A perfect addition to a pollinator garden, Bee Balm (also known as Wild Bergamot) is a perennial flower native to North America. It produces eye-catching and exquisitely fragrant blooms in red, purple, white or pink. As a member of the mint family, the flowers and foliage are both edible and can be used in tea or medicinal decoctions. While it does attract bees, as its name suggests, Bee Balm’s primary pollinators are hummingbirds as the tubular shape of the flowers is well-suited for their long tongues.
Growing Bee Balm in your garden will provide you with colorful blooms throughout the summer and even into early fall. Their long sturdy stems make them ideal as cut flowers to add a colorful pop to any arrangement.
Growing Bee Balm in GardenSoxx® | Plant Family: Lamiaceae
How to Grow Bee Balm in Your GardenSoxx®
Bee Balm can be planted from seed and sown directly into your GardenSoxx®. Because it is closely related to mint, Bee Balm tends to spread in much the same way and is ideally suited for the GardenSoxx® growing system which will keep it contained to one area of your garden. It grows well in full sun and thrives in well-drained soil.
Once the flowers begin to bloom, deadheading the first few will encourage the plant to fill out and produce more throughout the season. At the end of the growing season, allowing some of the flower heads to dry on the plant will provide you with enough seeds to save for another planting next year.
