subject: Deadheading Roses In Your Garden [print this page] Deadheading Roses In Your Garden Deadheading Roses In Your Garden
Deadheading Is Not The Same As Pruning
Deadheading roses, not to be confused with pruning, is the removal of spent blooms. As a general rule once a plant has bloomed, the spent flower and a small section of the stem is removed from the plant. Today we understand the importance of keeping as much foliage as possible, instead of cutting down to a 5-leaflet leaf. The older technique removed too many leaves, which are essential for the process of photosynthesis. Plants need leaves to stimulate healthy growth.
Evaluate The Plant
Before deadheading, take a few minutes to evaluate the plant. A strong, mature rose can tolerate a more drastic cutting than new vulnerable plants. The newer your plant, the more foliage it needs to continue producing.
A rose produces fruit - the rose hip - after blooming. Fruit production saps energy from a plant; deadheading halts the process and tricks the plant into trying to produce more fruit by making flowers
The Cutting
The trimming or cutting will be done with pruners, make sure to have a well-sharpened, clean pair of pruners for the job. The stem will be cut, below the bloom, at an angle. Do not cut too close to budding leaves or nodes which indicate new growth. Use white glue or a chemical sealant on the new cut to seal it and prevent bugs from attacking rose plants.
Familiarize Yourself With Your Variety
Deadheading should be tailored to the variety of rose; multiple bloomers require a different approach from one-time blooming plants. Antique roses grow flowers in clusters, with more than one cluster per stem, or cane. Cut off the dead blooms of the first or upper most bloom, leaving the second one to continue flowering. This gives the newer flowers more nutrients and energy. After the second set has faded, follow the procedures for deadheading again.
For single blooming flowers deadheading is still important to keep deter bugs which host on dead flowers.
Deadheading will be done throughout the spring and summer, depending on the zone and blossoming conditions. The procedure usually results in new plant growth, desired in warm weather but potentially damaging for roses in winter. As fall approaches and the first frost is anticipated, deadheading is no longer important. The gardener wants to encourage the plant to harden and slow or stop growth over the winter months.
Strong plants will reward their owners with an abundance of green leaves and lovely flowers. Deadheading roses, treating them well, and feeding them on a regular schedule are a part of good gardening techniques.
