Cockroach and lemon balm
These perennials belong to the family of labial flowers. Kotovnik blossoms for the first year after sowing, and melissa - on the second.
They hibernate without shelter. They do not like acidic soils, heavy clays. They grow well only on organic soils rich in organic matter. At one place grow 3-5 years, then they should be transplanted. Easily propagate by seeds, division of a bush, by layers and root offspring, and also by green cuttings.
Seeds are small, they are not closed to the ground, but only covered with film before emergence. The soil should be free from weeds. You can sow in early spring, shoots appear after 3 weeks. In the future planting is resumed by self-sowing.
You can plant a number of plants 25-30 cm apart. At the end of summer, the plants re-bloom, they are cut off, leaving a stump 20 cm high. The following year, as soon as stepchildren on stumps grow 5-6 cm long, they break out and root in the second row, simply sticking into moist soil and coveringmayonnaise glass jars. After the stepsons take root( they will have a new leaf), the jars are removed.
In autumn, the first row is completely torn out, bring in a bit of fresh organic. Plants of the second row are trimmed, leaving stems 20 cm long. Next spring everything repeats. At first glance, it seems difficult, in fact the entire procedure does not take 10 minutes. Just get used to it. With this method of cultivation, the cat and melissa grow on the same place for more than 10 years.
In the initial period of growth, development is slow. Then, thinning should be done according to the scheme of 25 x 25 cm. Regular loosening, weeding, feeding of azofa( 3 tablespoons per 10 liters of water) are required. Cleaning done at the time of flowering. Cut the aboveground part of the plant, leaving a stump in the height of 20-25 cm, tied in bundles and dried under a canopy. Then they break off the leaves and put them in bags that are stored in a dry place. You can grow lemon balm and cats through seedlings.
Sometimes plants are damaged by rust, especially in thickened plantings in wet weather. You can sprinkle the leaves with a solution of "Phytosporin" and do not plant plants on waterlogging areas.
Leaves of lemon balm and cats contain ascorbic acid, carotene, essential oils containing citral, which gives the leaves a pleasant smell and taste of lemon.
Leaves are used for food, adding to tea, soups, salads, used in marinades and pickles. Both plants have a tonic effect. To make a drink 1 tsp fresh or dried herbs pour a glass of boiling water, boil for 5 minutes and take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day.
How to distinguish these plants from each other? Both cats and melissa have a slightly triangular shape, with scallops along the edges, but they are pubescent in the cats, they are velvety, the color is grayish-bluish, flat.
In melissa, the leaf blade is not flat, as in the cats, but slightly tuberculate, dark green, glossy.