Growing Guide: How To Grow The Bee Balm Plant (Monarda)?

Bee Balm (Monarda) is a classic cottage garden favorite that gardeners adore. Not only for its fantastic colors, but also for its fragrant foliage. Monarda will attract the attention of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in the summer garden. It is an easy-to-grow plant that will make a statement this season. This guide will show you how to grow your own Bee Balm plant. Growing Bee Balm is easy.

Quick Guide:

• Planting season: Spring

• Blooming season: Midsummer to early fall

• Place: Full sun or partial shade

• Soil: Well-drained, moist soil rich in organic matter

• Water: Water once or twice a week during hot spells

What Is Bee Balm?

Monarda, also called (Wild) Bergamot, Bee Balm, or Oswego Tea, is a vibrant, herbaceous plant that’s favorite by gardeners. This blooming plant is prized for its showy, tubular flowers in shades of red, pink, purple, and white that contrast beautifully with the Bee Balm leaves. It is a standout choice for borders, cottage gardens, and wildlife-friendly landscapes. Take Monarda Cranberry Lace, for example, a showstopper with its corolla-shaped pink-purple flowers. Native to North America, Bee Balm not only adds a splash of color to your landscape but also offers an evocative fragrance.

Fun fact: Bee Balm is a genus of flowering perennial plants in the Lamiaceae (mint) family.

Is Bee Balm A Perennial?

Yes, Bee Balm is a perennial. With proper care, it will come back year after year to grace your garden with its vibrant blooms and delightful fragrance. In fact, it generally takes two to five years to reach its maximum size.

When To Plant Bee Balm?

Would you like to plant Bee Balm, and are you wondering when is the best time to start? Plant your Bee Balm bare roots as soon as they arrive in the spring. But before you do that, soak your roots in water for three to six hours.

Where To Plant Bee Balm?

Bee Balm performs best in a sunny spot where it can receive daily sunlight, making it a perfect addition to open beds, balconies, or sunny borders. However, it’s flexible enough to grow in partial shade, as this plant will not shrivel in partial shade or burn in full sun.

How To Plant Bee Balm?

Before you start planting, ensure you have well-draining, moist soil rich in organic matter because Bee Balm loves moist soil. The plant may tolerate lighter soil, but rich soil will encourage stronger and taller plants. Plants should also be spaced 18–24 inches (46-61 cm) apart. Finally, make sure the environmental conditions are right to encourage blooms. Let's get started:

1. Wait until it’s spring.

2. Soak your bare roots in water for three to six hours.

3. Plant the roots in temporary containers with a multipurpose compost.

4. Place the temporary containers in a partially shaded area.

5. Once full growth has appeared, you can plant Monarda in borders or permanent containers in late spring or early summer.

6. Choose a sunny or partially shaded location.

When Does Bee Balm Flowers?

Bee Balm is a stunning summer flower that blooms from midsummer to early fall. The plant adds long-lasting color to any pollinator garden. Whether you choose Monarda Bee Happy with its deep red, tubular flowers or the beautiful Monarda Bee Lieve with pale pink blooms arranged in large, shaggy heads.

What Not To Plant With Bee Balm?

Bee Balm is a spreading plant, so it is important to give it enough space and avoid planting next to other heavily spreading plants. Or plants that need a lot of nutrients or (partial) shade. Bee Balm works well with many other plants, such as Coneflower, Lavender, Catnip, Peony, and Black-Eyed Susan.

Bee Balm Care

Caring for Bee Balm is easy. Follow these simple tips to keep your Bee Balm blooming with vibrant color and energy all season long:

• Use mulch or organic matter to preserve the moisture Bee Balm loves. Humus-rich, well-drained soil works best. The soil's pH should be neutral or slightly acidic.

• Monarda plants tolerate moist soil, so water deeply once or twice a week during hot spells to keep the plant thriving.

• To encourage continuous flowering, remove spent flowers regularly.

Discover The High-Quality Monarda Collection At DutchGrown

Would you like to plant Monarda yourself? DutchGrown offers you a beautiful collection of Bee Balm bare roots which are an excellent choice for various garden settings, from borders to wildlife gardens. Explore the Bee Balm collection now and plant your new roots in the spring for a colorful summer garden. We ship from Holland to all over the US.