Bergamot

Growing Guide

Bergamot, Bee Balm, even Monarda, this plant is known by many names and comes in many varieities. This growing guide focusses on Wild Bergamot, the herb come wildflower that’s easy to grow, beautiful, and highly attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.

Sow seed indoors October to March on the surface of good free-draining, seed compost. Cover with a fine sprinkling, no more than 5mm of vermiculite. Place in a propagator or seal container inside a polythene bag until after germination. Keep compost on the dry side at all times, water lightly as seedlings emerge. Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5cm pots and continue to grow on indoors in cooler conditions. Acclimatise to outside conditions before planting out after all risk of frost, 30cm apart.

This herbaceous perennial wildflower has a long blooming period and can flower anytime from early to mid-summer through to autumn. The flowers are tubular with prominent lips at the opening. They are pale pinkish-purple and grow in rounded clusters atop tall leafy stems.

TOP TIPS

Keep plants thinned so they don’t create extremely dense clusters. Thinning will increase plant vigour and health while improving air circulation and helping prevent disease.

When plants have died back to the ground at the end of each season, remove any remaining above-ground stems and leafy debris.