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Google
Bee Balm
+12
camprn
sanderson
CapeCoddess
Marc Iverson
nycquilter
AvaDGardner
Ericka2385
quiltbea
Goosegirl
PVPind
cheyannarach
greatgranny
16 posters
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Re: Bee Balm
CapeCoddess wrote:Marc, I allow the clover to grow in my lawn each year. Result: tons of bees, tons of toms!
CC
That's a neat idea. I have some "bouquet basil" with tiny leaves and tiny flowers. They are such cute, modest plants that produce so comparatively little that I think I may just leave the flowers on them so they attract more bees. It's not like they make a ton of basil anyway.
Marc Iverson- Posts : 3638
Join date : 2013-07-05
Age : 62
Location : SW Oregon
Re: Bee Balm
QB, those bee balms are beautiful! Did you throw seed there, or how did you plant those? I want to put some in my wildflower patch - this year all that came up were sunflower flowers, which the pollinators seem to like and the whole patch is almost a neon yellow/orange, but I'd like to get some bee balm in there next year.
NHGardener- Posts : 2305
Join date : 2011-02-25
Age : 63
Location : Southern New Hampshire
Re: Bee Balm
I know this is an old tread but I have a question regarding bee balm. I know that it will have to come out of my boxes. It is stealing too much of the area around the other plants. Would like to pot some of it but don't know if it will survive a winter up here. Anyone in zone 4 have an opinion on this?
I am going to move some of it about 30 feet from my boxes. Will this still help attract the pollinators or is it too far away?
I am going to move some of it about 30 feet from my boxes. Will this still help attract the pollinators or is it too far away?
greatgranny- Posts : 661
Join date : 2012-05-26
Location : Central Minnesota - Zone 4
Re: Bee Balm
just plunk it in the ground somewhere. Give it a shovel full of compost and it should take care of itself. I put a 4 inch pot of bee balm in my flower garden 2 years ago and now it is taking up a 3 foot round area. It likes a lot of sun.greatgranny wrote:I know this is an old tread but I have a question regarding bee balm. I know that it will have to come out of my boxes. It is stealing too much of the area around the other plants. Would like to pot some of it but don't know if it will survive a winter up here. Anyone in zone 4 have an opinion on this?
I am going to move some of it about 30 feet from my boxes. Will this still help attract the pollinators or is it too far away?
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Bee Balm
What beautiful flowers! And perennials. I have to put that on my list.
Edit - well that's scary. Guess I already made this comment last year.
Early stage alz?
Edit - well that's scary. Guess I already made this comment last year.
Early stage alz?
NHGardener- Posts : 2305
Join date : 2011-02-25
Age : 63
Location : Southern New Hampshire
Re: Bee Balm
LOL NHG, you are busy. Do you have a note book?
Here is a photo of one of the clumps of bee balm that started in a 4" pot 2 years ago. The red I have did the same thing. As soon as it's done flowering I'm ripping a lot of it out and planting it elsewhere.
Here is a photo of one of the clumps of bee balm that started in a 4" pot 2 years ago. The red I have did the same thing. As soon as it's done flowering I'm ripping a lot of it out and planting it elsewhere.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Bee Balm
I guess my main concern is it better to have it close to my boxes and if I do put it in pots, would it withstand the winter. I want to put some of it directly in the ground like you suggested.camprn wrote:just plunk it in the ground somewhere. Give it a shovel full of compost and it should take care of itself. I put a 4 inch pot of bee balm in my flower garden 2 years ago and now it is taking up a 3 foot round area. It likes a lot of sun.greatgranny wrote:I know this is an old tread but I have a question regarding bee balm. I know that it will have to come out of my boxes. It is stealing too much of the area around the other plants. Would like to pot some of it but don't know if it will survive a winter up here. Anyone in zone 4 have an opinion on this?
I am going to move some of it about 30 feet from my boxes. Will this still help attract the pollinators or is it too far away?
