Maintenance Tips

• Wild Bergamot responds well to the "Chelsea Chop" - cut the stems of well-established plants in half in late Spring to reduce overall height and improve business
• Taller plants and stems may benefit from staking if they become a bit floppy in mid-summer
• A rhizomatic plant, you can help keep Wild Bergamot in check by slicing into the ground around the plant with a shovel to chop spreading roots
• Consider removing seedlings to prevent spread
• Plants can be thinned out to prevent leaf disease. Though tolerant of partial shade, less sun often will mean more chance for leaf diseases like downy mildew
• Very frequently contracts downy mildew - not a lethal disease but unsightly and easily addressed by trimming afflicted leaves