Bee Balm - Monarda Didyma - Complete Grow and Care Guide
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- Опубликовано: 4 авг 2024
- Bee Balm is a perennial wildflower with gorgeous red blooms that attracts hummingbirds. In this video I show you everything you need to know to grow this plant. I cover growing conditions, soil requirements, propagating from seed, propagating from division / cutting rhizomes.
I also show you what pollinators you will attract if you grow a stand of bee balm, and compare my observations with university studies.
For a detailed article on this particular plant, Monarda didyma, click below:
growitbuildit.com/bee-balm-mo...
For how to save seed from this plant;
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Info on OTHER SPECIES OF MONARDA
If you like this plant, and want to grow other species that are similar to attract more hummingbirds, please click on the article below;
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Be sure to leave the dry seed heads through the fall and winter because the birds will land on them and get the seed. Goldfinches were on mine in April getting the seed.
great tip, thanks Deb!
This is my favorite plant for both beauty and because the flowers are a great substitute for oregano, in a pinch. I toss a handful of dried flower heads in winter stews…
This is a wonderful video. It is not only informative as well as beautiful to watch. Excellent Joe!
Thank you Elizabeth! I'm very happy you enjoyed and found it helpful!
Very comprehensive and helpful tutorial on monarda
Hi Mary - I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the kind words!
The information you provided on this video was exceptional. Thank you so much for making this video!
Thank you!
Thank you so much for posting this info on crimson monarda. They are stunning and I truly appreciate them and your sharing so much useful techniques and facts about this stunning native flower. Thanks
You are very welcome Cindy - I'm glad you found it helpful!
I have planted two batches. Keeping my fingers crossed. I used to have lots of these years ago. They are beautiful.
Good luck!
Just wanted to report in and say mine has bloomed! Thanks again for suggesting and providing what you learned about growing this plant. Have a good day!
You are very welcome V
I was gifted one of these this spring. Wow! so beautiful. I can't wait to spread it all over my garden!
It is an amazing flower, and yes, it will spread!
Fantastic video!!! Awesome videography. (If that's a word) Thank you. The ending was just precious~Nature rocks!
Thank you! This is one of the most exotic natives you can grow. And it was really fun to shoot.
Always great information from this guy. Lots of tips and well made videos.
Thank you Seamus!
I just planted my first one! So excited to see how well it does.
I really love these flowers. Mine are a little late this year, as it has been pretty dry. But they are starting to bud right now.
I've been looking at a few native patches on the side of my dirt road. They get mowed by the county so I don't feel bad about taking some. Thanks for the vid, I feel more confident about digging up a piece.
Best teaching video yet. You’ve earned another subscriber.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you! You are my favorite gardening channel on RUclips. Keep up the good work
Thank you so much! Glad you are enjoying my videos
I picked a beautiful bouquet today ! My mom in law loved hummingbirds ! 💜
Excellent - they are a beautiful flower
Love this plant been growing it about 5 years and bumblebee love it. Great video and very informative.
Thank you Christopher - it is a wonderful flower.
This video was excellent! Thanks, Joe and Tara. Would love to plant some bee balm.
Thank you so much Louise!
really great plant guide. fantastic work.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
Your videos are so helpful. I'm in South Central, PA, so it's nice to know bee balm can thrive here. The well-drained soil part is the challenge...SO much clay in our soil here. Now to find it so I can get some! Thanks again!
Hi - you can find native nurseries here on our interactive map - growitbuildit.com/where-to-buy-native-plants-in-the-united-states/
I don't know where you are exactly, but I would check out Diakon Wilderness Greenhouse. It is a non-profit for a good cause, and has great plants.
I've actually found patches of Beebalm in the mountains South of Michaux forest, so yes, it will definitely do well here.
Thank you for such detailed videos on these native North American species! You’re my go-to for this stuff.
Have an awesome summer!
Thank you! Glad you are enjoying the videos.
Thank you for those tips on growing these great flowers.
You are very welcome Mike
Excellent video for bee balms. Appreciate it.
