Blog
Deadheading 101: Keep Your Flowers Blooming Strong
Jul
If you’ve ever wondered why some gardens seem to bloom endlessly all season long, the secret might just be in one simple garden task: deadheading. At The Country Barn, we’re here to help you grow confidently, and deadheading is a quick and easy way to keep your plants looking their best—and blooming their longest.
🌸 What Is Deadheading?
Deadheading is the process of removing faded or spent blooms from your plants. This encourages the plant to stop putting energy into seed production and instead shift that energy toward producing more flowers.
🌼 Why Deadhead?
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Promotes more blooms: Many annuals and perennials will bloom again when old flowers are removed.
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Keeps plants tidy: Removing dead flowers instantly improves the appearance of your containers or beds.
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Prevents self-seeding: Some plants, like cosmos or columbine, will spread quickly if not deadheaded.
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Redirects energy: Plants stay more compact and vigorous when they aren’t trying to produce seeds.
✂️ How to Deadhead
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Pinch or snip: Use your fingers or a pair of clean garden snips to remove the faded flower just above the first set of healthy leaves or new buds.
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Check regularly: Aim to deadhead every few days or at least weekly, especially during peak bloom times.
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Be gentle: Avoid tearing stems. Clean cuts encourage quicker recovery and reblooming.
🌿 Top Plants That Benefit from Deadheading
At The Country Barn, we grow and feature Proven Winners® and Endless Summer® varieties that love a good deadhead. Here are a few to keep in mind:
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Supertunias® – Deadhead for a fuller, longer show.
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Geraniums (Zonal & Ivy) – Regular deadheading keeps them lush and blooming.
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Marigolds & Zinnias – More blooms appear when old ones are removed.
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Echinacea (Coneflower) – You’ll often get a second wave of flowers!
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Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan) – Extend their bloom time well into late summer.
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Endless Summer® Hydrangeas – Remove spent blooms carefully to encourage new ones without damaging next year’s buds.
💡 Pro Tip:
Some modern varieties (like many Proven Winners® selections) are self-cleaning, meaning they drop their blooms without help. These are great for low-maintenance gardeners!
So grab your snips, take a stroll through the garden, and show your plants a little love. You’ll be rewarded with more color, longer-lasting blooms, and a neater, happier garden. And if you ever need plant-specific tips, stop by The Country Barn—where the garden center is full of inspiration, and the Country Boy is serving up delicious food, coffee, pizza, and ice cream to make your visit even sweeter. 🌻
Shop local. Plant Proven Winners. Deadhead with confidence.
It’s always worth the drive to The Country Barn!
