You need a Bee Balm in your garden

A healthy Bee Balm in light shade.

Bee Balm (Monarda)

A Bee Balm is a must have in any garden. It’s bright and colourful, attracts a variety of beneficial insects and pollinators, and is easy to grow. Bee Balms come in a variety of warm colours like red, pink, white and purple.

Growing Bee Balm

Bee Balms, otherwise known as Monarda, is quite hardy and can be found in zones 3-9. Some varieties can grow up to 4 feet in height. Bee Balm is a herbaceous perennial; its foliage dies back over winter allowing the root ball to go dormant so it can emerge once again in spring. They love being in full sun but will happily accept part shady conditions as well, though you may find they stretch high to reach the sun and could use some additional staking. Bee Balms love rich, moist soil and appreciate extra goodness added in the form of compost or other organic material.

Bee Balms have a long blooming period starting in mid-summer lasting well into late summer, adding an incredible level of colour to the garden. Deadheading spent flower heads helps encourage additional blooms, though you can leave some over winter to attract birds. They can be cut back in the winter as they will emerge with brand new shoots each spring, but make sure you provide some mulch to protect the plant over winter.

Bees and butterflies just can’t get enough of Bee Balms

Propagation Methods

Bee Balms can be planted from seed and should be divided every few years to keep the plant healthy and strong. Simply dig out a healthy sized plant and slice it with a sharp blade like a shovel and re-plant them back into the garden.

Top 5 Tips

Follow these suggestions to maximize your enjoyment:

• Plant bee balms around the garden in slightly different light conditions to extend the blooming period

• Bee Balms can suffer from powdery mildew, a fungal disease that impacts the plant when it’s hot and humid. Be mindful to water the soil and not the plant leaves and use anti-fungal sprays to keep it at bay

• Butterflies and bees love Bee Balms; be sure to have companion plants like in the same area like Black-Eyed Susans, Speedwell, Shasta Daisies, or Coneflowers, to create a paradise for those friendly pollinators

• Bee Balms like having moist soil, so add some mulch around the plant to retain moisture and suppress weeds

• They make great cut flowers to bring into the house to continue your enjoyment

Bee Balms are a must have for any cottage garden or colourful perennial bed and makes a wonderful addition for those looking to bring more wildlife into the garden.

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