Melissa Lemon Balm Microgreens Seeds

🍋 Natural lemon aroma💧 No soaking🌿 Mint family 🍋FlavourLemon & soft mint ✂️Harvest12–19 days 💡DifficultyIntermediate Lemon balm microgreens put a clean, bright lemon scent on the plate — without a single drop of citrus. Grown from Melissa officinalis seeds, the small crinkled leaves are ready in 12–19 days and bring a fresh lemon note with a soft minty finish to drinks, desserts and summer salads. DescriptionHow to GrowBenefitsCulinary UsesFAQ Lemon Flavour Grown on Your Windowsill Melissa lemon balm smells of lemon but belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae), alongside basil and rosemary. Its name comes from the Greek word for honeybee — beekeepers have planted it beside their hives since antiquity. As a microgreen it gives you the full perfume of the herb in a compact tray, ready to cut in under three weeks. The secret is timing. The first seed leaves (cotyledons) are mild; the characteristic lemon aroma comes through with the first true leaves. That is why lemon balm needs a few more days than fast crops such as radish — and those extra days are exactly what turn a green sprout into a real herb. Seeds are sown dry, with no soaking, on cotton pads or coco coir, and a light weight during germination gives an even, well-rooted stand. One gram of seed yields roughly ten grams of fragrant greens, so a small pack goes a long way. 🍋FlavourLemony with a soft mint finish 🌿Plant familyLamiaceae (mint family) 💧SoakingNot needed — sow dry 🧻Growing mediumCotton pads or coco coir 🌡️Germination4–5 days at 20–22 °C 🍃Harvest stageTrue leaves, 3–6 cm 📋 Product Specifications Botanical name Melissa officinalis Common names Lemon balm, melissa, sweet balm Plant family Lamiaceae (mint family) Soaking Not required Growing medium Cotton pads / cotton wool, coco coir Seeding rate 1 g dry seed per 11×18 cm container Weighting Yes — 0.5–1 kg on a stack of containers Germination time 4–5 days at 20–22 °C Growth after germination 8–14 days Total time to harvest 12–19 days Harvest height 3–6 cm Yield (dry seed : cut greens) ≈ 1 : 10 Harvest stage Once the first true leaves have formed 1 gSeed per 11×18 cm boxSown dry 4–5Days to germinateAt 20–22 °C 8–14Days of growthAfter germination 1 : 10Seed-to-greens yield≈ 10 g per 1 g seed How to Grow Lemon Balm Microgreens Lemon balm is not the fastest microgreen, but it is a rewarding one once you know its two rules: weigh it down during germination and wait for the true leaves. Follow the steps below and a small container will give you a dense carpet of lemon-scented greens. 🌡️Temperature20–22 °CFor germination 💧SoakingNoneSow seeds dry 🏋️Weight0.5–1 kgOn a stack of boxes 🌱Germination4–5 daysDark, under weight ☀️Growth8–14 daysIn bright light ✂️Harvest height3–6 cmTrue leaves visible Step-by-Step Growing Guide 1 Moisten the medium Line an 11×18 cm container (a berry punnet is ideal) with cotton pads, cotton wool or coco coir. Wet it evenly, then pour off any standing water — moist, not flooded. 2 Sow dry and evenly Scatter 1 g of dry seed over the surface. The seeds are tiny, so sow from a folded sheet of paper to avoid clumps. Do not cover them. 3 Mist gently Spray the surface with a fine mist so the seeds settle onto the medium. A strong stream of water will wash them into the corners. 4 Stack and weigh down Stack the sown containers, cover the top one with an empty box or lid and put a 0.5–1 kg weight on top. The gentle pressure helps the roots anchor and makes germination even. 5 Keep dark and warm Leave the stack in a dark place at 20–22 °C for 4–5 days. Check once a day: the medium should stay moist, and a quick airing keeps the air fresh. 6 Move into the light When the seedlings lift, remove the weight and unstack. Give the containers bright light — a sunny windowsill or a grow lamp for 12–16 hours a day. 7 Water from below Pour water under the medium rather than over the leaves. Dry foliage and good airflow are the best protection against mould at this delicate stage. 8 Harvest at true leaves After 8–14 days in the light, when the first true leaves are open and the greens stand 3–6 cm tall, cut just above the medium with sharp scissors. ⚠️ The one rule that makes the flavourDon’t cut lemon balm at the seed-leaf stage. It must grow on until the first true leaves appear — that is when the lemon aroma comes through. Harvest too early and you get a pleasant green sprout; wait a few more days and you get real melissa. Why Lemon Balm Earns Its Place Lemon balm has been part of European herbal tradition for centuries. Its fresh leaves carry an essential oil rich in citral and citronellal — the compounds behind the lemon scent — together with rosmarinic acid, a polyphenol typical of the mint family. Grown as a microgreen, it goes from container to plate within minutes, at the peak of its aroma. 