You are very welcome Rogehni! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Gorgeous flowers, beautifully photographed... thoroughly informative, greatly inspiring! Thank you!!
You are welcome Venice! And thank you for the kind words. I really enjoyed making this video.
Thank you! I love Monarda! I began by finding wild Bee Balm near my home in rural Alabama. It was so beautiful. Now I know more about the species and how and where to plant it. ❤❤❤
You are very welcome! I'm glad I could help you out, and good luck getting more to grow.
This is a great video. Thorough, informative and visually beautiful to watch. Thanks so much for sharing this. I'm growing this plant now as a young seedling in pots.
You are very welcome Patrick - good luck with your seedlings!
I have this plant but didn’t know much about it. Thank you 😊
You are very welcome Sharyl!
I saw some of these in the Smokey Mountains a long time ago. I was impressed and took a lot of pictures, but had no idea what they were. I’m going to put some in my yard soon
They are awesome flowers - you will love them.
Thanks so much. We planted some last year late in the season and it never bloomed and this year it came back so strong! I'm glad that they're so easy to propigate because it's a real hit in the garden!
Excellent - it is a wonderful flower! Congrats on it coming back.
Your videos are the absolute best Joe! I started watching the butterfly weed video (I just picked up a plant from a specialty native Ohio nursery) and now I can’t stop watching. 😂 I def need some bee balm next! Great info and beautiful shots of your micro prairie.
Thank you! Glad you are enjoying them. I try to make them comprehensive in regards to info, but entertaining as well.
Last summer we had many pairs of hummingbirds and their offspring. It is early yet and cool in Chautauqua county so we aren't losing hope. With your video information I transplanted last year exploded over the fall and now spring. 2 small plants have spread about 2-6 feet!
Very happy cannot say enough about it.
Excellent - this is the kind of comment I love reading. Nice work Kristee!
Thank you so much! I’m bee balm crazy right now - actually I’m all mint crazy - I really am excited to propagate them by rhizomes next spring!🐝🌺🌸🌳🐎
Mint family is amazing. I love them, and their tenacity
Great teaching video. You have great voice cadence that's easy to listen & learn from. Thanks!
Thank you Don! I really appreciate it.
One of the first plants I bought when I moved into my dream home
Ordered from Spring Hill
A dozen years later they are still growing strong
I've divided them
Added to my landscape in other areas
And given some away
When I want to tidy up a space I simply water the soil and gently pull them and regroup them
It's a plant that keeps on giving
They are awesome flowers. Easy to manage, and grow.
Last February I ordered a Monarda Sugar Buzz Bubblegum Blast plant and a packet of seeds: Panorama Mix. Kept the plant in a container and planted seeds in small pots until my flower garden construction was finished over old tree stumps. The Bee Balm seeds are growing and I have them in a protected area from frost hoping the rhizomes will continue to develop until spring returns. Looking for plants to keep the honeybees happy.
@@heavymechanic2 Sugar Buzz Bubblegum Blast Bee Balm sounds delightful! What catalogue did you order from?
@@SisterShirley Hi, the Monarda plant and seeds was purchased from Park Seeds.
@@heavymechanic2 love your name!
I have the lavender and love it. This is my second year it and it is quite happy in a container. I have on my patio and it gets morning sun and afternoon sun. Have lots of bees and a few hummers.
Sounds like you have it in a good spot!
Thank you for giving all the info on the plant. I found plants on a local market this year and I will put them in pots for now. I love the color and looking forwart to make tea from it. I did not know its mint family. So thanks for that information. No one whats trouble with the folks next door just from planting a flower. We dont have hummingbirds in germany but the hummingbirdmoth is comming in my garden. 👍🌻 good job on the video. Take care.
Thank you Marie - I'm glad you found it helpful - good luck on your Bee Balm.
Thank you I just got some bee balm the fragrance is amazing and now I can plant it love from Michigan 🖐️♥️
You are very welcome - good luck getting started with this plant!
