Question about Lobelia?

Can someone please tell me the proper way to remove the dead blooms from Lobelia?

This info comes from author Jessica Carson

Some plants, such as coreopsis, alyssum, and lobelia, produce a large number of flowers. For these, wait until the majority of the flowers are finished and then trim off everything to encourage a new round of bloom production. Pansies and petunias will also benefit from a mid-season shearing as their branches get long and leggy.

You'll be amazed how quickly your Lobelia comes back into full flush of blooms after you shear it.
I usually shear mine back at least twice each summer-in July and early September.

This same procedure can be used on many, many Annual flowers to give them a new lease on life. Deadheading of any type, done regularly, will keep your flower bed plantings looking fresh and vibrant.

Thanks so much for the responses. She's the only one of my plants that's not doing well right now, not sure why though. But as to the process of trimming her back, bear with me because I'm very new to gardening; is it similar to just giving the plant sort of like a "haircut"? Or is it important to know exactly where and how I have to trim from the stem? Just trying to make sure before I lop anything off :)

Forgot to add: If I'm shearing off as in a haircut, doesn't that prevent me from getting the "full" look of it overflowing from the container? I'm still confused...

This message was edited Jun 9, 2010 10:36 AM

Shearing basically means to do a drastic cut, usually 1/3 of the entire plant, not just the dead blooms

Thanks Flowerjen, I just may end up doing that soon, which I think means that I won't experience that beautiful look of the overflowing blooms. I was waiting for that to happen before my plant started to look poorly. I have gone from slightly under watering to slightly over watering, and deeper shade to 3 hours direct morning sun. Health wise she hasn't shown progress either way, and I'm still learning how to properly trim this plant.

You do that AFTER they flower.

Well, I found out that the pot I have her in doesn't drain well, and Lobelia roots should not be soaking; which explains why she wasn't improving with my change in water habits. I did give her a haircut since she was already not looking well, but drastic shearing is not encouraged more than once or twice during the growing season as the above posters mentioned. I also fertilized, so hopefully she'll recover and I will see my flowerpot full and overflowing with blooms like the pictures (haha, a little wishful thinking).

If the plants have already been "water-logged"-even if you let them completely dry out- they may not fully recover. They roots have been oxygen-deprived.

I hope they snap right back for you, though!

Thanks for the encouragement Sasha.

Agreed, she may not recover and chances would be much better to move her to another pot and change the soil. The soil in there is rather loosely packed in spite of the soaking, and her roots may literally have been soaking in water and not water logged soil (she was the only one I bought from home depot in a container of 4 "minipacks" and the soil in these are not loose. Since I'm a beginner, I'm guessing that what they use to bind the soil with, and looks like webbing is peat moss??) I put the 4 "mini-packs" into a small plastic container with not that much additional soil, so I see lots of air pockets.

The most important point to all this?? Those cute little very inexpensive plastic containers that don't show drainage holes but have an attached bottom? Don't buy them :) I have to turn this one on its side for it to drain properly.