You've invested loads of your valuable time and money into creating a garden you can enjoy and be proud of. Don't let your garden go now! There's still many more blooms to come!
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| Coreopsis |
One of the best ways to keep your yard flowers looking their best during peak blooming season is to get out there and snip off the old blooms as soon as they go by the wayside. Many summer blooming perennials benefit from cutting or pinching off the dead blooms. Flowers that repeat bloom will love having a little hair cut!
I use my smallest pruners ( the same ones I use for cutting flowers for arrangments).
It's the perfect size for getting around tight spaces in between flower heads that are in bud, or already blossomed to get to the spent ones.
I use a galvanized bucket to gather the dead flower heads, and I always include a small garden shovel to do some weeding while I'm there.
I keep my handy- dandy wheelbarrow nearby to dump my bucket as I move from one area to the next. When trimming flowers I cut them down to the bottom of the stem just above where the leaves begin. This makes the over all plant look neater.
When trimming Knock Out Roses cut back to the first set of 5 leaves as pictured above.
When that rose has gone by I'll cut it off right at the base of those 5 leaves. Soon, purple new growth will appear, followed by new rose buds!
Deadheading your flowers isn't just good for them it's good for you too!
You can observe your plants up close, smell the more fragrant blooms and foliage and at the end of the day, pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
