Eventually you will manage to pull it all out....or perhaps these plants are seedlings from the one you pulled out.
Monarda is so easy to manage....its' shallowly rooted so if it gets too wide, pull some up and if it gets too tall pinch it back...in fact it will bloom more when you cut it back 6 inches or so.
Linda C

If you like it short, when it's is about 4-8" high in the spring, go ahead and pinch it back at a leaf joint. It will bloom later than one without pruning and remain shorter.

Cameron

I'm new to Monarda; this is the second year of blooming with some plants that I got in a package grouping. I had success with pinching them back this year. Will they spread on their own? Is there a way to spread them out more?

the OP's description is exactly the definition of bee balm.. aka monarda ...

and the reason i got over it years ago ... its invasive.. and a pain ...

if you dont like it.. get rid of it...

it grows on underground runners.. that are very shallow ... ANY piece left in the ground will come back ...

the butterflies will find other things.. its a travesty.. that they market this invasive weed to attract such ...

its only upside.. if i recall properly.. is the crushed leaves are earl grey tea... leading me to think its also called bergamot ... research such.. maybe you can have a tea harvest.. go figure on that .. lol ... BUT YOU WILL RESEARCH THAT.. BEFORE YOU GO EATING IT.. I AM NOT HERB EXPERT ....

good luck

ken

ps: IF YOU THINK YOU WILL WIN.. BY POTTING IT.. IT WILL GROW DOWN OUT THE DRAIN HOLES.. oops.. and over the edge.. and escape .... been there.. done that too ...

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Ken, I think it really depends on your growing conditions as to how well behaved monarda is. I've had it for 5 years now and have never had a problem.

Bees, butterflies and hummers like it, deer and bunnies don't. I can't imagine not growing it.

I keep mine well behaved by pulling it out in the spring so there is only a defined clump. No issues so far, I even let it go to seed. If I wanted to get rid of it entirely I guess I would just dig up that clump and then pull any strays the next year. My only issue with it is during summers like this, with lots of rain, it gets very mildewy.

I can barely get Monarda to grow in my current garden. In spring 2004 I planted 5 nice healthy Jacob Cline Monardas. They grew and spread mildly for the first few years. The last couple of years the clump started shrinking. This year I had exactly 4 shortish blooming stalks.

Because of Monardas reputation and my previous experience with them, I planted them in a dryish spot in the high part of the yard in not very deeply prepared soil. (I deal with extremely compacted heavy clay soil.)

There has been no sign of disease, insects, or mildew problems. My best guess is that a number of factors contributed to their demise - quickly encroaching shade, rock hard clay soil, lack of moisture in the duff at the top of the yard - AND - an invasion of Black-eyed Susans. The BESs do not seem to mind any of these conditions and are heavily seeding themselves everywhere. If there was a war for space the BES won.

P.S. I have a quite small stand of an unknown violet variety in my "wet" garden, but its never gotten out of bounds there either. They like moisture but not standing water.