Re: Monarda questions

At 02:16 PM 6/16/99 -0400, Val wrote:
>
>I've been thinking about your monarda problem, as I grow several varieties
>and I've experienced this problem once.  I will tell you that myy rule of
>thumb is that the "fittest will survive" in my garden. >>

We will be using that rule of thumb ourselves once we find out what is
easiest to grow and works well with our climate.  We thought these plants
were supposed to be trouble free, but seems "not so" at this point!  A
friend in Virginia recommended the Raspberry Wine as she had no trouble
with them in her country setting.  I guess time will tell......

>
>The only thing I can think of is that you may have some weak stems because
>of the stretching your plant may be doing to reach the sunlight.  I believe
>this is what happened to me and the stems on the outside of my clump fell
>over.  These stems had sparse foliage, too.  None on the lower halves of
>the stems and some had yellowing leaves.   I have all of mine in full to
>slightly shaded sun now. >>

It WAS the outside stems. Didn't notice yellow leaves but they are in full
sun. I found a few leaves which had been damaged on the lower sections of
the stalks and pulled them off just now.  I also found a tiny green worm
crawling out of one of the tops of the stalks but cannot identify it in any
of the plant books we have.  This was on the plants which have not lost
stems (YET).  I am going to try to check for slugs tonight, but doubt
that's the problem, based on what the books say about slugs.  

 Thanks to "The Well-Tended Perennial Garden", >>

Yes what a wonderful book!  Next year we will hopefully have clumps big
enough to pinch back. This year we had tiny little plants and, had we
pinched them back, probably would have had nothing.  Thanks so much for
your help. Will report back with any solutions!



Bob & Georgia Parker
a*@ici.net
Foxborough MA

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