Deadheading Flowers: Why, When and How to Remove Spent Blooms

A faded flower on a plant is more than an untidy detail. The plant puts its energy into setting seed, and in many species flowering then slows down. Removing spent blooms is called deadheading. Here is which plants benefit, which do not need it, and how to deal with bulbs, roses and flowers in a bouquet.

Fresh flowers delivered: tulips and spray roses.

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Why deadhead

If a plant is prevented from setting seed, it often keeps producing new buds. This works especially well for annuals and many perennials, such as petunias, marigolds, cosmos, calendula and salvia. The bed also looks tidier, and in damp weather grey mould is less likely to take hold on rotting petals.

There are exceptions. Many modern varieties, such as bedding begonias and busy lizzies, are self-cleaning and drop their spent flowers on their own. And if you want to save seed, leave fruit for birds or enjoy decorative seed heads, leave some flowers in place.

How to do it

• Annuals. Cut the faded flower and its stalk back to the nearest leaf or bud. Small petunia flowers are easy to pinch off with your fingers.
• Tulips, daffodils and other bulbs. Remove the dead flower or seed pod but leave the leaves until they yellow naturally. The leaves are how the bulb builds reserves for next year.
• Roses. Cut the spent bloom with sharp secateurs just above a healthy outward-facing leaf. Stop towards autumn so the shoots can ripen before winter.
• Pelargoniums. Snap off a dry flower stalk at its base, or it may start to rot.
• Phalaenopsis orchids. A green flower spike can be left, as it sometimes branches again. Cut it off once it dries.

Read more about balcony flowers that need regular tidying in balcony flowers, and about pelargoniums in geranium and pelargonium facts.

A bouquet in a vase

The same rule applies to cut flowers: remove faded blooms and fallen petals straight away. As they decay in the water they speed up bacterial growth, which blocks the stems of the other flowers. Change the water and recut the stems at the same time, and the bouquet will last longer.

FAQ

Should I cut tulip leaves after flowering?

No. Leave the leaves until they turn yellow and come away easily. Cutting green leaves weakens the bulb.

Can I pull off spent flowers by hand?

Soft stalks, yes. For roses and plants with tough stems, use clean, sharp secateurs so you do not tear the tissue.

How often should I deadhead?

During the flowering season, a check every few days is enough.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.