Home & 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.

The increasing popularity of container herb gardens is showing just how people love to have fresh herbs handy to flavor their cooking, drinks and use for aromatherapy. It really is very convenient to have a fresh selection of your most popular herbs within a few steps from the back door.

What to Plant.

As my forte is growing herbs for culinary purposes I will be writing about that, but it is merely a matter of changing the range of herbs that is the difference.

In choosing the herbs to grow I would look at what types of dishes I like to cook and choose my herbs from there. In watching TV cooking shows the ones that seem to be used the most are:

· Flat leafed parsley
· Thyme
· Oregano
· Rosemary
· Basil
· Chives
· Sage

All these herbs will grow well together in a large container 24 inches across the top. I would plant the rosemary in the middle because it is a taller plant and quite hardy, then around the outside I would plant the other herbs. Of all the others herbs basil is also quite tall and this could be put beside the rosemary in the centre. Personally I pick a lot of basil so it does not get a chance to grow extra tall. All the other herbs grow to about 10 inches, and some will even spill out over the side of the container.

Other herbs to grow in containers.

Mint is also a very popular herb but it does tend to take over a pot so I would plant that in a pot on its own.

The beauty of the bay laurel. It grows beautifully with its dark green shiny leaves as a container shrub and can even be shaped for topiary. Bay laurel is a delicious herb to use and is a must in your kitchen. If you can grow a container bay laurel, that is great. They grow very well, are quite hardy and can be kept at a manageable height as a patio plant.

Variety in containers.

I don’t know if you have come across them yet, but quite a number of herbs actually come with variegated or colored leaves and these make quite a picture in a container of herbs. There are the variegated basils and sage and other herbs have leaves that display purple veins. These all make for planting an attractive container of herbs. You will be able to tell your friends that not only do you have a very attractive container of herbs but you also have an “edible garden.”