How to grow lemon balm
Frost-hardy · Mint family
When to sow and plant
- Start indoors 22 February – 8 March
- Plant out 19 April – 3 May
Based on: average for Germany, last frost 19 April, safe from 6 May
Planting calendar for your areaWhere the dates come from
The weeks come from our sources; the dates use the average frost in Germany. Enter a German postcode to get dates for your area.
- Start indoors: 6–8 weeks before the last frost (Johnny's Selected Seeds: Lemon Balm – Key Growing Information)
- Plant out: 0–2 weeks after the last frost (Johnny's Selected Seeds: Lemon Balm – Key Growing Information)
Good and bad neighbours
We don’t know any sourced neighbours for this plant yet.
Crop rotation
Perennial: it stays in the same spot for several years and is not part of the yearly rotation.
At a glance
- Family
- Mint family (Lamiaceae)
- Nutrient needs
- Light feeder
- Frost
- Hardy, tolerates frost
- Spacing (row × plant)
- – × 46 cm (– × 18 in)
- Life cycle
- Perennial
Spacing according to Utah State University Extension: Lemon Balm in the Garden. Other sources: 61 × 30 cm (24 × 12 in) (Johnny's Selected Seeds: Lemon Balm – Key Growing Information).
Questions and answers
When can I plant out lemon balm?
Plant out, average for Germany: 19 April – 3 May. Enter a German postcode above for your area, or your own frost date in the planting calendar.
How far apart should I plant lemon balm?
– × 46 cm (– × 18 in) (row × plant), according to Utah State University Extension: Lemon Balm in the Garden.
More from the mint family
Sources
Show 6 sources
- Landwirtschaftskammer Schleswig-Holstein: Fruchtfolge im Garten (Gartenmerkblatt, 2020)
- RHS Grow your own: Lemon balm
- Illinois Extension, Herb Gardening: Lemon Balm
- Utah State University Extension: Lemon Balm in the Garden
- Johnny's Selected Seeds: Lemon Balm – Key Growing Information
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (über die GBIF-API, species/match)
Retrieved on 23 October 2026. Facts in our own words, one source per value.