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Dead Head Alliums?

Nigel BentonNigel Benton Posts: 6
in Tools and techniques

Should I remove the heads of alliums when they have flowered or just leave them?

I want to make sure I have another good display next year.

Thanks.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,109

    I prefer to leave them - they look fabulous frosted in the winter - I've never noticed it affect their flowering.  I do give them a dose of  Fish, Blood and Bone after flowering and make sure it gets well watered in.image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • jo4eyesjo4eyes Posts: 2,058

    I agree with Dove, just leave them be. If you're lucky & live in a drier part of the country, or we get a really dry summer, the skeletal seed heads do look wonderful.

    Living in the NWest, not known for being dry, although we've have 2 weeks without rain...., I pick them & use as a dried flower arrangement. Sometimes I spray them with gold/silver paint for using as a Christmas decoration, but only if I have a really good dried seed head. J.

  • artjakartjak Posts: 4,167

    It may be that the birds like them too.

  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    And you often get self sown seedlings all over the place too.

    Interesting point about leaving the seed heads. On some bulbs, Tulips, Narcissus for example, removing the dead flower helps the bulb keep its strength for next season, but with Alliums, it is already too late. They flower after the leaves have done their job and begun to die. In fact the flower stem is almost disconnected from the bulb altogether,

  • franco6832franco6832 Posts: 105

    it depends on what type of soil u have and how big yr garden is. if they like yr soil, then u will get loads of seedlings like grass seedlings and they can take over and swamp the spring display so if u have a small town garden, then its a bit of a nuisance and deadheading will be a better option.

  • BrummieBenBrummieBen Posts: 460
    Berghill wrote (see)

    And you often get self sown seedlings all over the place too.

    Interesting point about leaving the seed heads. On some bulbs, Tulips, Narcissus for example, removing the dead flower helps the bulb keep its strength for next season, but with Alliums, it is already too late. They flower after the leaves have done their job and begun to die. In fact the flower stem is almost disconnected from the bulb altogether,

    Hence why garlic and elephant garlic going to seed is never a problem for me.. I look at it as free flowers, and no nasty effects on the crop, bees love garlic flowers too.

  • ScotroseScotrose Posts: 1

    Thx for the advice - I won't deadhead my first planting of alliums.  

    Any alternative to fish blood and bone though?  My dogs like it which is not good!

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