This was very informative and your pollinator photos were great. I bought two types of heirloom bee balm seeds and look forward to having something for my hummer buddies besides sugar nectar. Didn't realize they like them - thanks for the info!
You're going to love them. These are some of the prettiest flowers you can grow. And they definitely bring in the hummingbirds.
Appeared in my grdn spring...didn't know what it was til saw urvid....it's just now producing teeny red flowers....must HV reseeded fr on last summer wild flower seeds
Excellent video! Very thorough and very interesting. This is the first video from your channel. I'm looking forward to watching your others. Great content and your interesting to listen to. You seem very knowledgeable and experienced. I'd like to hear a little bit about your background. Thanks very much!
Hi Alan - My first job was working in a garden center back in high school. But since 2012 I started getting into Native Plants. I was out hiking in Shenandoah and came around a bend to find hundreds of Swallowtail butterflies. They were landing on me, and all around. You almost felt like some angel descended from heaven. I decided that I wanted to try to create that at home.
*Side note - the closest I've come to recreating that day in Shenandoah was with the Cup Plant. It's ridiculous how many pollinators that thing attracts.
I started my first Native garden in 2012 (after Shenandoah), and have been doing it since. 2012/2013 was also the first year I winter-sowed seeds. From there I just expand my knowledge by reading, observing, and testing different species, etc.
How plants live, work and reproduce is fascinating and fun to watch. Seeing how the entire ecosystem interacts, with plants as the hub is amazing as well. I do have some more written at our website growitbuildit.com in our 'about us' section if you want to see more.
I'll live in Australia and I have grown bee balm I brought the seed at first it was quite difficult with the germination but now I've got it it's going wild and it lives with the black sugar cane and it's just about to Bloom 😊. It's just such an amazing herb to watch grow to see how it develops it's so beautiful and I just get a buzz working with it looking at it it's wonderful and I can't wait to see what colour flower. I got. thank you I found your RUclips very informative very relaxing.😊
Thank you! Bee Balm is truly a wonderful flower. One of the most unique forms and beautiful too.
What a helpful video thank you! 🙏🙏 seriously great job 👏
Thank you Dana- you are quite welcome!
Great information, fun to watch
It's New Years Day! It's cold outside! I'm watching Bowl games but would rather be in the garden. Thanks for this great video! Now I'm excited about spring and am looking for my seed catalogs! Won't be long until I start seeds indoors!
Thank you for the kind words - and I agree! It's cold and wet here, good day for all the bowls.
Great Video! This was the first year I ever had Bee Balm. I bought mine, not knowing much about them....and wanting to attract Humming Birds. I planted them in an area that got afternoon sun, had to water all the time and only one out of the 4 I bought flowered. Your video was VERY informational and told me basically what I should have done. Thanks so much! I subscribed to your channel.
Excellent Alicia - I'm very happy you enjoyed it and got some value from it. Good luck next year! This is a wonderful plant, and it is excellent at attracting hummingbirds.
Great video. I got 2 purple monarda plants just because I'm decided to attract hummingbirds to my native garden. Researching, I found out that hummingbirds prefer red color so I needed one. I was very lucky to find one on clearance at my local hardware store. So now I have 3 monardas. Found to wait for next Summer and see if I can reach my goal of having hummingbirds here ✨
They are great for attracting them Leidy. Another species that you may want to consider is the Cardinal Flower. You normally don't see these in stores and need to grow them from seed. But having about 6 plants arrayed in a circle is pretty, and it does an excellent job at attracting hummingbirds. I haven't made a full video on that plant yet (next year), but I do have a good article /profile on the plant here - growitbuildit.com/cardinal-flower-101-lobelia-cardinalis/
Good to hear I shouldn't worry about Powdery Mildew 'cause my Bee Balm has it. Thank you for that tip! I think one reason is because some of the BB is in shade part of the day and I believe BB prefers full sun all day -- it's better for its health! I've never dead-headed but am trying it this year to see what happens -- my BB crop has been well-used this summer and is looking a little dog-eared. Probably will thin it out this fall as it has really spread this year; we had an exceptionally long spring and lots of rain so everything -- especially the weeds -- have been loving this growing season! BTW - Great videos of your Hummers -- they are incredibly fast. And good info. Just found your channel today and have subscribed,
Hi - glad I could help you on the powdery mildew. That's the beauty of native plants - there aren't too many diseases that can really hurt them. Thinning Bee Balm is really easy in the Spring. The sprouts are very identifiable, so you can pull unwanted shoots with confidence.
