Deadheading flowers

Keep your plants looking fresh and full by deadheading throughout the growing season. Deadheading, simply put, is removing faded flowers from your plants. It helps to prevent them from going to seed and directs all that energy to new growth instead. This basic task encourages blooming and keeps everything looking tip-top!

You can deadhead by pinching by hand or cutting them with snippers, pruners, or scissors, depending on the plant. Using cutting tools makes the job easier with harder plant material like a rose stem.

Most flowering plants have either a single bloom or multiple flowers arranged on stalks or spires.

If you have single blooms

like a Petunia or Zinnia, remove the bloom just above the next growing bud or leaf.

If you have a tall spike or stalk

Llike a Snapdragon or Delphinium, remove the flower stalk once about ¾ of the blooms are spent. Note where the next leaf or flower is going to emerge and let that be your guide.

Small flowered, spreading plants

Creeping Phlox and Sweet Alyssum may benefit and even bloom again from an overall trim once they are done flowering too.

A few things to be mindful of while removing flowers.

Make the Cut

Zinnia

Marigold

Petunia

Zonal Geranium

Shasta Daisy

Cosmos

Dahlia

Snapdragon

Rose

Sweet Alyssum

Dianthus

Let It Ride

Calibrachoa

Impatiens

Begonia

Sedum

Astilbe

False Indigo

Nemesia

Angelonia

Purslane

Lantana

Torenia