Latest / The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners / Episode 42 – Bee Balm – Bold, Buzzing, and Brilliant

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Episode 42 – Bee Balm – Bold, Buzzing, and Brilliant · The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners

• 0:28
  Welcome back to the Beanstalk, fellow beans.
• 0:31
  My name is John, your neighborhood garden buddy.
• 0:35
  And today we're tackling a number that has a funny way of
• 0:39
  showing up when people start asking big questions about life,
• 0:44
  the universe, and everything in between.
• 0:48
  Episode 42 felt like the perfect moment to slow down, look around
• 0:53
  the garden, and talk about a plant that somehow manages to be
• 0:57
  wildly practical, ecologically important, and just a little bit
• 1:02
  mind opening all at once. Bee balm is one of those plants
• 1:07
  that feels bigger than itself once you really pay attention to
• 1:10
  it. It feeds pollinators, smells
• 1:14
  incredible, looks bold without being fussy, and quietly reminds
• 1:19
  us that nature usually already has the answers if we stop
• 1:23
  overcomplicating things. So today, let's dig into bee
• 1:28
  balm and why it earns its place in the garden, and maybe even in
• 1:32
  the bigger picture of how we grow.
• 1:37
  Why grow bee balm? Honestly, it checks more boxes
• 1:41
  than most plants ever will. Bee balm is a native pollinator
• 1:46
  powerhouse that draws bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
• 1:51
  like it's sending out a cosmic invitation.
• 1:55
  When it's in bloom, your garden doesn't just look alive, it
• 1:59
  sounds alive, and that's a special thing to experience
• 2:04
  beyond the pollinators. B Ball is tough, adaptable, and
• 2:08
  surprisingly forgiving, making it a great choice for newer
• 2:12
  gardeners or folks who don't want to hover over every plant
• 2:16
  with a clipboard. It also bridges worlds in a way
• 2:21
  I really appreciate. Because it's ornamental,
• 2:25
  ecological, and useful all at once.
• 2:29
  You can grow it for beauty, grow it for wildlife, grow it for
• 2:33
  herbal use, or just grow it because it feels good to plant
• 2:38
  something that does its job without needing constant input.
• 2:44
  In a world where we're often told everything needs
• 2:47
  optimization and control, bee balm quietly thrives by just
• 2:51
  being what it is. When it comes to how to grow bee
• 2:57
  balm, this is one of those plants that rewards you for
• 3:00
  keeping things simple. B Bomb loves full sun, though it
• 3:05
  can tolerate a little afternoon shade, especially in hotter
• 3:09
  summers. It prefers well drained soil,
• 3:13
  but isn't terribly picky as long as it's not sitting in standing
• 3:17
  water. And once it's established, it
• 3:21
  handles drought better than you might expect.
• 3:24
  I found that giving it decent spacing is key because good
• 3:28
  airflow helps prevent some common issues later on.
• 3:33
  Plant it in spring or early fall, water it well while it's
• 3:37
  getting established, and then step back a bit and let it do
• 3:41
  its thing. B bomb spreads through rhizomes
• 3:44
  over time, which means it will slowly fill in space and form a
• 3:48
  nice clump. So plan ahead and give it room
• 3:51
  to stretch out. It's the kind of plant that
• 3:54
  rewards patients and observation more than micromanagement.
• 4:00
  Harvesting bee balm is one of the most satisfying parts of
• 4:03
  growing it because it's useful in multiple ways.
• 4:08
  You can harvest the leaves and flowers when the plant is
• 4:10
  healthy and in full growth, ideally in the morning after the
• 4:15
  dew has dried before the heat of the day kicks in.
