Growing Petite Delight Bee Balm: A Comprehensive Guide

Petite Delight bee balm (Monarda ‘Petite Delight’) is a compact, floriferous perennial that brings color and fragrance to gardens. Its rose-purple flower heads attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees while remaining resistant to deer and rabbits. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share tips on planting, caring for, and enjoying this petite powerhouse of a plant in your own garden.

An Overview of Petite Delight Bee Balm

Petite Delight bee balm is a dwarf cultivar of Monarda didyma bred by Marshall’s Gardens in California It reaches just 12-18 inches tall and 12-24 inches wide, making it perfect for containers or small gardens

The oval-shaped plants form clumps of upright stems covered in aromatic, shiny green leaves. From mid to late summer, it produces dense balls of tubular lavender-pink flowers topped with ruffly bracts. The blooms last for weeks and give off a lovely minty scent.

This compact Monarda thrives in full sun to partial shade It prefers moist, humus-rich soil but tolerates average soils if irrigated during dry spells Good air circulation is key to prevent powdery mildew disease. Hardy in Zones 4-9.

How to Plant Petite Delight Bee Balm

Petite Delight bee balm can be planted in spring or fall. Space plants 18-24 inches apart in rows or groups. Here are some tips for planting success:

• Prepare soil by mixing in compost or organic matter to improve drainage
• Water thoroughly after planting and mist leaves until established
• Plant in full sun to partial shade; morning sun is ideal
• Plant in raised beds or slopes for best drainage

Potted bee balms can be planted anytime with proper watering. Bare root plants should be planted in spring or fall during dormancy.

Caring for Your Petite Delight Bee Balm

Petite Delight is easy to care for with a few basic practices:

• Watering: Water regularly after planting and during drought. Mature plants are fairly drought tolerant. Provide 1-2 inches of water per week.

• Fertilizer: Apply a balanced fertilizer a couple times during spring and summer growth. Avoid excessive nitrogen which causes floppy growth.

• Pruning: Cut back stems after flowering to encourage new growth and reblooming. Remove dead stems in spring.

• Dividing: Clumps can be divided every 2-3 years in spring or fall to control spread.

• Winter Care: Cut back in late fall. Mulch roots if winters are very cold. Avoid fertilizing late in summer for healthiest dormancy.

• Pest/Diseases: Powdery mildew is common in humid climates. Improve air circulation and avoid wet foliage. Slugs may chew leaves.

Tips for Getting the Most Blooms

Here are some tips to maximize the floral display of your Petite Delight bee balm:

• Provide full sun exposure for at least 6 hours per day

• Deadhead spent flower heads to promote reblooming

• Cut back any faded flower stalks to encourage new growth

• Pinch off 1/3 of new shoots in early summer to shape plant

• Avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer which causes lush foliage over flowers

• Water regularly during summer bloom period

• Divide mature clumps every 2-3 years to rejuvenate plant

Using Petite Delight Bee Balm in Your Garden

Though small in stature, Petite Delight bee balm makes a big visual impact in gardens. Here are some ways to utilize it:

• Mass in perennial or mixed borders for waves of color

• Use in containers or window boxes for pops of pink

• Plant in groups or swaths as a fragrant groundcover

• Mix with grasses, daylilies, Rudbeckia for summer interest

• Edge walkways, patios, or pond edges

• Attract pollinators to vegetable and herb gardens

• Naturalize in meadows or cottage gardens

• Grow in rock gardens or xeriscapes with sharp drainage

Why Plant Petite Delight Bee Balm?

Here are just a few of the many reasons to welcome this petite charmer into your garden:

• Long summer bloom period
• Flowers attract hummingbirds & butterflies
• Deer and rabbit resistant
• Compact size suits containers and small spaces
• Tolerates heat, humidity, and some drought
• Provides food for bees when few flowers bloom
• Minty fragrance smells wonderful
• Easy to grow and care for
• Spreads slowly compared to other Monarda