To Deadhead or Not to Deadhead: That is the Question
By Kay DiVerde
Increase the enjoyment and value of your flowering plants by investigating the potential of deadheading. The process of removing the faded/spent flowers before they set seed with the goal of forcing a plant to rebloom is called deadheading. Some say deadheading is a way of fooling Mother Nature. In order to decide if deadheading is right for your flowers, consider the normal lifecycle of a flowering plant, the goal of deadheading and the proper techniques to follow.
If left alone, a flowering plant would put fort a bloom. The blossom would then be fertilized and set seed. In this complete reproduction task, the plant expends its energy and nutrients to set seed instead of producing more flowers. Annuals are intended to grow, flower, set seed and die.
The main goal of deadheading is to produce more blooms on a plant. This goal extends the value of your investment on annuals and perennials, and beautifies your flower gardens by removing the dried up flowers. In addition, deadheading your flowering plants conserves the plant energy, and removes hiding places and food for insects which often become pests in our garden. It can also reduce the potential for fungal diseases by permitting minor improvements in air circulation.
Not all plants will bloom a second time even after deadheading them (e.g., poppies). You still may want to snap off the spent blooms to save the plant's energy, to make the plants look neater and to help the plant be stronger and produce nicer blooms the next season.
When preparing to deadhead your flowering plants, the supplies you need are minimal: a bucket to collect your trimmings and a sharp pair of pruners. For tall varieties of plants, you may need a long-reach pruner or a ladder to reach the high branches. Not all plants require pruner cuts, but be prepared for all your plants.
Deadheading plants is not difficult. You'll want to plan to remove the seed head before the seeds start to develop-before the florets begin to fall. Simply snap off any faded or dead flowers between the fingers and thumb. Make sure the stems are broken cleanly. If the stems are tough or if there is danger of hurting the plant as the dead flowers are removed, you may want to use scissors, pruners or a penknife. For plants that get long and gangly, like the blue salvia, you want to cut the entire plant back in half. While it will look "bald" at first, the new growth will rush right out of the plant and fill it in.
Fortunately, some annuals, such as begonias and impatiens are "self-cleaning." They drop their spent flowers off and continue to bloom for a long season. Impatiens do, however, naturally get leggy when it is hot and wet. These plants benefit by being cut back in half. See the attached chart for information on specific varieties.
While deadheading roses, keep in mind that a bloom stem can be no larger in diameter than the stem from which it grows. Thus, the subsequent blooms will be proportionate in size to the stem from which they emerge. This means the further down the stem you cut, the larger the bloom stem and subsequent buds will become. Keep in mind that the larger the bloom stem, the longer it will take for the rose to rebloom. Make your cut at an angle away from and slightly above the node.
No matter what kind of plant you are working on, do not remove any foliage, even if it starts yellowing. The nutrients for next year's blooms are still being transported to the roots at this stage.
While deadheading your flowering plants may be a way of fooling Mother Nature, it is also a way to give your garden a longer blooming season. It does not appear to hurt your plants. In fact, it conserves their energy and often provides stronger more beautiful plants the following season.
Deadheading Chart & Guidelines
Kay DiVerde is a freelance writer, horticultural researcher and consultant for Orchard's Edge. DiVerde also writes for a variety of newsletters and publications in the Midwest.