Yes, the flowers are very pretty. The bees are currently going nuts. I haven't a clue what most of them are besides the bumble bees.
greatgranny- Posts : 661
Join date : 2012-05-26
Location : Central Minnesota - Zone 4
Re: Bee Balm
Maybe I *should* keep a notebook. That's a good idea.
Those are beautiful, camprn. Great spot for them. They make a good landscaping plant.
Those are beautiful, camprn. Great spot for them. They make a good landscaping plant.
NHGardener- Posts : 2305
Join date : 2011-02-25
Age : 63
Location : Southern New Hampshire
Re: Bee Balm
camprn wrote:I love the flavor too, one reason I prefer Earl Grey tea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarda_didyma
My white clover is almost all done in the yard/meadow. I am sure the grumpy, mute, scowling neighbor will be happy when I finally mow the lawn/meadow.
Heehee. We mow around the patches of clover in our lawn (until they go to seed), just to give the bees a good feed. We tell our neighbors those are flower beds. And they are pretty, until they turn brown.
Re: Bee Balm
Yes, they are pretty! At least now I know what mine will look like once I start getting flowers on them, lol.
Re: Bee Balm
The neighbors - that's why I live in the country away from the nosy perfectionists.Pollinator wrote:camprn wrote:I love the flavor too, one reason I prefer Earl Grey tea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarda_didyma
My white clover is almost all done in the yard/meadow. I am sure the grumpy, mute, scowling neighbor will be happy when I finally mow the lawn/meadow.
Heehee. We mow around the patches of clover in our lawn (until they go to seed), just to give the bees a good feed. We tell our neighbors those are flower beds. And they are pretty, until they turn brown.
Does anyone remember that white clover seed used to be sold in seed stores? I do. My lawn is a mass of white blooms right now. Dare not go barefoot without looking down.
greatgranny- Posts : 661
Join date : 2012-05-26
Location : Central Minnesota - Zone 4
Re: Bee Balm
I bought some white dutch clover seed to boost the number of blooms in the lawn. I'll be sowing them within the next month or so.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Bee Balm
I have a portion of the lawn that is currently bare due to an invasion of Virginia Creeper killing a tree and a couple of bushes. (I know, I dropped the ball on that part of my yard) So, grandson hooked his 4 wheel drive and pulled the whole mess out, cut the stumps really low so I can mow over the top.camprn wrote:I bought some white dutch clover seed to boost the number of blooms in the lawn. I'll be sowing them within the next month or so.
I'm going to get a bag of grass seed and mix with some clover. Where do you get the clover seed?
greatgranny- Posts : 661
Join date : 2012-05-26
Location : Central Minnesota - Zone 4
Re: Bee Balm
Probably near the grass seed. Years ago clover was a normal component of a grass seed mix. I do not know if they still sell such a mixture.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Bee Balm
when I wanted red/purple clover and couldn't find any, I went to the health food store and bought clover seeds for sprouting. They worked beautifully.
nycquilter- Posts : 128
Join date : 2011-08-02
Location : zone 5a
Re: Bee Balm
White clover is more nutritious for pollinators than red. It also remains short in its growth pattern.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Bee Balm
Totally agree.camprn wrote:White clover is more nutritious for pollinators than red. It also remains short in its growth pattern.
greatgranny- Posts : 661
Join date : 2012-05-26
Location : Central Minnesota - Zone 4
Re: Bee Balm
Bees have been all over my white clover, but more recently they are all over the plantain, which is also a short plant. Between the short weeds it really keeps the "lawn" at bay. I've been reading about plantain and find that it's a less nutritious pollen source that the bees will cover when other sources are low. And also that the leaves, torn up and some say to chew them first, are a great sting reliever. But plantain is also bad for allergy sufferers.
NHGardener- Posts : 2305
Join date : 2011-02-25
Age : 63
Location : Southern New Hampshire
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