Grow Lemon Balm for the Perks — Control It for Your Sanity

If you’re planning to grow lemon balm in your garden this year, let me be the first to cheer you on and gently warn you like a friend who’s been there: it’s a vibe… until it’s a takeover. 😂

This herb is one of my absolute favorites — it smells heavenly, works great in homemade tea, and does a fantastic job at naturally repelling pests. But girl… if you don’t keep it contained, it will spread faster than Dollar Tree drama on clearance day.

So today I’m sharing exactly why I love lemon balm, how I use it, how I dry it, and what to do to keep it from turning into the unofficial mayor of your garden beds.

Why You Should Grow Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is technically a member of the mint family, which already tells you it’s got bold energy. But once you understand how it grows and what it’s good for, it quickly becomes a garden MVP — especially in raised beds or tucked near your front porch.
Here’s what I love about it:
– It smells fresh and calming
– It repels mosquitoes and other pests
– It’s super low-maintenance
– It grows fast (sometimes too fast)
– You can use it fresh or dried
– It’s perfect for teas, tinctures, bath soaks, and more
If you need a garden herb that doesn’t require constant babysitting, this one’s it — just be ready to pull rank when it starts acting up.
💡 I planted mine in these raised beds from Amazon and haven’t looked back. Highly recommend if you need a way to grow herbs without them taking over your entire yard.

How to Grow Lemon Balm Without Losing Your Mind

– Plant it in a raised bed or large container
If you want to keep it under control, trust me — give it its own zip code. I share more about my garden setup in this post about raised bed planting.
– Harvest regularly
Snipping the tops encourages new growth and keeps it from flowering and reseeding.
– Watch for runners
It spreads by roots and seed. Keep an eye out or you’ll have lemon balm in places you didn’t authorize.
– Don’t compost the roots
Learned this the hard way. Unless you want a surprise patch popping up in your compost pile, toss those roots in the trash.

How I Use Lemon Balm

Here’s where it shines! Once you’ve got a bunch of this stuff growing, it’s time to actually enjoy it:

🍋 Fresh Lemon Balm Tea

Steep a handful of fresh leaves in hot water with a bit of honey and lemon. It’s soothing, tasty, and the perfect wind-down drink after a long day.

🍯 Lemon Balm-Infused Honey

Fill a small jar with clean, dry lemon balm leaves. Pour honey over them, seal the jar, and let it infuse for a couple weeks. Strain and enjoy.

🛁 Lemon Balm Bath Soak

Bundle some sprigs and tie them under the faucet as the tub fills. Or toss it in with Epsom salt for an herbal soak that feels like a mini spa moment.

How to Dry Lemon Balm for Later

Drying is super easy and perfect for saving some of that herby goodness for winter.

1. Harvest in the morning
2. Rinse gently and pat dry
3. Bundle 5–7 stems with twine
4. Hang upside down in a dry space
5. Once fully dry (about 7–10 days), store the whole leaves in an airtight jar

I don’t crumble the leaves until I’m ready to use them — it keeps the oils and flavor stronger. Just pull out what you need and crumble on the spot.

💡 I store mine in these glass jars from Amazon — they come with the cutest farmhouse-style labels and a marker. Practical and pretty. Along with these for my extremely large cuttings. Yes please.

You can also use a dehydrator if you’re in a hurry, but hanging it gives you that cute “look at me, I’m a cottagecore goddess” vibe in the kitchen.

Keep It Contained or Prepare for Battle

Lemon balm doesn’t ask to take over — it just does. 😂

If you ignore it, it’ll reroot itself, multiply, and try to run for city council by fall. So do yourself a favor:

– Plant it solo or with a barrier
– Trim it back hard in late summer
– Dig out strays before they get comfortable

And if you ever feel like it’s too much? Take a deep breath and make a second batch of tea. Then yank it up by the roots.

Pin It for Later

Related Posts You’ll Love:

– How We Set Up Our Raised Bed Garden
– Canning Without Chaos Starts With a Real-Life Setup

About the Host