Also - I have never found Bee Balm to be particularly good for deadheading, as any subsequent blooms are much, much less than the original. I'd be curious if you had different results.
Thank you fdor your quick reply! LOVE your stuff!
You are very welcome
Cool! Bought my hummingbird feeder, no birds so I’m going to plant this stuff!
If there are any hummingbirds around, and you have enough - this will draw them in. Also check out Liatris, Lobelia (Blue & Cardinal), and Cardinal Climber for hummingbirds.
Wow !! Great video , beautifull place too !!!😎🍃
Thank you Michel!
Super easy to transplant or propagate too! Just like you did I just pulled stem, root and all out of the ground and put it in another garden area with some root hormone ! PS you're lucky to have hummingbirds(wow hummingbird moths had no idea) I try to attract them but not much luck in Minnesota! A lot of bumbles and monarchs!
Hi Keith - it's amazing how easy it is isn't it? We got our first hummingbird moths in 2018 and had around 5 plants. It was just a couple that we noticed visiting. But this year I had sooooo many. It seemed to take a bit longer for them to arrive, but by July we were flush with them and you could see a few each day. And you can get much closer to them!
I think it helps that we have so many attractive plants. Kind of like going to eat at an all you can eat buffet rather than a vending machine.
Hey Keith, I'm in the TC and get the Hawk moth and some Hummingbirds. We have a large garden but have to supplement with a Hummingbird feeder. It took a few years but it seems like we get more each year.
Very informative and encouraging.
Thank you - glad you enjoyed it!
OMG Talk about seeds from this, I have a hot pink I found growing in a field so I dug up a piece of the root and planted I swear the next year I must have had 50 plants! I have tried several times to collect seeds I seem to always miss and I do not see anything.... THIS is such a wonderful plant/flower to grow! Smells sooooooooo good!!!
This has got to be one of the harder plants to collect seed from Diana. Garden or Fall Phlox is also difficult, and must be timed right.
Great video keep up the good work
Thank you! I'm glad you liked the video!
Thanks for the info. I like the casual presentation…casual doesn’t mean second best but a positive as feels like I’m in your garden. I grow beebalm in our Alberta, Canada garden. Same experience with wildlife…a ruby throated hummingbird magnet. Our plants will grow 18 inches or 30 inches depending on how much water it gets. I’ll cut a few back to get smaller multiple flower heads in some places just for variety. Yes, easy to propagate from rhizomes but never overly aggressive. Most common butterfly on ours is the White Admiral. We have a few bumblebee nesting boxes but never noticed if the bees are attracted to beebalm or not…they have lots of goodies to choose from.
Thanks Tom - I love the flower too. I've never seen a White Admiral out here. This year we had a dry/cool Spring and my Bee Balm wasn't in full bloom until early July, which is pretty rare. And the bumblebees do visit the flower, but not often. I think it just depends on what is available for them.
Yeah, I have the purple Bee Balm, I want to try different varieties this year, as the purple Bee Balm is super hardy, spreads, and blooms from Spring to Fall. ;) Thanks for the great information!!!
You are very welcome Jennifer - I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Good luck!
I just bought the purple bee balm from garden center. Not sure if plant it in pot or in the ground. Was it easy to dig out the roots?
Starting today hoping for success purple is my favorite color
awesome video, so much info, thanks
You are very welcome John
Such a helpful video! Thank you!
You are very welcome Rebecca!
I'm loving all your videos about natives and would love to know more about your "micro prairie"!
