How do you care for a bee balm plant?
How to Grow Bee Balm
- Keep soil evenly moist through the growing season.
- Add mulch around the plants to preserve the moisture in the soil and control weeds.
- Deadhead faded blooms to encourage the plant to re-bloom in late summer.
- After the first frost in the fall, cut stems back to about 2 inches above the soil.
Should bee balm be cut back after blooming?
Bee balm (Monarda) begin to bloom in July and will continue to bloom throughout late summer. As the flowers begin to wilt and fade, cut just above the next flower bud. Continue to cut throughout the season as needed until the stem has finished flowering. Once a stem is finished flowering, trim it back to the ground.
Does bee balm like sun or shade?
Bee balm tolerates partial sun, but you’ll get fewer flowers. Space monarda plants 18 to 24 inches apart in organically rich soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.7 that drains easily.
Does bee balm come back every year?
Bee balm is a hardy perennial plant that requires little care. Whether planted in a garden area or in a container, it will return each season and will have likely spread. A few easy steps will prepare the plant for the cold weather. Cut the plant to the ground in mid-autumn.
Where should bee balm be planted?
Bee balm plants prefer moist, rich soil, and a sunny location. Bee balm will tolerate shade, particularly in hot-summer areas. Plant it in any protected spot that would benefit from a bright shot of color.
How long does bee balm take to flower?
Quick Reference Growing Guide
| Bloom Time / Season: | Summer | Average |
| Exposure: | Full sun to partial shade | 6.0-7.0 |
| Time To Maturity: | 110-120 days | Well-draining |
| Spacing: | 18-24 inches | Summer phlox, basil, dill, thyme, daylilies |
| Planting Depth: | 1/8 inch | Tea, potpourri, cut flowers |
Can bee balm grow in pots?
Blooming for up to 6 weeks from mid summer to fall, this tall flowering plant is a beautiful centerpiece to a garden, patio, sunroom, balcony or porch area. When placed in an area that gets full sun, bee balm can successfully be grown in a container by itself, or as a centerpiece in a larger tub arrangement.
What is a good companion plant for bee balm?
Companion Planting and Design Bee balm is a perfect cottage garden plant. I like to let it ramble though a perennial flower border next to tall garden phlox, rudbeckia, roses, and peonies. It looks best when allowed to grow in groups to create a vivid color statement.
What should I plant in front of bee balm?
Companion Planting and Design Bee balm is a perfect cottage garden plant. I like to let it ramble though a perennial flower border next to tall garden phlox, rudbeckia, roses, and peonies.
Where should I plant my bee balm?
Is there a dwarf bee balm?
A dwarf, compact version of the popular Bee Balm plant. Produces the same fascinating flowers as larger Monarda varieties, but on a dense, low mound of foliage. The flowers, with their clusters of tubular florets, are a valuable source of nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies.
What plants well with bee balm?
Bee Balm Care. Growing bee balms is fairly easy as long as you keep the soil moist. Provide a good, multi-purpose fertilizer, and work it into the soil around the bee balm plant. If you want a bushier plant, pinch off the stem tips as new growth appears in the early spring. In late fall, cut the bee balms down to just a few inches tall.
When does a Monarda bee balm start to bloom?
Compact, Monarda ‘Petite Delight’ (Bee Balm) is a clump-forming perennial of oval habit boasting masses of lavender-rose flowers, borne in dense, globular terminal heads. Blooming for weeks from mid to late summer, they rest upon a whorl of decorative bracts and attract scores of butterflies and hummingbirds.
How tall does bee balm get?
Most varieties of the bee balm plant are between 2 1/2 feet to 4 feet tall, but there are also dwarf varieties less than 10 inches high.
How tall does m.pringlei bee balm grow?
M. pringlei grows 18 inches tall and is immune to powdery mildew. ‘ Petite Wonder ’ and ‘ Petite Delight ’ are pink varieties. Other powdery mildew resistant bee balm varieties include ‘ Marshall’s Delight ’ (bright pink), ‘ Jacob Cline ’ (deep red), and ‘ Raspberry Wine ’ (dark red).