I often cut mine back to reduce height...will bloom a little later.

what do you do.. sneak around the neighborhood.. planting things????

ken

Thanks, mollydog. No, Ken, we live on a farm with a lot of land, and I'm trying to find new places to plant the wild bergamot, which is taking over the garden. :)

so you have what is becoming an invasive weed .. in your garden .. [i am using the term generally]

and to solve this issue ... you are planting the invasive weed all over your property???

what am i missing ... lol ...

green compost .. think about it ...

regardless.. have a great time doing it ... i am just pulling your leg ...

ken

I picture someone like Johnny Appleseed running around planting the Wild Bergamot in someone else's yard and getting angry when they weed whack it. Thank's for that mental image. I needed to laugh today!

There is such a thing as guerilla gardening. Some people do take over neglected public spaces and try to make them look nice with flowers or edibles.

I don't think of bergamot as a weed, because it is a native. I would rather see native plants growing vigorously and fighting off the true weeds (non-natives like dandelions and garlic mustard)

Here is a link that might be useful: Guerilla Gardening

The Monarda will probably recover just fine after one accidental weed whacking. Although since you just transplanted it, AND it got whacked, that is a double whammy so the plants may recover quite slowly or even die if it's very dry and they don't get water.

I usually give most of the Monardas a little trim sometime in June, although this year it needs to be done earlier, because the plants are 2-3 weeks ahead of normal schedule. I sometimes trim only half the tops in the patch, which will stagger the blooms somewhat.

so you have what is becoming an invasive weed .. in your garden .. [i am using the term generally]

and to solve this issue ... you are planting the invasive weed all over your property???

Ken, I don't mind if it becomes invasive elsewhere. It is pretty. We've got wild blackberries and wild grapes that are invasive as well. But at least they're "good" invasive. :)

i am just pulling your leg ...

Better be careful--because of the warm winter, there are fleas galore everywhere on our property, and they jump all over a person. So, if you're trying to pull my leg.... LOL.

echinaceamaniac wrote:
I picture someone like Johnny Appleseed running around planting the Wild Bergamot in someone else's yard and getting angry when they weed whack it. Thank's for that mental image. I needed to laugh today!

You're welcome. :) And I don't know whether Ken has discovered the wild bergamot that I planted in his yard yet. LOL.
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summersunshine wrote:
I would rather see native plants growing vigorously and fighting off the true weeds (non-natives like dandelions and garlic mustard).

Amen to that!
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terrene wrote:
The Monarda will probably recover just fine after one accidental weed whacking. Although since you just transplanted it, AND it got whacked, that is a double whammy so the plants may recover quite slowly or even die if it's very dry and they don't get water.

Thanks for the helpful info. Yes, I'll try to make sure it gets plenty of water.

I think I may try your staggered trimming method, terrene. How many inches do you cut off the tops of the plants? Mine are at least 3 feet tall already.

I'm going to bump this up again, since I have another question too. My wild bergamot is growing very densely. Ideally, how far apart should the plants be?

Hi Neptune, I just noticed your extra posts. I really must get out and give the perennials a trim toute de suite, since they are getting quite tall out there with the rain (although they're not 3 feet yet, more like 1 1/2 - 2). I usually just trim off 3 - 6 inches depending on the plant. I'll shape the plant a little while trimming, even the tops off, or stagger it with some perennials, just cutting off the tallest or half the tops.

Monarda is a rapid spreader and naturally dense grower. When I transplant new clumps I usually space them about a foot apart, and they will pretty much fill in within a year.

This year the Raspberry Wine Bee Balm has spread at least a foot and is swallowing the Phlox next door!

Thanks, terrene. Apparently I lied about the height of my wild bergamot--when I last checked, many are nearly 5 feet now! Still haven't bloomed yet, though. Thanks for the info--I guess I can do some experimenting. Oh, so it's OK for Monarda to be dense? I'll just leave them as is, then. I just Googled raspberry-wine bee balm, and they sure look beautiful. That's a lovely monster you have eating all your phlox. LOL.

My wild bergamot is growing very densely. Ideally, how far apart should the plants be?

==>>> two or three miles .... have you considered alabama??? .. fl.. or tenn???

BTW .. i used to love the stuff ... i was just in a weird mood that first post ...

grab a gob ... roots and all ... tie a string about 3 inches above the roots ... tightly.. then cut off the roots ... hang upside down in the garage or shed.. when dry.. make tea ... PRESUMING YOU ARE 100% on the ID ... and have researched toxicity ...

ken

Two or three miles apart??? Is that all? ;)

I knew you could make tea from the stuff--sounds interesting.