Grow Your Own Mosquito Repellent

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August/September 2007

Grow Your Own Mosquito Repellent

By Stephanie Bloyd

Lemon balm is a valuable ally against biting insects, and a gentle

curative.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/2007-08-01/Grow-

Mosquito-Repellent.aspx

 

More Natural Health from Mother Earth Living Lemon balm, the

International Herb Association's 2007 Herb of the Year, is an

ancient antidote to modern-day stress. This versatile herb can be

used to calm nerves, promote restful sleep, and reduce digestive

distress & #8197;— & #8197;plus it could be your new best friend in the great

outdoors. Not only do its leaves have a rich, zippy, lemon smell,

but they also contain compounds that can repel mosquitoes.

 

" Some northern European forms of lemon balm are high in citronellal,

a compound which mimics the well-known herbal repellent citronella

oil, " says Arthur Tucker, an ethnobotanist at Delaware State

University. He notes that some forms of lemon balm (Melissa

officinalis) are nearly 38 percent citronellal. A variety

called `Quedlinburger Niederliegende' with this higher content of

essential oil is available from Johnny's Selected Seeds and Richters.

 

For a quick mosquito repellent, simply crush a handful of lemon balm

leaves in your hand and rub them on your exposed skin. Grow the

plants near your backdoor or in your garden, where the leaves will

be handy when you need them.

 

LEMON BALM TO THE RESCUE

In addition to keeping biting bugs at bay, lemon balm has a long

history of medicinal use. Cultivated in the Mediterranean region for

the past 2,000 years, this perennial herb was prized for its

catchall curative properties. During the Middle Ages, King Charles V

of France was said to drink lemon balm tea daily for his health.

Paracelsus, a Swiss Renaissance physician, called lemon balm

the " elixir of life. " And in the 17th century, the French Carmelite

nuns made their famous Carmelite Water with lemon balm and other

herbs to treat nervous headaches and neuralgia. Today, lemon balm is

gaining acceptance as a useful herb for modern stress-related

maladies.

 

" Weedy lemon balm, which any old brown thumb can grow, would be one

of the herbs you should try before resorting to pharmaceuticals, "

says James Duke, an internationally renowned herbal expert. " It's

cheap, easy, efficacious, pleasing and safe; and it makes a good

tea. Lemon balm is about as safe and pleasant an herb as there is. "

 

 

Duke thinks lemon balm could compete favorably with drugs such as

Ambien for insomnia, Avirax for oral herpes, Zoloft for depression

and Zantac for indigestion. The German Commission E, established by

the country's Minister of Health in the '70s to review herbal

remedies, has approved lemon balm for gastrointestinal problems, as

well as nervous sleeping disorders.

 

Lemon balm is frequently used in combination with other medicinal

herbs. Though studies of these are limited, lemon balm has been

tested alone, or with other herbs for the following:

 

Anxiety. Two studies conducted at the University of Northumbria in

England found that a standardized lemon balm extract improved

participants' moods, with no decrease in mental alertness at certain

dosage levels. " The results suggest that low doses of lemon balm may

enhance calmness and high doses may have a mild sedative effect, "

writes Christina Chase for the American Botanical Council.

 

Cold Sores. Topical applications of lemon balm have proven effective

at treating cold sores (oral herpes). A study published in the

journal Phytomedicine found that a cream made with lemon balm

extract reduced the number of blisters in an outbreak, if used

early. Celeste Robb-Nicholson, editor in chief of Harvard Women's

Health Watch, writes: " A safe long-term treatment [for cold sores]

is topical application of lemon balm. It doesn't prevent cold sores,

but it appears to speed healing. "

 

While lemon balm creams may be hard to find in the United States,

Tucker recommends making a cream formulated with 1 percent dried

lemon balm. (For detailed advice on making herbal products, try

Richo Cech's Making Plant Medicine, Horizon Herbs, 2000.)

 

Sleep. A Swiss study published in the journal Fitoterapia showed

that a combination of lemon balm and valerian root improved sleep

quality as compared to a placebo group. Another study published in

Phytotherapy Research found that the lemon balm/valerian combination

reduced anxiety among healthy participants who were subjected to

laboratory-induced stress.

 

Indigestion. Lemon balm is recommended by herbalists for digestive

disorders, especially anxiety-related dyspepsia, since its

antispasmodic properties are thought to calm indigestion. A German

study examined 120 patients with functional dyspepsia who were given

a preparation containing lemon balm as the main ingredient. After

eight weeks, 43 percent of participants on active treatment reported

complete relief from their symptoms.

 

Other than the possibility of an allergic reaction, lemon balm has

few side effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies

it as " generally recognized as safe. " The German Commission E

recommends a dosage of 150 to 450 milligrams of the herb per cup of

tea, taken daily as needed. However, if you are pregnant or nursing,

avoid taking the herb in large quantities. Lemon balm may also

interfere with thyroid hormones, so speak to your doctor before

taking lemon balm if you take thyroid medication.

 

CALMING AND CONVENIENT

There are numerous ways to enjoy lemon balm, whether you add it to

tea, use it as a cooking herb, purchase supplements or tinctures

from the health food store, or simply enjoy its aromatherapeutic

qualities in a relaxing bath.

 

" Since many of the effective compounds will pass through the skin,

you can have your tea, drink it too, and bathe in it, " Duke says. To

make lemon balm tea, add a handful of lemon balm leaves to 1 cup of

water and steep for at least five minutes. For a soothing lemon balm

bath, put some fresh (or dried) crushed lemon balm leaves into a

muslin bag, then let the warm water run through it as you fill the

tub.

 

Lemon balm also adds a light lemon flavor to a variety of culinary

dishes, such as salads, pasta, fish, chicken, sauces and marinades.

Since the leaves lose flavor when dried, add fresh leaves to your

dish near the end of the cooking process. Look for fresh lemon balm

at your local farmers market if you prefer not to grow it yourself.

 

 

 

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How to Grow

Lemon balm is easy to grow from seed, rooted cuttings or by root

division. The herb thrives in full sun, but can be grown in partial

shade. Varieties `All Gold' and `Aurea' have variegated and yellow

foliage, and need some shade because they tend to burn when exposed

to full hot sun. They are not as hardy or as flavorful as the common

green Melissa officinalis, or the high-citronellal

variety, `Quedlinburger Niederliegende.'

 

Lemon balm looks and grows much like mint—it is a member of the mint

family—though it does not send runners. It will compete for garden

space and is best planted next to other vigorous perennials that

will hold their own against this sweet yet somewhat invasive herb.

The plants grow from 2 to 2½ feet tall, bushing out laterally, so

give each plant about 2 feet of space all around. Prune plants a few

times during the growing season to help maintain new growth. If they

become too dense and thick, thin by yanking out some of the inner

stems. The hardy root system will survive the coldest winters if

plants are well mulched.

 

& #8197;— & #8197;Susan Belsinger