How to Deadhead Flowers
Deadheading a flower is an excellent means of promoting new growth, shaping its foliage and in some cases, bringing about a second round of fresh blooms. When the dead or faded blooms are removed from the plant, its nutrients can be concentrated on plant growth and new blooms. The process is not difficult and can be accomplished with a minimum of tools.
Things you will need:
- Hand-held pruning shearers or scissors
- Long-handled hedge clippers
- Bucket
- Where the dead flower is on a short, thin stem, garden tools are not even needed. Simply pinch the spent bloom off using your thumb and forefinger. Heavier stems will require scissors or pruning shears. For plants with a large number of flowers, where individual pruning would be a monumental task, trim the flowers from their stems with hedge clippers. Be sure that your tools are sharp and clean.
- Make your cut just above the leaf node below the flower. The leaf will then hide the cut and add to the overall attractiveness of the plant. On leafless stems, such as daylilies, cut the stem holding the dead bloom all the way to the ground.
- Monitor the bloom cycle in your garden. Some plants, such as salvia and butterfly bushes, bloom early and normally have a robust second blooming. Others such as bee balm and astilbe are late bloomers and will not produce a second round of color.
- Use the deadheading process as an opportunity to remove dried leaves from your plants as well. If you remove any foliage that has become diseased, be sure to wipe your tool thoroughly with bleach before cutting into any healthy plants.
- For the neatest appearance, drop all of the removed blooms and foliage into your bucket rather than on the ground.