• 4:20
  The leaves are fragrant and can be used fresh or dried for teas,
• 4:26
  while the flowers make a beautiful and flavorful addition
• 4:29
  to salads, drinks or garnishes. I like to think of harvesting
• 4:35
  bee balm as a conversation rather than a transaction where
• 4:39
  you take a little, leave plenty behind, and let the plant keep
• 4:42
  doing its job. For pollinators, cutting back
• 4:46
  spent blooms can also encourage additional flowering, which is a
• 4:50
  win for both you and the bees. As always, clean cuts and
• 4:56
  moderation go a long way toward keeping the plant happy.
• 5:04
  Bee balm does have a few common pests and problems, and it's
• 5:08
  better to know about them up front than be surprised later.
• 5:13
  Powdery mildew is probably the most well known issue.
• 5:16
  Showing up is a white or grayish coating on the leaves,
• 5:21
  especially during humid weather or when airflow is poor.
• 5:26
  This happens when the plant stays damp too long or is
• 5:29
  crowded, and while it looks alarming, it's often more
• 5:34
  cosmetic than deadly. Spacing plants properly,
• 5:39
  watering at the base instead of overhead, and pruning for
• 5:42
  airflow can make a huge difference, and neem oil or
• 5:47
  water milk spray can help organically if it starts to
• 5:51
  spread. Aphids can also show up
• 5:56
  clustering on new growth and sucking SAP, which weakens the
• 6:01
  plant and attracts ants. A strong spray of water
• 6:06
  encouraging beneficial insects or using insecticidal soap
• 6:11
  usually keeps them in check. Occasionally, spider mites may
• 6:17
  appear in hot, dry conditions, causing stippling on leaves, and
• 6:22
  increasing humidity, or rinsing the plant regularly can help
• 6:25
  prevent that. None of these issues are deal
• 6:30
  Breakers, but they are reminders that even resilient plants
• 6:33
  benefit from thoughtful placement and care.
• 6:39
  B Balm plays very nicely with others in the garden, which
• 6:43
  makes companion planting a breeze.
• 6:47
  It pairs especially well with vegetables and herbs that
• 6:51
  benefit from increased pollinator activity, like
• 6:54
  tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and Peppers.
• 7:01
  I've also had great luck planting near other natives and
• 7:04
  perennials, where it acts like a beacon that draws beneficial
• 7:08
  insects into the whole area. Because it's aromatic, it can
• 7:14
  help confuse or deter certain pests, and its height makes it a
• 7:19
  good backdrop plant rather than something that gets lost in the
• 7:21
  mix. B Bomb doesn't demand center
• 7:26
  stage, but it definitely elevates the whole ensemble when
• 7:29
  planted thoughtfully. Saving B Bomb seeds is simple
• 7:36
  and rewarding if you let the flowers fully mature on the
• 7:40
  plant. Once the blooms dry and turn
• 7:44
  brown, you can clip them and gently crumble them to release
• 7:47
  the seeds. Let everything dry thoroughly,
• 7:52
  then store the seeds in a cool, dark place until the next
• 7:56
  planting season. Keep in mind that bee balm can
• 8:01
  cross pollinate, so saved seeds may produce plants with slight
• 8:04
  variations in color or growth habit, which I personally see as
• 8:11
  a feature, not a flaw. There's something satisfying
• 8:15
  about letting a plant adapt and express itself a little
• 8:18
  differently each generation. There are plenty of pros to
• 8:24
  growing bee balm, starting with its incredible value to
• 8:29
  pollinators and its adaptability to different garden styles.
• 8:35
  It's visually striking, smells amazing and offers medicinal and
• 8:40
  culinary uses, all while being relatively low maintenance.
• 8:47
  On the flip side, it can spread more than expected if it's
• 8:51
  happy, and without good airflow, it can be prone to mildew.
• 8:57
  Some gardeners also find its bold growth a bit unruly, but
• 9:02
  with occasional thinning or division that's easy to manage.
• 9:07
  Overall, the pros far outweigh the cons if you're willing to
• 9:11
  work with the plant instead of against it.
• 9:15
  And now for the best part, the recipe.
