Growing Hydroponic Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm is a member of the mint family. Unsurprisingly, it has the delicious scent and flavor of both lemon and mint. Because it’s an easy herb to grow in your hydroponic garden, you can enjoy the fresh scents of lemon balm any time of year.
Lemon balm is known as the ‘calming herb.’ It’s caffeine free and has been used for centuries to reduce anxiety and promote sleep. It’s often used alone, or with other relaxing herbs like chamomile and velarian root to make tea. Lemon balm’s use doesn’t stop there, as it can also be used to make cakes, sorbets, adult beverages, chicken, fish and vegetable dishes, pesto and more! It’s also a lovely addition to salads.
In addition to reducing anxiety and promoting sleep, lemon balm has been used to ease indigestion, treat inflammatory skin conditions and even alleviate cold sores. It’s known to be high in antioxidants, Vitamin C and Thiamin.
Lemon balm and mint look extremely similar. But worry not, lemon balm is scratch and sniff, so you’ll be able to tell the difference easily.
| Hydroponic Lemon Balm | ||||
| Germination | Light | EC Range | pH Range: | Time to Harvest |
| 7-10 days | 14-16 hours | 1.0-1.6 | 5.5-6.5 | 4-6 weeks |
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Nutrient and Health Info - In addition to reducing anxiety and promoting sleep, lemon balm has been used to ease indigestion, treat inflammatory skin conditions and even alleviate cold sores. It’s known to be high in antioxidants, Vitamin C and Thiamin.
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Tips & Tricks - Super easy to germinate and grow!
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Germination:
Your lemon balm should sprout in 7-10 days or less. Nothing special is required for sprouting these wonderful herbs that will begin to grow like tasty weeds in time.
Light:
Lemon balm, like mint, is a prolific grower. So it prefers lots of light for energy. Schedule your indoor garden lights for 14-16 hours a day.
EC Range:
Aim to keep your reservoir EC between 1.0 – 1.6 for best results with lemon balm. It will grow successfully with lettuce, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage and more.
pH Range:
Keep your pH range between 5.5 – 6.5 and you’ll be harvesting lemon balm in no time!
Nutrients:
Our Green Machine nutrients are perfect for lemon balm, other herbs and leafy greens. Use it, and watch your lemon balm grow begin to grow like a weed!
Time to Harvest:
You’ll be ready to begin harvesting and enjoying your lemon balm in 4-6 weeks at most. Get ready to freshen your cocktails, drinks, deserts and sauces with this wonderful flavor!
Pruning and Harvesting:
In 4-6 weeks, your lemon balm will be ready to begin harvesting. Make sure to harvest it lightly while it is still in its early growth stages, and you can harvest more aggressively as it flourishes. Lemon balm tends to lose a lot of its scent when it is dried, so you are likely to prefer using fresh lemon balm for most of your recipes. Of course, dried lemon balm is most often used for teas, but you can use fresh if you prefer a stronger scent.
Conclusion:
Using easy to grow lemon balm for a relaxing evening tea is all it takes to enjoy this wonderful, aromatic herb. But fortunately, you can use lemon balm for much, much more. Get creative and add your lemon balm to salads, beverages and meals for extra zest and flavor.
Check Out Our Lemon Balm Recipes!
Let’s grow together!