Let’s talk about harvesting lemon balm!
Thankfully, because lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is so vigorous, it’s very difficult to over-harvest. It can be harvested all throughout the growing season by clipping several inches of new growth of the top of the plant. If you do that consistently before it flowers you will have many rounds of harvesting and will get a lot from your plant. If you need a bigger harvest, you can also chop the entire plant at the base… it will come back! You should be able to do that a few times throughout the season.
We prefer the first method during the summer because we generally harvest a little at a time. We use it fresh or hang it by the stems to dry. You can also use a dehydrator to dry and preserve, just make sure it dries quickly, otherwise the leaves will go brown and lose their flavor.
We love our lemon balm and I highly recommend you incorporate this into your garden and life!
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