I can only go by mine but I'd say not this year. Mine have their buds and in a few weeks will be opening. I have a feeling if I whacked them off that would be it for the year. I'm curious as to what others say.

If you cut back you will not get bloom the same year.
Could you just pull some out to thin them and leave a few to bloom?

Hmm, I've read advice to cut down the back stems, so they would bloom later than the ones at the front. Or was that the other way around? Anyway, the point is, cutting them back delayed bloom, not eliminated it.

You could always try cutting back just a few stems to see what happens.

Janet's Garden

I dead head mine after blooming and get more blooms so I don't see why it wouldn't bloom. Patty

Here's another thread about the same topic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Monarda

Great ideas, thank you all.
I hadn't even thought about thinning them, which would certainly allow more sunlight to reach the other plants.
And naturally, anything I rip out will be transplanted to other areas ;-)

Thanks again!

Janet, I visited your webpage and must say the photography is very nice. Did you take those pics yourself? If so, what kind of camera did you use?

I pinch off the tops of my taller ones in early Spring when they get about 18 inches. This slows them a bit, but also keeps them down in 3 foot range rather than the 4-5 foot range. Actually get more blooms. I also dead-head after bloom.

George

Gardenguy, yes I take all the pictures myself. I have a Canon PowerShot A80, and it really deserves most of the credit. It has an automatic focus feature, which usually will get the focus just right. I am using it to create a garden journal, by regularly photographing my beds and most of the plants. Most of these pictures are pretty boring, but they let me see how they've come along since the last picture. When the plant is at its nicest stage, or whenever it's particularly interesting for some reason, I'll take greater care and several shots to try to get something nice.

I usually use the setting for action shots (quick shutter speed) because then it doesn't show if my hand shakes. ;o)

BTW, the reason I lurk, and very occasionally post, in here is because I will probably be moving to PA next year, so I'm trying to get an idea of what to expect. The idea of gardening without winter snow cover is quite something to wrap my head around!