Dead Heading Blooming Plants

Dead heading is the removal of spent blooms from perennials and flowering shrubs. Many perennials will set a second and some a third set of blooms. The blooms may be small and fewer but re-bloom they will.

In full bloom

There are 2 main reasons to dead head blooming plants, for the health of the plant and the other for more blooms. Removing spent flowers keeps plants from going to seed; seed production using more energy than any other function of a plant.  Dead heading can extend the life of perennials. I will dead head all the way through summer into fall as needed . However, I will leave stems and leaves on until the next spring.

Just before dead heading 

 
If in fact you would like to save seeds from a favorite plant, easy just save a few stems and let them finish setting seed. Cut them off and store in a cool dry place.

Finished 

Most Saliva and Nepeta (cat mint) are finishing their first set of blooms and so easy to cut back. The first photo is of my cat mint in full bloom, the second is just before cutting back, and the third is finished. It only took 8 cuts with my long pruners. Super easy!