By Jessica Carlson

Otter Tail County 

Master Gardener Volunteer

After a long spring, many Minnesota gardeners are finally seeing the reward for their patience. Annuals are beginning to fill out containers, perennials are coming into bloom, and roses are starting to put on their seasonal display. The garden seems to finally be settling into the growing season.

A simple way to keep flowering plants looking their best is by deadheading, the removal of spent flowers before they set seed. According to University of Minnesota Extension, this helps many flowering plants redirect energy into growth and continued bloom rather than seed production. While not every plant requires deadheading, many annuals and some perennials benefit from regular attention. 

Annual flowers often show the greatest response. Plants such as petunias, marigolds, geraniums, snapdragons, and zinnias are naturally programmed to flower, set seed, and complete their life cycle in a single season. Removing faded blooms encourages the plant to continue producing flowers rather than focusing its energy on seed production. To deadhead annuals, follow the flower stem down to the next set of leaves or a branching point and make a clean cut just above it. On some plants, spent blooms can simply be pinched off by hand. Petunias deserve special mention. While removing faded flowers helps maintain appearance, container grown petunias often become leggy as the season progresses. Long stems with flowers only at the end can make even a healthy plant appear tired. When this happens, trim back the longest stems by about one-third. This encourages branching and fuller growth, resulting in more flowers and a neater appearance. Combined with regular watering and fertilization, occasional trimming can keep containers fresh looking for a much longer period. 

Many perennials also benefit from deadheading. Plants such as salvia, garden phlox, yarrow, and Shasta daisy often look cleaner and may continue blooming longer when spent flowers are removed. Cut flower stalks back to a healthy set of leaves or side shoot once blooms begin to fade. In some cases, this encourages a second flush of flowers later in the season. 

Roses are another plant that responds well to routine deadheading. Rather than removing only the faded flower, cut the stem back to a healthy leaf set of five below the bloom, above an outward facing bud. This encourages many repeat blooming roses to continue producing flowers and helps keep a tidy appearance throughout the growing season. 

Flowering herbs can also benefit from a little attention. Basil is a good example. Once flower spikes begin to form, the plant shifts its energy toward seed production. Pinching out flower buds encourages continued leaf production and helps maintain the flavor and quality of the harvest. Ornamental herbs such as catmint often respond well to trimming after flowering and may reward gardeners with fresh growth and more blooms. 

If you have missed a few faded blooms, do not worry. Allowing some annual flowers to mature and set seed creates an opportunity to save seeds for next year’s garden. Seeds from plants such as marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, and calendula can be collected after they have matured and dried on the plant. Store cleaned seeds in a cool, dry location until planting time. Many gardeners intentionally stop deadheading a few favorites so they can save seed or share them with friends and neighbors. 

Deadheading can also help gardeners manage self-seeding annuals. Some flowers readily drop seed and return on their own, creating welcome surprises in the garden. Others may appear where they are not wanted. Removing spent blooms before seeds mature can help reduce unwanted volunteers and give gardeners greater control over next year’s planting plan. 

As the season progresses, consider leaving seed heads on plants such as coneflowers and black-eyed Susans. Their seed heads provide food for birds and add beauty and structure to the garden long after flowering has ended. Deadheading is not a complicated task, nor does it require numerous special tools. A few minutes spent walking through the garden each week with pruners in hand, or even a scissors, can improve the appearance of flower beds, containers, and borders while encouraging many plants to continue performing at their best. Sometimes the smallest garden tasks produce the most noticeable results.

For more information on flower care please visit https://extension.umn.edu/find-plants/flowers