Parsley, Spearmint and Lemon Balm

Three invaluable herbs you'll want in your spice rack or on your herb shelf.

Eight or ten years ago I planted a tiny pot of lemon balm and about 20 feet away I planted a tiny pot of curley leaf parsley. I planted several herbs in between them without taking note of companion planting or what plants grew well together. Nothing I planted between the two survived more than a couple of years.

The lemon balm grew into a lush, beautiful clump, but unlike most mints, didn't spread out through runners and roots and become invasive. The parsley struggled year after year providing me with enough of a harvest to flavor a few meals but nothing more.

Four years ago I cleared out everything between the parsley and lemon balm and planted a tiny pot of spearmint which struggled bravely the first year, took a little better hold the next year, and last year provided me with a fine harvest.

I wasn't able to work much in my yard last year or the year before, but I did notice that the lemon balm was beginning to spread, and the parsley was thriving and last year I got more than enough parsley to last me through the winter.

While refreshing my memory on companion planting this spring I came across a warning not to plant parsley and mint together. They don't like each other! ??? I went out and looked over my herb bed to find parsley mingling with the spearmint on one side and lemon balm mingling with the spearmint on the other side having a PAR-TAY! Oh wait. Maybe that's a mad rush to claim territory. I pulled parsley and lemon balm out of the spearmint and pulled a little spearmint from each side of the main clump, leaving space between the three. We'll see how they do this year. I sure don't want the lemon balm and spearmint cross pollinating.

Parsley is a wonderful kidney tonic and is great for a plate garnish and for giving depth and richness to sauces, stews and soups.

Spearmint, like all mints is calming while giving clarity of mind. It's a great addition to a tall glass of lemonade or iced tea during the summer. It's also carminative and is an aid to digestive upset.

Lemon balm is a sedative and is often used to combat mild depression. It doesn't retain its medicinal properties when dried, but does retain its flavor. It's also good in lemonade and iced tea as well as adding a fine lemon flavor to desserts and sauces.