Bee balm is a beautiful flowering plant that attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It’s easy to grow and care for, and it makes a great addition to any garden. Deadheading bee balm is a simple process that will keep the plant looking its best.
- Cut off the spent flower heads with a sharp knife or pruning shears
- Make your cut just above a set of leaves so that the plant can continue to photosynthesize and produce energy
- Deadheading bee balm will encourage the plant to produce more flowers
- Bee balm plants are typically very hardy and can withstand heavy pruning, so don’t be afraid to cut back the plant if it is getting too big or unruly
Credit: plantaddicts.com
Contents
What is Bee Balm
Bee balm is a member of the mint family and its scientific name is Monarda didyma. Bee balm grows up to three feet tall and produces showy, fragrant flowers in shades of pink, red, lavender and white. The leaves and stems of bee balm are covered with tiny hairs that give the plant a fuzzy appearance.
Bee balm blooms from mid-summer to early fall. The nectar from bee balm flowers attracts bees, hence the common name “bee balm”. Butterflies and hummingbirds are also attracted to bee balm flowers.
Beebalm is native to North America and was used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes. The leaves can be made into a tea that is said to relieve cold symptoms, stomach aches and gas. Bee balm is also a traditional herbal remedy for sore throat.
Some people apply bee balm ointment to their skin to treat rashes, wounds and insect bites.
You can grow bee balm in your garden if you live in an area with a cool summer climate. Bee Balm prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade.
Well-drained soil rich in organic matter is best for growing bee balm but it will also grow in average garden soil as long as it is not too dry or too wet. You can propagate bee balms from seed or division in spring or fall.
What are the Benefits of Deadheading Bee Balm
If you’re not familiar with the term, deadheading simply means removing spent flowers from a plant. In the case of bee balm (Monarda didyma), this task is important for two reasons. First, it helps to keep the plant looking tidy and attractive.
Second, and more importantly, it can encourage further blooming.
When spent flowers are left on the plant, they begin to form seedheads. Bee balm is self-seeding, meaning that if those seedheads mature and drop their seeds to the ground, new plants will sprout up next spring without any effort on your part.
While that may sound like a good thing, it’s actually not what you want if you’re trying to maintain a well-groomed garden. Too many bee balms crowding each other out can result in weak, leggy plants that are more susceptible to disease.
How Do I Deadhead Bee Balm
When it comes to deadheading bee balm, the best time to do so is right after the blooms have faded. This will encourage the plant to produce more flowers. To deadhead, simply cut the stem back to just above where a leaf is growing.
Deadheading Bee Balm
Cutting Back Bee Balm for Winter
As the weather cools and the days grow shorter, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your garden for winter. This includes cutting back some of your plants, like bee balm.
Bee balm (Monarda didyma) is a beautiful, fragrant plant that blooms from summer to fall.
It’s a popular choice for gardens, both because of its looks and its usefulness in attracting bees and other pollinators. But when winter comes, bee balm needs to be cut back so it doesn’t get damaged by the cold weather.
Here’s how to do it: wait until the plant has stopped blooming and then cut it back by about one-third.
Cut any dead or dying leaves off first, then use sharp shears or gardening scissors to trim the remaining leaves and stems. Be sure to disinfect your tools before using them on other plants!
After you’ve trimmed your bee balm plants, they may not look very impressive, but don’t worry – they’ll bounce back next spring.
In the meantime, enjoy watching your garden sleep through the winter knowing that you’ve helped your plants survive until next year.
How to Deadhead Bee Balm Video
If you have a bee balm plant in your garden, you may have noticed that the flowers start to look a bit ragged after a few days. This is because the plant is starting to produce seed pods, and the old flowers are no longer needed. To keep your plant looking its best, you need to deadhead the flowers.
Deadheading is simply removing the spent flower heads from the plant. You can do this with your fingers or with pruning shears. Make sure to cut back to a healthy leaf or bud so that new growth can occur.
Bee balm deadheading is easy to do and only takes a minute or two. By doing this simple task, you will keep your plant blooming all summer long!
Do You Cut Back Bee Balm in the Fall
Although bee balm (Monarda didyma) is a perennial, it is best to cut back the plant in the fall. This will help to prevent disease and encourage new growth in the spring. When cutting back bee balm, be sure to remove all dead leaves and stems.
Cut the plant back to about 6 inches above ground level.
How to Keep Bee Balm from Falling Over
If you’re like me, you love your bee balm plants. They add a beautiful splash of color to any garden and they’re great for attracting bees and other pollinators. But there’s one downside to bee balms…they have a tendency to flop over.
There are a few things you can do to keep your bee balms from falling over. First, make sure you plant them in an area that gets plenty of sun. Bee balms need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day to stay healthy and compact.
Second, pinch back the stems regularly. This will encourage the plant to grow more densely and prevent it from getting leggy.
Finally, provide some sort of support for the plant, such as a tomato cage or trellis.
This will help the plant to stand up straight and not fall over in heavy winds or rainstorms.
By following these simple tips, you can enjoy your bee balms without having to worry about them flopping over all the time!
Conclusion
If your bee balm is looking a little worse for wear, you may need to deadhead it. Deadheading is the process of removing spent flowers from a plant. This can help the plant look better and encourage new growth.
To deadhead bee balm, start by snipping off any dead or dying flowers. You can also cut back any leggy stems to promote new growth. If your plant is looking particularly overgrown, you may want to give it a light trimming all over.
Be sure to make your cuts at an angle so that water can run off them easily.