Guide to Deadheading Flowers: When and How to Deadhead to Keep the Blooms Coming
Keep your annuals and perennials blooming all season long.
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Want to maximize your flowers' bloom season? Deadheading faded flowers could be the best way to encourage plants to continue reblooming over and over again. Rather than your plants wasting energy on seed production after their petals have wilted, you just take one simple snip to the tired blossom and your flowers will start churning out vibrant blooms again and again.
Deadheading is a simple garden task with a big payoff and, as long as you stay on top of it all season long, it is as easy as watering or fertilizing your plants. Here's everything you need to know about how to deadhead your flowers, the benefits of deadheading, and which flowers should and shouldn't be deadheaded.
What Is Deadheading?
Deadheading is when you remove the wilted blooms (dead heads) from your flowers. This is not the same as pruning your plant—only the faded blooms are removed. Deadheading is part of the regular maintenance of keeping a flower looking neat and tidy.
Why Would You Need to Deadhead Flowers?
The number one reason most people deadhead their flowers is to encourage more bloom growth. Flowers want to distribute seeds to reproduce and, when you cut off the blooms, they are pushed to produce more flowers in an attempt to continue the cycle of seed production. This works against the flower's mission, but it's great for your vibrant summer garden.
In the same vein, deadheading flowers prevents them from distributing seeds all over the garden and spreading. There may be cases where you do want your flowers to spread far and wide. If that's the hope, go ahead and let the flower wilt and drop their seeds.
But there's another reason to deadhead your flowers that goes beyond looks. When flowers are allowed to droop and decompose, they can become a prime breeding ground for bacterial and fungal diseases. Keeping your flowers cleaned up and tidy is not only the visually appealing option, but also the healthiest option in many cases.
How to Deadhead in 3 Easy Steps
Deadheading is an easy garden chore that any beginner gardener can tackle. If your flowers have stems that are easy to break off, then you can go ahead and pinch just below the faded bloom. Otherwise, it's time to pull out your gardening sheers or scissors.
Get a pair of sharp pruners or scissors. Scissors should do the trick for most plans, while pruners can be helpful for some woodier species. Be sure they're clean before you use them.
Cut below the spent flower. Make your cut just below the wilted bloom and above the next pair of leaves. If there's a long, dead stem remaining, prune that, too.
Dispose of the flower. You can add the deadheads and pruned bits to your compost pile, or you can simply discard them.
When to Deadhead Flowers
Generally, you should deadhead flowers as soon as they begin to wilt. Starting early and often is key. Otherwise, deadheading can turn into a seemingly endless task. However, even though you'll have to check your flowers every few days throughout the blooming season, it's still worth it when you see the new buds coming in.
You should also deadhead flowers after a heavy rain. Drenched blossoms can weigh down a plant, and they're rarely going to get their full, vibrant look back.
12 Flowers You Should Deadhead
Some flowers benefit more from deadheading than others. These flowers will give you a major return on deadheading investment if you quickly discard any faded blooms.
Marigolds
Snapdragons
Zinnias
Lavender
Foxglove
Daisies
Dahlias
Cosmos
10 Flowers You Should Never Deadhead
Not all flowers need to be deadheaded, and some even do best when their wilted blooms are left to self-clean or drop on their own. Others need to remain untouched so they reseed for the following year. Here are 10 self-cleaning flowers that should never be deadheaded.
Vincas
Nemesia
Impatiens
Begonia
Moss rose
Forget-me-not
Bidens
Lobelia
Hollyhock
Torenia
5 Tips for Deadheading
While deadheading is a simple task, there are a few tips and tricks that can make the process more effective.
Use Clean Pruners
Dirty tools can lead to disease in plants. Make sure your tools are clean, whether it's a pair of pruning sheers or a pair of scissors. If you're pinching with your fingers, wear gloves (that's for your own safety!).
Deadhead Just Below the Bloom
Typically, you shouldn't take off any more than the faded bloom itself. Deadheading is not the same as pruning, and you want to stop before you reach the first set of leaves.
Give Plants a Break During Extreme Heat
If there are extreme temperatures, then it's not the right time to deadhead your flowers. Unless you're just snipping off a bloom or two, wait until the weather has calmed down and the environment is less stressful for the plants.
Check Your Plants
Use the time when you're deadheading to do a health check on your plants. Keep an eye out for insects, potential disease, or issues with soil or moisture.
Stop Deadheading in the Fall
By the time fall weather has set in, your flowers aren't likely to continue producing more blooms. The wilted blooms, however, may turn into seed pods that will keep birds and other small animals fed throughout the winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if you don't deadhead?
If you don't deadhead, your plants may expend too much energy on wilted blooms and produce fewer flowers throughout the season.
How do you deadhead flower baskets?
Since flower baskets are designed to produce continuous blooms throughout the season, you'll want to deadhead your flower baskets weekly. Cut off spent blooms and, if necessary, pull the basket down to make sure you're able to reach all faded flowers.
Can you deadhead flowers with scissors?
As long are you're using sharp, clean scissors, you can deadhead with scissors just as easily as pruning shears.
Read the original article on The Spruce.
