Monarda

1634 Racine · July 2019

Just a random thread interested in people’s view on Monarda. Do you grow it? Which varieties? What are your experiences.

Personally I love it for the flowers and the incredible fragrance but it has annoyed me a bit this year. Very slow to get going, tatty looking and not spreading as aggressively as I had read it would.

Perki · July 2019

I find it erratic, it can come up in dribs and drabs or not return at all. I have grown cambridge scarlet it didn't return after its 2nd year. grown Beauty of cobdam ( pink ) which I will be removing soon come up in bits but to be fair its near a shrub sucking the moister away and its lasted long than CS.

I am still growing 2 others Scorpion ( purple ) which has been hit and miss , lost my first plants after the 1st year but the second lot have done well I've got good plants this year which come through winter fine. And I replaced cambridge scarlet with Squaw ( red )which is doing fantastic would recommended its newer than CS and stayed evergreen more a less over winter, I dug in lots of organic matter 2nd try with scorpion and squaw.

I asked the gentleman at dove cottage nursery about them being hit and miss, I asking him if I am doing something wrong because on paper I have very good conditions for monarda's, he more a less said they can be hit and miss so take cutting, he said squaw was a good reliable variety compared to others.

1634 Racine · July 2019

@Perki It’s Cambridge Scarlet I’m growing. Started off as 6 x 1L plants last spring. Summer last year was great. Was expecting them to take off this year but they have not really got going. The patch I do have are just starting to come into flower.

floralies · July 2019

Also very hit and miss here. If they are still around in their second year I divide them as the new small new divisions seem to grow better.

Papi Jo · June 2020

Hi there! Planted Monarda 'Beauty of Cobham' for the first time in my garden last year and was rather pleased with it. See my post here: https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/comment/2086264#Comment_2086264

It totally disappeared this winter (expectedly) and sprouted nicely in the Spring. However, this morning 2 (out of 3) specimens are not looking very happy. I thought they were lacking watering but, on closer inspection, found out that the drooping stems are looking like they suffer from necrosis or mildew or been eaten up (by slugs ?).

One specimen is particularly badly hit, with most stems / flower heads wilting...

Anyone else have this problem this year (or in the past)?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/1k/d2ccma1vunex.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/o6/voqii5d9l1yi.jpg

Lyn · June 2020

I’ve got loads ready to be planted out, grew from seed, but they do get slug chewed.

Papi Jo · June 2020

Thanks for your reply, @Lyn I'll give my slugs some (organic) "food" and see what happens...

the tidy gardener · June 2020

After growing them in the borders I now prefer them in pots.can keep a better eye on them and they really suffer without a good watering and staking.

1634 Racine · June 2020

@Songbird-1 I have rescued a few side shoots and potted up this year. I have given up on it in the border

edhelka · June 2020

They grow like weeds for me (Cambridge Scarlet) but they move as some mints do. Hard to have them where I want them and not to have them elsewhere.

No staking needed. I decided to chelsea-chop half of them this year to stagger flowering and they seem to respond well to this.

Janie B · June 2020

I grew them for the first time last year and was thrilled with them, and they all seem to have come back this year. Funny, though I bought all Fireballs, the 6 from The Secret Gardening Club came out purple, and the 6 from Claire Austin came out pink!

Monarda

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