🫖A Herbal-Tea Classic Lemon balm tea has been an evening ritual for generations. A handful of fresh microgreens makes a particularly fragrant cup. 🍃Rich in Rosmarinic Acid Like rosemary and basil, lemon balm contains rosmarinic acid — a plant polyphenol whose antioxidant properties are studied in laboratory research. 🍋Lemon Without the Acid It gives drinks and desserts a lemon lift without adding acidity — useful when lemon juice would be too sharp. 🍬More Flavour, Less Sugar An aromatic herb makes lemonades, fruit salads and yoghurt taste fuller, so you can reach for less sugar. 🐝The Honeybee Herb “Melissa” means honeybee in Greek, and beekeepers have grown it for centuries — a nice story to share at the table. 🌱Fresh Beats Dried The aromatic oils in lemon balm are volatile and fade as the herb dries. Microgreens cut minutes before serving keep their full perfume. 🧬 What’s Inside the Leaf Aroma compounds Citral (geranial and neral), citronellal Polyphenols Rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid derivatives Flavonoids Luteolin glycosides Plant family Lamiaceae — related to mint, basil and rosemary Please note: in normal culinary amounts lemon balm is an everyday kitchen herb. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a thyroid condition or take sedative medication, talk to your doctor before eating it regularly in larger amounts. This information is not medical advice. How to Use Lemon Balm Microgreens Treat lemon balm microgreens as a finishing herb: they shine raw, added at the very last moment. Their lemon-and-mint perfume works on both sides of the menu — sweet and savoury. 🥤 Drinks Homemade lemonade and iced tea Infused water with cucumber or strawberry A lemony twist on a mojito or spritz 🍓 Desserts & Fruit Strawberries, peaches, melon and fruit salads Panna cotta, sorbet and lemon tart Dark chocolate — lemon and cocoa are a classic pair 🥗 Salads Cucumber, tomato and feta salads Green salads with a honey-lemon dressing Mixed microgreen blends for colour and scent 🐟 Fish & Seafood Trout and white fish, straight onto the plate Prawns and ceviche Smoked salmon on rye bread 🥣 Breakfast & Dairy Greek yoghurt with honey and berries Ricotta or fresh cheese on toast Overnight oats and smoothie bowls 🫙 Sauces & Butters A lemony pesto — half basil, half melissa Herb butter for grilled chicken or fish Light vinaigrettes and yoghurt sauces 🍽️ Chef’s Tip:Never cook lemon balm microgreens — heat drives off the aroma within seconds. Scatter them whole over the finished dish, or bruise a few leaves between your fingers just before serving to release the scent. The one exception is tea: pour water just off the boil over a generous handful and cover for five minutes. Frequently Asked Questions What do lemon balm microgreens taste like? ▾Fresh and distinctly lemony, with a soft minty finish from their mint-family roots. There is no sourness — it is aroma rather than acidity — so they work in sweet and savoury dishes alike. Do I need to soak lemon balm seeds? ▾No. Sow the seeds dry directly onto moist cotton pads or coco coir. They are very small and would clump together if soaked. Why do you recommend a weight during germination? ▾A 0.5–1 kg weight on a stack of containers presses the seeds gently against the medium. The roots anchor better, the seedlings come up evenly and the stand is sturdier when it moves into the light. When should I harvest? ▾When the first true leaves have opened and the greens are 3–6 cm tall — usually 8–14 days after germination. At the seed-leaf stage most of the lemon aroma is still missing. How long from sowing to harvest? ▾Germination takes 4–5 days at 20–22 °C, followed by 8–14 days of growth in the light: 12–19 days in total. How much seed do I need, and what yield can I expect? ▾Use 1 g of dry seed per 11×18 cm container. The yield is about 1 : 10, so each gram of seed gives roughly 10 g of fresh greens. For larger trays, scale the amount to the surface area. What is the best growing medium? ▾Cotton pads or cotton wool and coco coir both work very well. Whichever you choose, keep it evenly moist but never waterlogged. Do you ship across Europe? ▾Yes. Green Chief ships from Belgium across the EU, with standard delivery in 2–5 business days. Seeds are packed to arrive dry and ready to sow.