How to grow... Mint & Lemon Balm
Rocket Growing Guides
You can’t really go wrong growing Mint or Lemon Balm – it is almost impossible not to grow successfully. In fact, both these plants can be a little too successful and will happily take over if given enough space, so it’s best to keep it confined to a pot!
- Mint & Lemon Balm Growing Guide
How to Plant Mint and Lemon Balm
- These plants are best grown in pots as they both spread rapidly via a strong root network. If you do want to grow them in the grown, we would recommend sinking a pot or bucket (with drainage holes) into the ground, and then planting them in this to try and contain them.
- Plant 30cm apart
- They will do well in full sun or partial shade
How to Grow Mint and Lemon Balm
- Keep them watered during dry spells
- Cut back before the plants flower in summer for a second flurry of leaves
- At the end of autumn, cut back the twiggy old stems (you can see these in the photo above) to allow new growth to come through
- Plants will die back over winter and grow again in spring
- Plants have a habit of pushing to the outer edges of the pot, so in subsequent years you may find a bald patch in the centre of the pot. You can divide and replant the roots to get things looking ship shape again.
How to Harvest Mint and Lemon Balm
- Harvest sprigs of leaves as you want to use them
- The flowers and leaves are very good for cutting and make for natural arrangements
- They both make excellent herbal teas – just add a few leaves to a mug of hot water and let it brew for a few minutes.