Thank you! I don't have a video on our backyard prairie. But I did make a detailed write up on how we built it (and how you can too) here - growitbuildit.com/how-to-make-a-micro-prairie/
It takes a lot of work. But the results are awesome. I've never seen more insect life in my life. We have something blooming from April through October (zone 6, PA).
@@growitbuildit Thank you! 😊
I have 3 kinds of monarda, including lilac, dark 'Purple Rooster', and red. The lilac-colored one is the most popular with the bees, and the other two get all the hummingbird's attention. It is also a good, attractive filler between spent lily stalks. You have better success with the seeds than I have so I just divide the roots in Spring. As long as there is a small green growth they will survive if given enough water. Also, there is a short bubble gum pink variety, too.
Sounds like you have a very colorful display going at your home. I've only got the straight native variety Monarda didyma at the moment. But I've added three other Monarda species over the years. Right now I've got near-continuous blooms of the 'Monarda style' from May until October.
Another great video, thank you
Thank you Deb - it was fun making this one. It was quite long, but honestly I could have talked much longer about this plant. It is really a cool species to grow. I had to be really picky with choosing footage because I had so much good material.
I absolutely adore the chunky bumble bee flying away at the end of the video!😂
He was working so hard!
Thank you. Great video. Great info.
Thank you - I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Truly excellent! Thank you.
Thank you Judith!
Great work on this channel! Just subscribed.
Bee balm is one of my favorites. Up here in MN I don't get much hummingbirds on them but plenty very large bumble bees.
Thank you Jimmy! Keep growing it - perhaps the hummingbirds will find it someday. I love how it fills itself in - it seems to do a good holding it's own against other aggressive plants and invasives. A truly lovely flower.
Thank you for all your help will information
You are very welcome Wayne!
Thank you sir. I enjoyed your video very much. It was interesting to learn about bee balm, which I have just planted jn three places, in the hope of attracting wildlife, though my fingers are not always as green as I would like! As I am in UK I don't expect the humming birds you see will be visiting us! I also scattered some seed for fun so will wait to see what happens!
I have to say that I enjoyed the way that your presentation was inclusive, ie you were modestly saying what you had learned and are learning and not being patronising, as some people tend to be at times.
As i mentioned I am in northern UK and will be very surprised if I see humming birds but if nothing else, we wiil enjoy the plants!
Blessings and peace
Thank you so much George - I really appreciate the feedback. If there are hummingbirds in the UK, then I bet they would find this plant. It is absolutely gorgeous. You should investigate other members of the Monarda genus, as many have similar flower structures as this one, but are more favorable to bees. I'm particularly fond of Spotted Beebalm (M. punctata) and Wild Bergamot (M. fistulosa).
And thank you for the kind words! I try to be as factual as I can in everything I present. And rather than just speaking in generalities, I like to add my experience and particular observations. Thank you again, and blessings to you.
@@growitbuildit Thank you! The ones I planted (on the spoil heap of a recently constructed grave of a friend) are called Melua Apple Blossom, which sounds a bit like the name that pop singers gave to their children a few years ago! I don't know if they will do anything - the plants, not the pop songers' off spring!) but we will see if I need to buy a bee keeper's suit to visit my friend's grave, haha
Thank you for this! I found one bee balm plant at the store this year and had hoped to grow several. So I'm on here searching for ways to propagate it and etc. I was worried that it wouldn't over-winter but since it's related to the mint.. I won't have a problem with that at all! Haha. I learned quite a bit from this video and I'm off to watch the seed-saving video.
Excellent Dawn - glad you liked it. I hope you manage to save a few seeds, or just propagate via division in the Spring. Either way, it is a wonderful plant.
This was so helpful!
Thank you Lisa!
I am honestly writing this because for the VERY first time my son watched the whole video!
We live in Western NY and he will be able to earn a cub scout badge for things he is doing and learning.
Thank you sir. I will literally be dividing my monarda up as I didn't know you could split it up so easily.
