Deadheading - Getting the most out of your plants
We invest so much time and love into our gardens and the plants within it, therefore we want to make sure they give us their splendid floral joy for as long as possible. Deadheading isn't some grizzly decapitation term from a blockbuster horror film, it can be an important part of garden maintenance and ensures that plants keep looking their best throughout the season.
Deadheading is the process of removing dead or dying flowers from plants. In removing the flower, the plant is then diverting its energy from creating seed pods to stronger growth and in turn, more flowers (often called a second flush). There is one main caveat to this of course; some seed heads are an essential food source for birds and I would never advocate for removing a vital food source from our wildlife. Therefore, I wouldn't bother deadheading plants like Sunflowers, Rudbeckia, Coreopsis and Cornflowers that the birds love. I would also argue that many seed heads are attractive in themselves, Teasel for example, and you might want to refrain from clipping them off as they provide stunning autumn and winter interest.
When and how to deadhead
August is a great time to do some deadheading as most of your plants will be in full bloom, however deadheading can happen throughout the growing season, just as soon as you see flowers starting to fade you can begin the process. I am all too aware that like so many gardening terms and techniques, it can be quite daunting knowing where to begin. No need to fear though (unlike the characters of a blockbuster horror film), there is no special technique or complicated procedure and as long as you have snapped or cut the flower in the right place you will do a good job.
My simple guide to deadheading is:
Decide if it needs to be deadheaded (i.e. could it be food for birds?)
Only deadhead when the flowers look scruffy
You can use your finger and thumb to pinch off most spent flowers
Plants with tough stems might need to be trimmed with scissors or secateurs, you can’t use your fingers with Roses for example
Enjoy it! This is a moment of joy just for you and can be a great gardening job to calm and relax
For more information about how to deadhead different types of plants, have a look at this handy guide from Gardeners’ World:
https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-deadhead-flowers/
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