Today’s Garden Ideas

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Deadheading is removing old or faded flowers. Deadheading will not only keep plants looking tidy but will spur new growth as well. You can tell you need to deadhead a flower when it has lost its color, the petals are dropping off, or the flower head is shriveling up.

Why Deadhead?

Plants make seeds through their flowers. When a flower dies the plant will start making the seeds. By deadheading the dead flowers the plant will now use its energy to make new blooms. Deadheading is also a good practice during dry spells as this will help the plant to use its energy to stay healthy instead of making new seeds.

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How and When to Deadhead

The best time for deadheading is when flowers are past their peak blooming. Deadheading should be done weekly. This will ensure a garden of brilliant blooms throughout the growing season.

Deadhead can be done by cutting off the old blooms with a pruning shear or by simply pinching them off with you fingers. Deadheading flowers using the pinching method is best for flowers on short stems that snap off quickly and easily. Deadheading flowers on sticky or soft stems requires cutting with pruning shears. Deadheading flowers on longer thicker stems also requires pruning shears and should be done to just above the nearest flower bud.

Seasonal Deadheading

Deadheading during the seasons will vary. Deadheading early spring involves pinching off several buds in each cluster before the first blooms. This will encourage larger flowers to bloom. In summer deadheading should be done on a regular schedule. Be sure to dead head flowers throughout the blooming season. Fall flowers, like Sedum, or Chrysanthemums should be deadheaded before the first frost.

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Deadheading should involve not only your flowers but other plant matter. Remove any dead leaves or stems. Keep all these deadheaded items in a bucket and add them to the compost pile. They can be used as fertilizer next year.

When not to Deadhead

If you want to have free flowers the following growing season stop deadheading towards the end of the summer. Let the flowers age. This will cause seeds to form on the aged blossoms. You can cut and dry the dead flowers and collect the seeds by crumbling the dried flower heads. Then, simply plant the seeds in preparation for your next growing season.

How to Deadhead

Deadheading flowers is basically done by pinching off the bloom either just above the next flower on the stem, or just below the faded flower. Deadheading bushes should be done where the flower cluster joins the stem. Some bushes, like Azaleas need their blooms pinched off at the base of the flower. Deadheading bulbs can be done either by cutting the stem at its lowest point, or right below the bloom. Check with your local nursery to determine which method is best.

By leaving only the most beautiful blooms and deadheading the faded and older flowers you will be promoting continued growth during the blooming season. Deadheading allows more, and bigger blooms to grow promoting a more colorful and healthy garden.

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