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Deadheading
Maybe you've heard the
term deadheading, but wondered when is the best time to do it, or
exactly what it is.
Deadheading just means
you'll be taking the blooms off your plants as they start to droop
and wither. You can deadhead throughout the season as blooms die
as well as after the blooming season for each plant.
Deadheading helps your
garden in two ways. First, it helps get rid of old blooms which
are drying out, making the garden look tidier. Second, it encourages
your plants to bloom again, so you can get more color out of each
plant.
After blooming, your
plants are getting ready to produce seeds. You can get the plant
to put its energy back into producing flowers by taking away the
blooms.
On the other hand, if
you have annual flowers you wish to reseed (for example, asters)
then don't cut off their blooms.
As with pinching, you
can snip the ends with garden shears or use your fingers. While
deadheading, you may also want to remove dead or drying leaves and
stems.
Soon, you may see some
new buds appearing from your efforts.
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