Topic: Monarda

[manicscousers]

so excited, just had my collection of these plants delivered,
beauty of cobham
blue stocking
cambridge scarlet
prairie night
snow maiden and twins
anyone else grown them?
any foibles?
thanks for advice  ;D

[Obelixx]

I love monarda but have real problems getting them to survive winters in my back garden.   However, some I planted in a more sheltered bed at the front have come through and are growing well.

This bed is south facing and has a clay based, neutral loam soil into which a truck load of horse manure was dug about 6 years ago so is very fertile and also well drained but not dry.  The monarda are in the lee of trellis panels which reduce the ferocity of prevailing westerly winds.

Monardas are prone to mildew if they are too dry but also seem to rot if too wet and they seem to be a bit nesh about my cold winters but we do regularly get below -15C and these last 2 winters have been down to -32C in Jan 2009 and -26C plus a lot more snow this year.

I wish you every success with yours.

[Georgie]

I love them, but sadly so do the snails.   >:(

G x

[manicscousers]

mmmm, I'll have to watch out, just hope I can get some flowers off them  :)

[GrannieAnnie]

I didn't know there were so many varieties. We have one type but don't know the name.
It spreads planted on a slight slope, survives cold winters and heat, does get a little mildewed but still blooms and hummingbirds love it. The petals fly off like they were hit by a buzz saw when the hummingbirds land on them.  I hope they do very well for you. Fun trying something new.
And you can make Oswego tea from them.