I’m a gardening expert – there’s a quick job no-one wants to do but it’s essential in July, your plants will thank you
IT’S officially garden season.
From al fresco dinners to weekends in the paddling pool, nothing beats sitting outside when the weather is shining.
And as we’re a nation of budding gardeners, it’s likely most of us have our outdoor space looking beautiful already.
Just because it’s sunny doesn’t mean the outdoor tasks stop, though.
There’s one thing experts at the Royal Horticultural Society recommend you do in July so that you have the best garden on your street come August.
And that is deadheading.
Deadheading is the term used for the removal of fading or dead flowers from plants.
It is done to keep plants looking attractive and encourage more blooms, whether in beds and borders, containers or hanging baskets, the experts said.
“Most flowers lose their attraction as they fade, spoiling the overall appearance of beds, borders and containers,” they explained.
“Removing these, by deadheading, helps keep displays looking better for longer.
“Deadheading also directs energy into stronger growth and more flowers, instead of (often unwanted) seed pods.”
You’ll also prevent plants with numerous petals – such as peonies and roses – scattering old petals over the floor and making your garden look unsightly.
How to deadhead
It’s as simple as using your finger and thumb.
“The simplest method is to pinch or snap off faded blooms with finger and thumb, aiming to remove the flower with its stalk to keep the plant looking tidy,” the RHS experts explained.
“To deadhead plants with thick, tough or stringy stems, use secateurs, scissors or a knife.
“On most plants, trim away the spent flower, cutting back to just above the next bud or leaf on the stem.
Happy Planting!
HI, I’m Veronica Lorraine, The Sun’s new Gardening Editor.
It’s a great honour to carry on the paper’s proud tradition of horticultural coverage.
As an RHS-trained professional gardener and journalist with 18 years at The Sun, I know our readers are passionate about tending their outside spaces.
So each week I’ll bring you all the news, tips, tutorials, competitions, Q&As and seasonal advice.
No matter how or where you garden.
Happy Planting!
“Deadheading shouldn’t be a daunting task,” they continued.
“Te vast majority of plants don’t need a special technique.
“It’s just a case of knowing where to pinch, snap or trim off the spent flowers.”
But don’t worry, you can find out exactly how to deadhead each plant below…
How to deadhead different plants
Deadheading - removing dead or fading flowers from plants - is an important garden job in July. It is done to keep plants looking attractive and encourage more blooms.
The experts at the Royal Horticultural Society have shared exactly how you can deadhead certain plants this July for a beautiful garden all summer long…
Bedding plants
Tender plants growing in beds, containers and hanging baskets respond well to deadheading.
“The faded blooms of argyranthemums, heliotrope, pansies, polyanthus and petunias can be removed with finger and thumb, pinching off the flower and its stalk,” the RHS says.
Pelargoniums
The RHS recommends pinching off individual flowers and then use secateurs to remove whole clusters and the long flower stalk down to just above where it joins the main stem.
“Alternatively, grab hold of the flower stalk and pull downwards away from the main stem – the stalk should snap off cleanly,” the experts added.
Roses
Deadheading roses is as simple as gently snapping the faded flowers off and breaking the stalk just below the head.
“This method encourages more blooms more quickly compared to cutting with secateurs,” the experts said.
Shrubs
“The height of a shrub may make deadheading impractical, but examples of shrubs that benefit from deadheading are rhododendrons (and azaleas), camellias, lilacs (Syringa) and tree peonies,” the RHS empathised.
Use finger and thumb to pick or snap off each dead head where it joins the stem, or secateurs to cut just below the flower head – but take care to avoid damaging the new growth buds immediately below the flower
Climbers
“Deadhead climbers where practical, particularly Eccremocarpus as it rapidly produces seed pods,” the experts advised.
“Most have tough stems, so use secateurs to cut near the base of each flower stalk.”