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Deadheading

justflowersjustflowers Posts: 143
in Plants
I am still deadheading some flowers in my borders - roses, dahlias, dianthus and cosmos mostly.  Is it time to stop all or some of these?  There are still new blooms coming all the time, so I am loathe to stop.  I wonder about the roses as I do want them to put on some hips to provide food for the birds over Autumn / Winter.  Any tips?  I am in Shropshire and our garden is well sheltered with dry soil.

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Dahlias will carry on till the first frosts blacken their foliage and then it's time to clean them up then dig them up and store them or else protect with a mulch.

    Dianthus are perennials so it's worth dead heading them still to save energy form going into seed production.   I'd have thought it was too late for roses to produce decent hips now so I'd dead head those too.  Next year, start hip production earlier, mid August at the latest?

    Cosmos will stop flowering the minute you let any heads go to seed as they are annuals and on a mission to make seeds and seedlings.  You can always pull up the plants if you're fed up.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • justflowersjustflowers Posts: 143
    Many thanks - I will carry on deadheading!  I actually find it quite therapeutic anyway.
  • edhelkaedhelka Posts: 2,351
    Personally, I don't bother with deadheading around this time of the year (too much work for too little reward). But if you like doing it and if it gives you more blooms, continue doing that.
    For roses, it's often recommended to stop deadheading to aid them with entering dormancy but I don't think it matters much. Some will continue blooming and producing some growth through the winter even if you don't deadhead. Some won't flower in autumn even if deadheaded. I agree there's not enough time for the hips to ripen.
  • justflowersjustflowers Posts: 143
    Thanks Edhelka - I will stop deadheading the roses earlier next year so that the hips will ripen.  This year I'll carry on deadheading my John Betjeman roses as they are still producing masses of new buds - thinking about it, with the rest of the roses it is a lot of effort for little reward!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If you're in a mild area, there's no harm in continuing with deadheading dahlias. Frost free areas will still get a good display for a while yet  :)
    I deadhead my dianthus for as long as I can be bothered. They can often flower for a very long time, depending on the variety, and I don't have a lot to do in my garden at this time of year, or in summer, as it's pretty self sufficient. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • justflowersjustflowers Posts: 143
    Thanks @Fairygirl. The Dahlias are still flowering really well, especially the Bishop of Llandaff and the Bishops Children, so I'll keep on  until it's time to dig them up or mulch them!
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