Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is a foliage plant that likes bright, indirect light and water every 5 days. Here is everything you need to keep it healthy.
| Botanical name | Melissa officinalis |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Melissa, Bee Balm |
| Plant type | Foliage plant |
| Light | Bright, indirect light |
| Watering | Water every 5 days |
| Fertilizing | Feed about once a month in the growing season |
| Grown | Indoor or outdoor |
| Type of plant | Edible |
Water Lemon Balm every 5 days as a baseline. Treat that as a reminder to check rather than a rule to follow blindly — push a finger an inch or two into the soil and water only if it feels dry at that depth.
Expect to water more often in warm, bright, or dry conditions, and noticeably less in winter when growth slows. A pot with drainage holes matters more than the exact interval: standing water is the most common way houseplants are lost.
Lemon Balm prefers bright, indirect light. It wants plenty of light without direct sun falling on the leaves — a spot near an east-facing window, or a few feet back from a bright south-facing one, works well.
If growth becomes stretched and leggy with long gaps between leaves, it is reaching for more light. Pale or bleached patches usually mean the opposite — too much direct sun.
Feed Lemon Balm about once a month through the growing season using a balanced liquid fertilizer at half the strength on the label. Pause over winter — an unfed plant recovers far more easily than one with fertilizer burn.
Lemon-scented leaves are great for teas and cooking. Grows vigorously — pinch back regularly to keep it bushy and delay flowering. Keep soil lightly moist and harvest before it bolts.
As a starting point, water Lemon Balm every 5 days, then adjust to your own conditions. Check the soil first: push a finger an inch or two down and only water if it feels dry at that depth. Most Lemon Balm problems come from watering on a fixed schedule rather than watering when the plant actually needs it.
Lemon Balm prefers bright, indirect light. It wants plenty of light without direct sun falling on the leaves — a spot near an east-facing window, or a few feet back from a bright south-facing one, works well.
Feed Lemon Balm about once a month during the active growing season (roughly spring through early autumn) with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength. Stop feeding in winter, when growth slows and unused nutrients build up in the soil.
Lemon Balm can be grown indoors or outdoors. Outdoors it will usually grow faster and need watering more often; indoors it needs the brightest spot you can offer.