balm is becoming quite weedy/ rampant in my garden and I think often does. So I would think anyone that has lemon balm could spare you a clump of it. If you lived near me instead of on the other side of the world, I would be glad to give you all the lemon balm transplants you could possibly use!

But it is one of those mint family things, that prefers moist soil and part shade. You are in Australia--if it is hot and dry there, you might need to find a protected spot for it.

[Troppofoodgardener]

Aha! clumps eh?

Well.. I didn't quite get a good clump, but a decent sized stem. about 16 inches of it. It's still quite green, and I figure I'll have to plant it soon. I may start it off in a pot so I can keep an eye on it, and transplant it once it takes off.

Lemon balm isn't very common around these here parts, which is a shame as it seems to be a good companion plant to most veggies. That's why I'm trying to grow it.

Thanks for the offer of spare clumps rainbowgardener! I'll definitely keep it shaded and moist in a pot, as it is currently very hot and dry. It's currently our 'wintertime' in the tropics

Last thing: does it grow well with garlic/garlic chives?

[Runningtrails]

I think lemon balm will grow just about anywhere you put it! It can get invasive if one isn't careful where one puts it. I grow a lot of it and dry it when it gets going in the spring and a few times throughout the summer. Just cut the stems and hang them for a bit out of the sun and weather, under the porch roof. It makes a nice and relaxing tea and is very good with fish or chicken. It's one of my favourite herbs!

Mints roots very easily. I am sure the stem will root just fine if you plant it and keep it damp for awhile.

[genchan]

Hi.

I had the same experience. Put it in water and even dipped the end in root hormone but nothing. I decided to just plant it in soil two weeks ago and it seems to be doing okay, I.e. not dying on me but has not started growing new shoots yet.

[rainbowgardener]

Get a little bottle of rooting hormone, dip the stem in it, and put it in moist potting soil. Put some kind of dome over it to keep humidity in and keep it out of direct sun until it starts putting out new leaves.

Cuttings have no roots to start with and then tiny little roots. So they have very little capacity to absorb water and dry out very easily. Thus the moist potting soil and humidity dome and no direct sun, to keep it from drying out until it has enough roots to sustain itself. An easy way to do it is cut a 2 liter soda bottle in half horizontally. Put the potting soil in the bottom half, plant the cutting in it and put the top half back on (taped) for a humidity dome. Once it is growing again, take the dome off and get it used to air and gradually harden it off as you would seedlings, until it is ready to transplant.