That is excellent Kristee! I'm glad he enjoyed the video. I actually pulled about 20 plants from the patch by my house this year. Just keep a good eye for those pairs of triangle leaves with a bit of purple. It doesn't take too much root for the plant to survive. And right now is a great time, as it is a long time before blooming.
Good luck to you and your son in Cub Scouts!
@@growitbuildit he will be a full fledged wolf in cub scouts with a grow it badge!
We are sharing the bee balm with the fire chief's wife. I had about 40 plants last year they definitely are multiplying. She has had no success at attracting hummingbirds in the past with this bee balm she will :)
Outstanding. This definitely brings in the hummingbirds. Good luck and enjoy!
Great video!
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I’ll be adding some to my garden.
They will make a lovely addition Marshall.
Great video, thanks!
Thank you - glad you enjoyed it Debbi
Wonderful info
Thank you Rebecca!
Great video,
Thank you
You are welcome.
Great video! Thank you
Thank you Beth!
Beautiful 💐🦋
Very beautiful
Thank you very much - glad you enjoyed it!
This video was great as always. Do you grow monarda fistulosa? If so would you consider doing a video on that one or is the care relatively the same!
Hi - yes I grow that one too. I will do a video on that one eventually. The care is similar, but there are some differences too.
Very helpful thank you
Thank you!
LOVE THIS
Thank you William!
In my experience with M. Fistulosa, there is no need to keep the rhizome cuttings in a pot. I just dig out a chunk and put it where ever I want it. I have also planted some that that I just pulled late in the season (just pulled up like a weed) because they were spreading where I didn't want them. they also survived but were a little worse for the ware. I have had success with both M. Fistulosa and M. didyma stem cuttings too. Of course I let them grow in a pot for a while to get established.
Good video, thanks. I'm going to have to try seed gathering now.
I've done that too when temperatures were cool. But in Summer I find that transplanting often kills plants, or really, really stresses them.
I have a patch if this plant approx 2’x3’ wide and I counted about 14 bumblebees and two tiger swallowtail on it yesterday 😊
I planted a purple-colored Monarda this fall. I'm really looking forward to next spring, so hopefully, it will survive the winter. I lost quite a few perennials last winter due to the harsh winter here in zone 5a. I'm starting a wildflower garden courtyard in full sun on the south side of my house.
Good luck - I really love this plant. Maybe give it an extra layer of mulch to help insulate it.
If you're having trouble keeping perennials alive, you may want to try to find some plants that grow wild in your area and are native. That way you know that they can survive the winters!
@@growitbuildit Thank you, that is great advice! These are the plants I've planted so far, Coreopsis, Columbine, Purple Coneflower, and Black-eyed Susan. Can you suggest other plants for me to add to this area, or should some of these be removed?
I think all of those plants will play well together. As long as there is room, I say go for it. It looks like you could keep color in that area for just about the entire growing season. Deadheading Echinacea will keep the blooms coming until it gets pretty cold.
But there are a lot of other late summer/fall flowers. Smooth Blue Aster is a great choice, Turtle head and Fall Phlox both bloom very late too (all of these are blooming now in zone 6/7).
Aromatic Aster is yet to bloom, and will bloom through October into November. Although Aromatic Aster can get a bit 'wild'. But you can prune that one to help it look more tidy. But I've not seen anything that blooms as late as Aromatic Aster.
@@growitbuildit Thank you, for the plant suggestions! I have one Aster that was simply tagged Hardy Aster, I don't know if it's the same as the Aromatic Aster. I'll have to google it.
I also have a bright purple fall Phlox that's in bloom now. Turtlehead is one of the plants I looked for this spring, but couldn't find plants or seed. I also didn't have any luck finding blue salvia, or red cardinal flower, either. Unfortunately, not many places carry wildflowers.
You have got to start growing your own plants from seed! That is the solution. You will actually save some $ doing so. I purchase seed from a variety of sources, or collect it from the wild (my preferred method).