• 9:19
  Because growing food and useful plants should always circle back
• 9:23
  to the kitchen, one of the best ways to use bee balm is in a
• 9:28
  simple herbal tea that feels grounding and refreshing at the
• 9:31
  same time. Start with about one tablespoon
• 9:36
  of fresh ebolm leaves and flowers, or one teaspoon if
• 9:40
  they're dried, and place them in a mug or teapot.
• 9:45
  Pour over 8 ounces of hot, not boiling water and let it steep
• 9:50
  for five to 10 minutes, depending on how strong you like
• 9:53
  it. Strain, then add a teaspoon of
• 9:57
  honey and squeeze of lemon if you want to brighten it up.
• 10:01
  The flavor is slightly minty with a hint of citrus, and it's
• 10:05
  the kind of tea that feels like it brings things back into
• 10:08
  balance after a long day in the garden.
• 10:13
  Here are some fun facts about B balm that always make me
• 10:16
  appreciate it a little more. B balm is part of the mint
• 10:21
  family, which explains its square stems and that
• 10:24
  unmistakable aroma when you brush against it in the garden.
• 10:29
  Native American tribes used B bomb for centuries as a
• 10:32
  medicinal plant, particularly for colds, sore throats, and
• 10:36
  digestive issues. The plant's genus name, Monarda,
• 10:42
  comes from a Spanish physician and botanist, even though the
• 10:46
  plant itself is native to North America.
• 10:50
  Hummingbirds are especially drawn to B bomb's tubular
• 10:53
  flowers, making it one of the best plants for supporting them
• 10:56
  naturally. B balm was historically used as
• 11:01
  a tea substitute during times when imported teas were scarce,
• 11:06
  giving it a quiet role in early self-reliance.
• 11:11
  And finally, despite its name, B Balm supports far more than just
• 11:16
  bees, making it one of those plants that punches way above
• 11:21
  its weight ecologically. Welcome to the garden nerd
• 11:27
  corner, fellow beans. Bee Balm is a fascinating
• 11:31
  example of Co evolution, with flower shapes and nectar
• 11:36
  placement that perfectly match the feeding habits of native
• 11:39
  pollinators. It's essential oils,
• 11:43
  particularly thymol, are responsible for both its
• 11:47
  fragrance and many of its antimicrobial properties.
• 11:52
  From a systems perspective, plants like bee balm act as
• 11:56
  keystone connectors, increasing biodiversity simply by existing
• 12:01
  in a space. Historically, its use as a
• 12:06
  medicinal and culinary plant highlights how closely human
• 12:10
  survival was once tied to understanding local ecosystems.
• 12:17
  When you plant bee balm, you're not just adding a flower, you're
• 12:21
  reinforcing a relationship between soil, insects, animals,
• 12:26
  and people. That kind of quiet complexity is
• 12:31
  part of what makes gardening endlessly fascinating.
• 12:38
  Next time on the Beanstalk, we'll be turning our attention
• 12:41
  to Yarrow, a plant that's been walking alongside humans for a
• 12:45
  very long time. We'll talk about its role in
• 12:49
  pollinator support, soil health, and herbal tradition, and why it
• 12:55
  shows up in so many old stories and modern gardens alike.
• 13:01
  It's one of those plants that seems simple at first glance,
• 13:04
  but the more you learn about it, the deeper it goes.
• 13:10
  I'm really looking forward to digging into that one with you.
• 13:16
  Thanks again for hanging out with me today on the Beanstalk,
• 13:19
  fellow Beans. If you want to keep the
• 13:23
  conversation going, we've got a growing community over at the
• 13:27
  Beanstalk Garden Club on Facebook.
• 13:30
  Come join us, share your garden photos, swap ideas, and dig a
• 13:35
  little deeper into all things that grow together.
• 13:40
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• 13:43
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• 13:48
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• 13:51
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• 13:54
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• 13:58
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• 14:01
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• 14:04
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• 14:09
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• 14:14
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