What should not be deadheaded?

Is there any plant that should not be deadheaded? And which plants should always be deadheaded?

Thanks
Viv

Well, anything that you want seeds from should not be deadhead and those you DON'T want seed should. A list of those plants you need to deadhead for continous bloom are endless. I'm really not great on deadheading. I'm sure others out there know more about which plants in particular need to be deadheaded.

even the things you want seed from should be deadheaded until alomst the last month of the season -- that way you can ensure a longer bloom time but still get seed from the plants that you want

In "Ortho's All About The Easiest Flowers To Grow" there is a list of "Easy flowers that respond to deadheading," p. 40.
Azalea, balloon flower, bee balm, blanket flower, butterfly weed, catmint, coral bells, coreopsis, cosmos, daylily (reblooming), false sunflower, flossflower, garden phlox, geranium (pelargonium), Japanese spirea, larkspur, lavender, maiden pink, marigold, mullein, petunia, pincushion flower, pot marigold, rhododendron, rose, sage (salvia), shasta daisy snapdragon, spiderwort, stokes' aster, sunflower, sweet alyssum, sweet William, treasure flower, yarrow, yellow corydalis, zinnia.

Something that doesn't need to be deadheaded are Mexican petunias and periwinkles.

I don't mind deadheading because it's like I get free flowers from a plant. If I bought it, planted it, watered it, watered it, watered it, fought the bugs............I want to get every last bloom out of it. Somthing I do hate to pinch off are the blooms of coleus, because I think they are pretty. But I do in order to keep the plant more vigorous, untill the end of the season.

Thanks Barbur, you are a wealth of knowledge..

Viv

Viv, I got a free Garden Gate magazine and they had an article about deadheading. It's very informative. At there web site is a list of 44 plants and how you should cut them back and what the results will be. Hope it helps.
http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/extras/58deadheadingGuide.php

I just got that sample magazine and remembered reading this thread. I'm like barbur, I like to deadhead! It's actually relaxing to me and gives me something to do when there is nothing to plant or move. Ever try deadheading a balloon flower? I cut my finger doing it this week so I gave up.

Does deadheading dianthus do any good, besides just making it not look so bad? Mine bloomed profusely in the spring, but then that left just mounds of some green with a lot of brown.

Thanks barbur, I have that issue too but I didnt go to the website, I'll do that.

Viv

I deadheaded dianthus, and was left with a mound no new blooms, yet.

Viv

barbur,

I was thinking about that same article while reading this thread. I'm glad you remembered the magazine; I wasn't sure which one I saw it in.

Jody

Hi all :) Just wanted to recommend a fantastic book on this subject. This is WORTH your money if you're in zone 4-7. It's The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato Aust (available on Amazon) and it's fantastic. She gives instructions on not only deadheading to increase vigor and promote longer bloomtime, but also to reduce height (I have a Joepye Weed that will bloom at 3 ft instead of 6), stagger blooms on one plant, delay blooms if you'll be traveling, etc. Fantastic resource. BTW, deadheading is my favorite part of gardening :) Can you tell??? LOL ;)

Jacci

Thanks jacci, sounds like a great book..

Viv

No problem :) I'm sure it could be useful to other zones as well, but her specific suggestions for pruning times are pertaining to zones 5 and 6 especially. She's based in Columbus, Ohio... lucky for me :)

BTW, Vizz, I would expect only a few sporadic blooms from the dianthus. They aren't generally repeat bloomers. You may get a few, but not likely a full flush.

Take care,
Jacci

What about us other zones?! ;)

LOL :) Sorry koncrete...

BTW, I thought of an example of a plant that should definitely not be deadheaded. 'Autumn Joy' sedum and many other sedums only get prettier and prettier through the year. The color of AJ starts out a very pretty pink and then progressively darkens until it becomes a gorgeous maroon color in the fall. It holds up well all winter here too, looking lovely with light snow on the seedheads. This is one perennial that should not be deadheaded at all :) Hope this helps!

Jacci

Thanks Jacci..

Viv

I'm in zone 5a and my dianthus - once done or mostly done blooming, I take a scissors to them and cut them back by at least half. I usually get a repeat bloom in mid to late August. That bloom is not nearly as substantial as the first one, but pretty anyway.

Linda, I think I'll try it on a couple of them and see what happens.

Viv

I'm wondering what to do with celosia. The blooms last forever but some of them are now looking ratty. Should I deadhead them? Will they rebloom. If they won't rebloom I would leave the bloom for awhile longer.

barbur,
I just moved to a new house so I had to dig up all of my plants and put them in containers. When I dug up the celosia I noticed some had much shorter roots than others of the same size. I cut the top blooms off the ones with hardly any roots thinking the roots might be able to support a smaller plant more easily. I am new to gardening so I have no idea if this was a good idea or not, but that was about three weeks ago and so far they seem to be doing well.