Flowers looking fatigued? Start deadheading your plants. On this week's episode of the Gardening Tips podcast, the Chicago Botanic Garden's Jacob Burns talks about deadheading.
Deadheading is the process of removing spent flowers from your energy into healthy roots and foliage. It can also promote further blooming. When a flower is past its prime, simply snip it off at a point that is one quarter inch above a new bud or leaf. A pair of garden snips, with their sharp skinny blades, are perfect for making precise cuts.
Roses produce showier blooms if the old flowers are removed. And so will annuals like cosmos, dahlias, marigolds, petunias, and zinnias. Deadheading perennials may extend their display too. Try it on daisies, daylilies, geraniums, phlox, and salvia. Refrain from deadheading short-lived favorites, like foxglove and cardinal flower, as the seeds are needed for future plants.
Every Saturday, listen to a new episode of the Gardening Tips podcast for timely tips on all things plants, gardens and the great outdoors. Look for the latest episode here.
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