The practice of deadheading, or removing flowers from a plant as they fade to promote even more flower production, will give you more blooms than you thought possible! This simple technique can be applied to both annuals and perennials to give you a longer blooming season. Read on to learn how and why to deadhead, when to do it, and when to skip it.
Off with their heads! Deadheading is a common practice among flower growers, from gardeners with patio containers to flower farmers.
This practice is pretty simple, but it needs to be done right in order to promote more blooms. But when you do, you can expect a flurry of flowers to replace those you’ve removed.
Here’s what you need to know about deadheading flowers!
Why Deadhead?
Want more flowers? Deadheading, or pinching off the spent flowers from a plant, can encourage more blooms to form, giving you a much more impressive display that lasts for longer than if you allow the flowers to stay on the plant.
Plants have one main focus: to reproduce. So if a flower blooms and produces seed, the plant’s job is done. Well done, plant! However, if some sly gardener pinches off the flowers before they go to seed, the plant gears up to make more blooms to reproduce. And the sly gardener gets flowers, flowers, FLOWERS!
Can you tell I highly recommend deadheading in the home garden?
Not all flowers will rebloom after deadheading, though; it will help the plant look neater as the flowers fade. And there are some plants that I absolutely don’t deadhead because I grow them FOR the seed heads! Poppy, Allium, Crocosmia, Eryngium, Echinops, Luneria, Nigella, daylilies, irises, and roses (for rose hips) provide a bounty of decorative materials for crafting with throughout the year. Let these beauties go to seed.
And some varieties of annuals and perennials do not need deadheading because they are just neat and tidy all on their own. I found a great list of self-cleaning varieties here.
That being said, not deadheading will not cause particular harm to a plant. The plant just won’t have as many flowers for you and the bees to enjoy.
How to Deadhead Flowers
Remove the entire flower from the stem just below the bloom and above the uppermost leaves. Either pinch the stem off with your nails or use pruning snips or scissors.
It is important that you take off the entire flower and not just the petals because you need to make sure that you are stopping seed production in order to encourage more blooms.
Flowers that benefit most from deadheading are multi-branched plants with waves of flowers that bloom over time, like the Coreopsis shown here. Other flowers that have responded well to deadheading in my experience are: Aster, Columbine, Dahlia, Delphinium, Dianthus, Geum, Marigold, Monarda, Petunia, Phlox, Hollyhock, Lavender, Lupin, Astriantia, Echinacea, Lychnis, Shasta Daisy, and Helenium.
When to Deadhead Flowers
When a flower’s petals have wilted, that is the time to deadhead it. The absolute perfect time for deadheading each plant will be different depending on the plant, time of year, and weather.
I really don’t need to strive for perfection in my garden, though. I just head out and pop off heads whenever it seems like it is needed. Use your judgment and deadhead any flower when it is past its prime and beginning to look wilted, faded, or wrinkled.
In all likelihood, you will see the plant put more energy into replacing those blooms. If not, well, your plant does look a whole lot better, doesn’t it?
To stay on top of deadheading, it’s best to take a look at your flowers regularly. Try making a habit of walking through your garden every day and deadheading blooms as you go on your tour.
This process can be meditative and is a nice way to force yourself to literally stop and smell the flowers on a regular basis. You will also get a chance to see any food that can be harvested, any pests or diseases, watering needs, and most importantly, the beauty of your outdoor wonderland.
When Not to Deadhead Flowers
There are some instances when it is a better idea not to deadhead at all. Certain flower varieties are excellent self-seeders, and you may choose to leave the flowers on so that they will drop their seeds for next season’s flowers. Plants that do this include poppies, forget-me-nots, Columbine, foxglove, and Lobelia.
You also might want to refrain from deadheading in the fall as the flowering season reaches its end. Leaving seed heads and pods helps local wildlife find food as it is becoming scarcer with the colder season, plus you may want to collect some seeds for yourself for next year.
Deadheading FAQ
Dahlias benefit from deadheading. Deadhead once the petals begin to drop. Remove the whole flower head, cutting back until you reach the next branch that is in bloom or has a flower bud on it.
Petunias can benefit from deadheading, but it’s not a must. Deadheading will give your plant a healthier appearance and allow it to bloom more prolifically. To deadhead a petunia, remove the whole flower, pinching the base of the “trumpet” and attached leaves.
If you don’t deadhead flowers, the flower head will go to seed. In the eyes of the plant, it has accomplished its goal and won’t “stress” about producing lots of flowers to reproduce. While it will still bloom, it won’t bloom as prolifically. Consider deadheading as a bonus task, but not a must-do.
Some flowers are self-regulators, and will bloom just fine without deadheading, such as lobelia, impatiens, calibrachoa, begonia, oxalis, and more.
The only roses I deadhead are those that are repeat bloomers, such as hybrid tea roses or floribunda roses. These can be deadheaded by removing the whole flower and the stem until the first leaf below the flower.
Other roses will only bloom once per season, such as old garden roses. These have no need to be deadheaded and should be left as is to turn into rose hips.
Don’t forget that deadheading doesn’t have to feel like a chore! Use it as a mindfulness tool and think of your deadheading time as a few minutes set aside regularly to really observe and appreciate your garden up close.
More Tips for Growing Flowers
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
