Helpful information
Timing: Varies by plant, most frequently done from late spring to early autumn
Where to do it: Outdoors
Garden space: Large garden, small garden, balcony
Timing: Varies by plant, most frequently done from late spring to early autumn
Where to do it: Outdoors
Garden space: Large garden, small garden, balcony
Deadheading is a simple but important gardening activity. For some people, the removal of spent flowers can be a calming regular activity.
There are a few different reasons for deadheading plants:
There are also some occasions and some plants where you may decide not to deadhead them. See our how to advice below.
Deadheading vs pruning
Deadheading and pruning are similar gardening activities, as they both involve removing part of a plant to support it’s health and growth.
With deadheading, the focus is on removing spent flowers to encourage further flowering and avoid going to seed.
Pruning typically involves removing branches, stems and foliage to shape the plant and promote healthy growth. You can prune non-flowering plants as well as flowering ones.
Just get outdoors with a pair of secateurs and you will find hours have passed.
Survey respondent, gardening with lung conditions
Deadheading can be a delightfully simple activity. In some cases, you can just pinch off a flower using your thumb and fingertips. You could use deadhead snips or light secateurs if preferred, or for plants with thicker stems.
When and how to deadhead can vary a little from plant to plant. We have included a few examples here. You can always look up your specific plant online if you want to make certain.
Plants to continually deadhead
There are many plants you can continually deadhead. Simply remove any dead or faded flower heads as soon as you spot them:
When deciding how much to pinch off or remove, look for where healthy growth is. Take off the flower head and a little of the stem if needed so you are left with healthy leaves or buds.
If you have any sight loss, carefully feel towards the end of the plant to find the spent flower head before cutting.
Plants with different deadheading technique
With some plants, a very slightly different technique is best, mainly due to how they produce flowers:
Plants to selectively deadhead or leave
There are some occasions where you may decide not to deadhead your plants. These are some examples.
It’s a good idea to deadhead roses early in the season. By late autumn, if you have a rose variety that will grow hips, you may decide to stop deadheading. This will allow the hips to grow.
With some types of hydrangea (mophead in particular), it’s best to leave faded flower heads on over winter. These protect the plant’s growth and can look quite attractive through winter.
Wait until the following spring to deadhead the old flowers.
Birds love sunflowers seeds. Leave the flower heads on to create a feast for feathered friends.
You could also save some of the seeds to grow more plants next year.
Leave the flower heads on over winter. They add some faded beauty to the garden.
There is no need to worry about cutting the wrong part of the plant. If you accidentally snip anything you didn't mean to, it will still encourage new growth in the plant.