Deadheading clipped zinnias

How-To

Garden Stories

How to Deadhead Annuals for More Blooms

If you want to keep your garden bursting with color from spring through fall, there's one simple habit to pick up: deadheading.

Deadheading鈥攔emoving spent or browning blooms鈥攊s one of the easiest and most effective ways to encourage more flowers. It鈥檚 quick, satisfying, and helps your plants look their best.

Heather Sherwood, a senior horticulturist, shares these tips.
deadheading basil

Deadheading basil

Why deadheading matters

鈥淒eadheading redirects the plant鈥檚 energy,鈥 said Sherwood. 鈥淲hen you remove fading blooms, the plant focuses on new growth and flowering instead of setting seed. You鈥檙e helping the plant do what you want鈥攌eep blooming.鈥

It鈥檚 also a visual upgrade. Removing tired flowers freshens the appearance of the garden and keeps plants looking vigorous and healthy.

 

headheading zinnias

Deadheading zinnia

Start with these bloomers

Not every plant needs deadheading, but many common annuals benefit tremendously from it. Some of the best responders include zinnias, cosmos, sweet peas, delphiniums, calendulas, poppies, feverfew, and roses, Sherwood said.

鈥淭hese are all fast bloomers,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l keep producing flowers if you keep removing the old ones.鈥

That said, not all plants require deadheading. Some modern cultivars are bred to be 鈥渟elf-cleaning,鈥 meaning the old blooms drop off naturally. 

deadheading dalias

Deadheading dahlias

The right technique

Deadheading doesn鈥檛 have to be complicated, but a little care improves results.

鈥淢y advice is to trim back to the strongest growing point,鈥 Sherwood said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not always at the first leaf union鈥攕ometimes it鈥檚 deeper in the crown of the plant.鈥

Look closely at the stem just below the old flower. You鈥檒l often see new buds or leaves emerging. Cut just above that point. You can pinch small blooms with your fingers, but for thicker stems or more precise cuts, use garden snips or scissors.

Another tip: take care not to remove buds that haven鈥檛 opened yet. It鈥檚 easy to clip off future flowers if you鈥檙e not paying close attention.

Buds and flower blooms

Keep a weekly rhythm

So how often should you deadhead?

鈥淚 like to do it weekly,鈥 Sherwood says. 鈥淭hat way, it never becomes overwhelming, and you catch things before they go to seed or start looking ragged.鈥

Some plant lovers make deadheading a part of their routine garden stroll鈥攋ust five or ten minutes a few times a week can make a big difference.

Bellis Perennis Bellisma red

Bellis perennis BellismaTM Red

Deep cuts for perennials

While deadheading is mostly associated with annuals, Sherwood points out that some perennials benefit from more aggressive post-bloom care.

鈥淲ith delphinium, for example, I cut the entire bloom stalk down to the ground once it starts forming seeds,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hat allows more light and air to reach the new shoots and helps the plant refocus its energy.鈥

She uses the same technique for several other plants, including Polemonium, Brunnera, Astilbe, Alchemilla (lady鈥檚 mantle), and perennial Geranium. Cutting these back after blooming helps remove older leaves that may be less effective at photosynthesis and creates new space to thrive.

Fruit and Vegetable garden flowers

Don鈥檛 forget to observe

Like many gardening tasks, deadheading is as much about paying attention as it is about pruning. 

鈥淭ake time to notice what your plants are doing,鈥 Sherwood said. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l start to see the rhythms of when they bloom and fade, and when they鈥檙e ready for a trim.鈥

Every plant is different, and conditions like weather and soil can influence how fast they cycle through blooms. With a little practice, you鈥檒l start to recognize the signs.