Summertime is full of fun stuff – sun, surf and big, silly blockbuster movies – but there’s one part of summer that’s not so fun: the BUGS.
‘Tis the season for mosquitoes, fleas and other itch-inducing insects to come out in full force, leaving your skin covered in bites and your fingers frantically scratching away, desperate for a little relief.
I’ve always been a magnet for mosquitoes and other bite-happy bugs, and my skin is super-sensitive to bug bites. Once, when I was in elementary school, my dog Louie became the unwitting host to a pretty extraordinary number of fleas that arrived very suddenly one weekend. Unaware of his unwelcome visitors, I spent the weekend playing and snuggling with him as usual. By that Monday, I was so completely covered in angry, itchy red bites that my teacher sent me home thinking I had chicken pox!
So come summertime, I’m always on the lookout for new natural ways to repel those pesky little biters. Commercial bug repellents like Cutter and Off are full of nasty chemicals like DEET, so they’re unwelcome anywhere near my skin. Call me crazy, but since I try my utmost to keep pesticides off my veggies and out of my diet, I’m not about to go rubbing pesticides on my skin!
How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Bugs and Love My Lemon Balm
A few weeks ago, I planted lemon balm in my herb garden. I’d never used it before, and didn’t know much about the herb, but I was attracted to the scent and the pretty, bushy leaves and thought it would be a nice addition to my herb garden.I did a little research on lemon balm to see how I could put it to practical use, and now I’m very happy I did!
Lemon balm is a member of the mint family, and looks quite similar, with soft, grooved, slightly “furry” leaves. But rather than having a minty fresh scent, it has a strong lemony aroma, somewhat similar to lemon verbena and citronella.
Here are a few cool benefits of lemon balm that I found:
- Improves digestion
- Promotes relaxation
- Alleviates stress and anxiety
- Helps cold sores and blisters—crush leaves and apply to the affected area
- Attracts bees and butterflies
Lemon balm is a natural bug repellent.
It contains high levels of a compound called citronellal, which gives it its lemony aroma and flavor that bugs find so unpleasant. You’ll notice that “citronellal” sounds a lot like “citronella,” another plant used in many bug repellent sprays, lotions and candles.But why shell out money for one of these products that almost always contain other, potentially questionable or downright toxic ingredients? You can just plant a cheap little lemon balm plant (mine cost $2.99) and you’ll have a near-endless supply of bug repellent just sitting in your yard, ready whenever you need it!
How to Use Lemon Balm
Crush the fresh leaves and rub them directly on your skin, especially around the ankles, arms and other areas most exposed and vulnerable to bug bites. The lemon scent, which repels the bugs, is very strong. It rubs off very well onto skin. You can just sort of crush the leaf up a bit, and then use the leaf like a wipe.How and Where to Grow Lemon Balm:
Plant the lemon balm outside, perhaps near your front or back door, or on your deck, patio or wherever else you often sit outside, as the plants will help ward off bugs in those areas.Lemon balm happily thrives in sun or partial shade, and should be kept in moist, well-drained soil. Keep in mind though that, like other mints, lemon balm is invasive, and it will spread and take over your garden like a weed if you let it. For that reason, it’s best to keep it contained in a pot.
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