What can I do with all this lemon balm?
Last summer, I rescued some plants from a friend's window box that were looking dangerously wilty. The basil and parsley died, but the lemon balm took root like a weed and now covers a two foot square patch of my garden to about knee height. It's going to have to be cut back before it takes over the rest of the garden like tiberium, so does anyone have suggestions for what I can do with a bushel of citrus-y herb? I hear the essential oil is used in aromatherapy and has antibacterial and insect repellent properties- should I make like Kiteman and distil some oil?
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Nov 21, 2011. 5:19 AMSonOfFurzehatt
says:
I realise it's now too late to suggest uses, as you've probably cut it all back and dumped the clippings.
I've never found much use for lemon balm, but a handful of fresh leaves makes a tea that is very good at curing headaches.
But from a gardening point of view, you'd do better to pull the whole lot out to make room for something more useful. Keep one plant in a strong pot sunk into the ground so its roots cannot spread.
I've never found much use for lemon balm, but a handful of fresh leaves makes a tea that is very good at curing headaches.
But from a gardening point of view, you'd do better to pull the whole lot out to make room for something more useful. Keep one plant in a strong pot sunk into the ground so its roots cannot spread.
Apparently it is often used to flavour icecream and iced tea, and as a stuffing for poultry or fish.
The BBC has some recipes that use it.
It is also used as a mosquito repellant, and as a calmative, and to ease migraines.
Maybe you could dry it and hang bunches in a wardrobe, or sew it into fabric sachets to lie in clothes drawers?
I like potatoes boiled with a few mint leaves, maybe boiling them with lemon balm would work?
The BBC has some recipes that use it.
It is also used as a mosquito repellant, and as a calmative, and to ease migraines.
Maybe you could dry it and hang bunches in a wardrobe, or sew it into fabric sachets to lie in clothes drawers?
I like potatoes boiled with a few mint leaves, maybe boiling them with lemon balm would work?
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