But Asters are wonderful flowers, but aren't for everyone. They can get a bit unwieldy and wild in 'manicured' gardens. But in wild areas, they are excellent. They really produce a lot of nectar. I strongly suspect that the true native species produce more nectar and pollen then some of the store bought varieties. And Turtlehead is pretty easy to grow from seed, as is Cardinal flower. Send me an email, I'll see if I can help you out.
I just started growing this...havent tried it.as a.cut plant..love the bees who cover this the blooms too much to take one away
Love your video's! I am going to move my Monarda to a sunnier place. I live in SW PA. Should I wait till spring and transplant then?
Hi, I would wait until Spring. But once it goes dormant, it should be able to be moved around
Just picked me some up today
You're going to love them - wonderful flowers.
Is it recommended to thin the clumps as they come back in the spring? I took some out and potted them and noticed the area in my patch that had been “thinned” the plants are larger.
I really enjoy your videos and info. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sue - Plants with more 'space' will get larger than overcrowded plants. There is one possible drawback to this though, tall plants may flop over. It generally isn't a problem unless the soil is very rich.
2 years ago I planted this & it was amazing. The next year - never came back. Don’t know it I “ weeded “ it out or if it was bullied out by stronger more aggressive plants like cranesbill or daylillies or lady’s mantle. Just bought some more today. Small plants. I’m putting it this time in a bed that I also grow mint, apple mint & horsetail. All the aggressives together. Also have gardenia, confederate rose & knockout roses with muhly grasses too. Wish me luck !!!!
Sounds like you are going to have a very busy flower bed! Good luck! Hope it comes back this time. Now you know what to look for so it doesn't accidentally get pulled (if that's what happened).
@@growitbuildit I stay busy yanking out horsetail ....It's a large bed and 8 years old
Horsetail is awful.
@@growitbuildit I know. It’s cool & architectural - That’s where the good stops. It has the growth habit of kudzu & wisteria. It pops up like nothing I’ve ever seen. I burned 1587 calories today yanking it out ! Not kidding!!!!
Mine went 'bionic'. Cannot wait to thin them out. Ty for this information!
You are welcome Vanessa! Good luck.
Unlike many sites, this presentation is very informative; it is all well and clearly presented. I tried it to grow it before but I was not successful - maybe it was not the best location. I put 2 nursery bought, nice plants this year in a different locations and they are growing and blooming. I also grow some (wild ones from the seed) but they are still very small. I wander how they are going to overwinter them in Manitoba. Should I protect it, like with the straw or rose huts? Thank you for the really nice video!
Hi - it is hardy to USDA zone 4, so if you are in that zone you should be ok. Otherwise a thick layer of leaf mulch or straw would help.
Regarding your young seedlings, you can transfer them to larger pots to allow them to grow more root mass now. Then, as fall approaches for you, plant them in their final location and they should overwinter just fine. Otherwise, keep them in their pots in an unheated garage or shed, and just don't let them totally dry out.
@@growitbuildit Thank you so much for your care and taking time to reply. I am in zone -3, so I have to take an extra care for of them before winter. Some plants of zone 4 are struggling here, and some of even higher zone are just doing fine (like hyacinths which are close to the house foundation). Thanks once more! Greetings from Manitoba, Canada!
i just saw rutabekia hirata in your garden i am planning on getting some seeds for it
It's a great flower. I've got to transplant a bit more to my garden. I might be kind of light out there this year as I can't remember if I scattered any seed.
great video - learned a lot plus you have inspired me to get in my garden and start collecting seeds to share with friends. You made this sound so easy... just need to be on top of it. I have several very healthy red bee balms... I will have a different heightened appreciation for them this Spring. :)
Thank you Cathy! Saving seed is addicting. I'm guessing you will also have some small volunteer sprouts from the runners. Good luck !
I just planted some this year can’t wait to see what they do next. Do you plant zinna’s? I planted some this year from seed and they just keep blooming like crazy. I have seen all sorts of pollinators on them. I’m hoping they seed enough so they come back on their own next year. I
Hi Jessica - I haven't done much with zinnias. But I know how much pollinators love them. I mostly try to keep natives growing. You're going to love your Bed Balm. The blooms are exquisite and really bring in hummingbirds!
