Deadheading to Extend Bloom Life
Deadheading simply means removing spent (faded) flowers from a plant. Most flowering plants bloom in order to produce seed. If you remove the flower before the plant finishes forming and dropping seed, the plant often “tries again”—which can mean more blooms for a longer season.
When a plant shifts energy into seed production, blooming can slow down. Deadheading redirects that energy back into new buds, flowers, and healthier growth.
Which plants benefit most?
Many annuals (plants that complete their life cycle in one season) will fade faster if spent flowers remain on the plant. Deadheading can keep them producing flowers much longer—and in some cases, it can be the difference between a plant continuing to bloom or calling it quits early.
Deadheading also improves the look of the plant by keeping it tidy and reducing the number of brown, tired blooms in the garden.
How to deadhead long-stem flowers (like daylilies)
For long-stem flowers that bloom in sequence on a single stalk (like daylilies), remove each spent flower where it meets the stalk. Gently pull downward until it snaps off cleanly.
Deadheading daylilies improves appearance and can help the plant stay tidier during its bloom cycle. Similar “snap off” deadheading works well for flowers such as iris, gladiolus, and kangaroo paw.