My bee balm has fallen over. What cna I do about it? Is this a sign of too
much N and not enough P and K? It had nice blooms forming, but the stems
fell over last night.

Thanks, Jeff

"Jeff Hancock" wrote in message
...
My bee balm has fallen over. What cna I do about it? Is this a sign of
too
much N and not enough P and K? It had nice blooms forming, but the stems
fell over last night.


Since the flowers have formed, I would just put some stakes in the ground
around the perimeter of the patch and use some twine to support the plants.
Monarda tends to get leggy and fall over. You can sheer it back before it
gets too high and before it forms flower buds. That would have been about
two or three weeks ago. When you sheer it back it delays flowering but the
plants tend to remain more compact. Also, monarda will start to decline
after it flowers and powdery mildew will often infect the plants. By
sheering it back, you not only delay the flowering (to a time when there is
not as much color anyway) and keep it compact, but you delay or eliminate
the unsightly decline of the foliage. At least that is the rule for my zone
6 garden in SW Ohio.

sounds like the soil is too rich. Next year after the rains and snow leeches
the nutrients a bit, your monarda will stand up with no problem. You didn't
have a pounding rain or hail did you? I assume you meant that you got up
this morning and the bee balm had just flopped over. That means the soil is
too rich. As an experiment, cut half the plants back to half their size,
and watch them branch out. Leave the others as they are and see if they
don't "rise up towards the sun". The first year I planted everything in the
raised beds here ammended with rich worm casting soil, 90% of my flowers all
were lanky and struggled to stand up straight. It was because the soil was
too rich for the perennials. My red monarda stood up straight the following
year after the winter rains leeched some of the richness out. Good luck
with your flowers. madgardener. up on the ridge, back in Fairy Holler,
where my own bee balm is just now two foot tall in the places where it's
survived......overlooking English Mountain in Eastern Tennessee, zone 6b,
Sunset zone 36 where the past month has been verrrry cool and unusual
"Jeff Hancock" wrote in message
...
My bee balm has fallen over. What cna I do about it? Is this a sign of
too
much N and not enough P and K? It had nice blooms forming, but the stems
fell over last night.

Thanks, Jeff

"Jeff Hancock" wrote in message ...
My bee balm has fallen over. What cna I do about it? Is this a sign of too
much N and not enough P and K? It had nice blooms forming, but the stems
fell over last night.

Thanks, Jeff

Next year well before bloom cut it back by 1/3
You will get a more compact plant.
Your fallen over ones will still bloom and may root along their length.