As long as I’ve been been gardening, I’ve been an advocate of planting in Bee Balm wherever possible. It’s ridiculously easy to care for! If you’re trying to attract pollinators to your garden, try planting the bright and colorful Bee Balm! Bee Balm is an easy-to-grow perennial that lives up to it’s name by working hard to bring the bees to your garden and it’s incredibly low maintenance. I love adding Bee Balm to my garden wherever possible! Keep reading below and I’ll show you how to grow Bee Balm today!
Grow Zone
I find it best to grow Bee Balm in zones 3-9. This plant will grow virtually anywhere!
Water and Sun Needs: For best growing conditions, plant Bee Balm in an area of the garden that receives at least 4-6 hours of sunlight a day. Full sun is best for Bee Balm!
Average Size: Bee Balm can grow to be 1-8 feet tall (seriously!) and 2 feet in width!
Plant Type
Bee balm is a perennial flower.
Special Features
Bee Balm is known for being low maintenance, attracting birds, and making a great cut flower! Bee Balm smell lovely! Not only that, but Bee Balm plants are known for being deer-resistant, this part of your garden will stay safe from the mid-summer midnight munchies, inflicted by the deer, of course!
How To Get Started
Are you ready to start growing Bee Balm? Excellent! For healthy plants, I recommend sowing nursery-bought seedlings 18-24 inches apart (seeds can be sown too, but I find it better to sow seedlings) in the early Spring or late Fall. Bee Balm should be watered at least 1-2 inches per week, depending on the amount of rain in your area. Fertilize twice per year with compost or rotted manure. Bee Balm (a member of the mint family) is known to grow and spread fast, therefore I recommend deadheading the plant and pruning it on a regular basis to encourage blooms and help control the spreading as it occurs throughout your garden.
When To Harvest
While there is not an edible harvest from this plant, gardeners can expect to see Bee Balm bloom in mid to late Summer.
What To Plant With It
Looking for even more beauty throughout your garden? We obviously have an answer! Plant Bee Balm with Veronica, Aster, Evening Primrose, or Coneflower. You’ll absolutely love the colorful, lush results!
Finally, here are a few more articles from our Plant Guide https://beesandroses.com/2018/01/02/plant-guide-heliotrope/
https://beesandroses.com/2018/03/29/plant-guide-canna/
https://beesandroses.com/2018/02/01/plant-guide-barberry/
https://beesandroses.com/2018/12/07/plant-guide-veronica/
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