Hi, new subscriber here, love the natural look of your garden! I'm now inspired to grow bee balm :-)... most of the yard gets full sun, I saw a video for growing tomatoes in a pot and the guy but in diaper filling to keep the soil moist, I was not sure about the impact of diaper filling for my soil, so did some research and there are many biodegradable alteratives. Do you think there is a chance if I add those 'soil moist' pellets I might have success even though I get full sun or is the issue with the plant top getting too much sun?
BTW THANKS for taking the time to film, edit and upload this video!
Hi AC - I have almost all of my plants in full sun. They do fine, but if you want to add something to hold water I have a couple of suggestions.
1 - compost. A few handfuls of compost when you plant a seedling, and top-dressing with compost in late Spring will add water holding capacity to the soil.
2 - Layers of newspaper at the bottom of the hole. Just put some regular newspaper at the bottom of the hole when you plant. It will act as a sponge, and is free.
Even still, if the area you plant in is prone to drying out, you may need to give it supplemental water. In late afternoon heat the leaves of my plants will droop. Once they get some water they will recover.
Great ideas - I'll give them a try :-) - Thanks again for taking your time to make, edit and upload the videos!
Thank you AC. Comments like yours make the effort worth it.
Thank you very much.
I love this plant so much. Well said that it’s bloom just looks out of this world…
Btw, I had a question, will a deer eat these?
I had several of these disappear from the front of my house where they had been thriving for a few years. Suddenly the roots are gone. I wonder if they were stolen. P
Hi - in my experience deer will not touch this plant. The stalks and leaves have a strong aroma. There should have been some basal leaves on the ground all winter, as it is semi-evergreen.
What a beautiful prairie garden! What are the tall white flowering plants? What is your spacing for your bee balm?
Hi Les- the tall white flower is actually just fleabane daisy. I let them grow back there as they are native, and do look nice when they get large.
For spacing, 2'-3' is the recommended. And that is what I did in my 'formal' flower bed. I planted them in pots buried in the ground, that were also lined with landscape fabric. I only had a single escaped stalk this year for Bee Balm. If you are planting Beebalm in a wild setting, spacing doesn't mean much, as it will go where it can! I've got it everywhere back in the prairie now.
you probably know this already but the lavender flowered Bee balm is just as great. I use both for tea.
Do you mean Wild Bergamot, (Monarda fistulosa)?
@@growitbuildit yes, lol I watched your video on Monarda fistulosa right after this one. It grows crazy wild here in SW Wisconsin.
I have large patches of both the red and the magenta beebalm. Our summer resident hummingbirds will occasionally be seen on the beebalm, but I see many more bees. Usually every single flower has a honey or bumblebee on it..... and there are HUNDREDS of beebalm blossoms right now.
This plant, Monarda didyma is usually more attractive for hummingbirds, butterflies, and the occasional bumblebee. But it's cousin, Monarda fistulosa brings in a ton of different pollinators. It is blooming right now in zone 7 and 6
I bought a cabin with ten acres in upstate new york in late 2020 and found one of these growing behind the shed, blossomed for weeks and i do not think it got a minute of direct sun. I just bought a ton of seeds, gonna plant them all around the part of property that isnt forest
You may want to try to dig up small seedlings this Spring. That would be the fastest way to get a ton of this plant - just plant them around your property.
Great info, as always. Would you say that all varieties of bee balm are that easy to start from seed? I’d love to start the punctata variety.
Thank you Emily. In my experience, all of them are easy to start from seed. There is at least one species that needs a cold treatment - Monarda bradbury. The key thing is morning sun and afternoon shade! Then, just mist the seeds in the morning only. Trust me on this point!
Brilliant! I might use this in my garden in the UK. I am a bit concerned it'll take over though. Is it easy to weed out or will it just keep coming back?
Easy to weed out - shallow roots. No issue at all.