How to Deadhead Petunias
Check what type of petunias you are growing., Start with pinching petunia blooms., Get close to the plant, like you are weeding., Find a spent bloom above a new bloom., Repeat with each dead bloom on the same stem., Pinch growing tips at mid-summer.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check what type of petunias you are growing.
Find the seeds or the plant markers.
If they are new types of petunias, like Wave or Tidal Wave, they don’t need to be deadheaded.
Many new petunias have been engineered to be low-maintenance.
They will fill out without being deadheaded.
Wave and Tidal Wave petunias are more likely to be available from large seed companies and garden centers than farmer’s markets. -
Step 2: Start with pinching petunia blooms.
If you have never deadheaded a flower before, you may feel more comfortable pinching off spent flowers than cutting the plant itself.
Move onto the next method once you have a season or 2 under your belt. , Fading blooms can be hard to see after a few weeks, and you will need to get your hands dirty.
Avoid wearing thick gardening gloves, because you are more likely to hurt the plant. , Move 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) up, or just above the bud.
Grasp it with your thumb and forefinger and pull.
It should come off easily.
Discard the bloom in the compost. , Then, move onto a new stem.
Herbaceous plants like petunias can have dozens of blooms on a single stem, so plan to deadhead every few weeks during growing season. , If you find your petunias are getting “leggy,” meaning each stem is long and hanging toward the ground, you should pinch off growing tips.
Grasp the stem lightly and find the thickest bud at the top of a set of blooms.
Pinch it between your thumb and forefinger to pluck it off.
In this case, you are plucking an actively growing part of the plant, instead of a dying part.
This type of deadheading will encourage new buds below that point to bloom.
It will also make the plant look thicker and healthier. -
Step 3: Get close to the plant
-
Step 4: like you are weeding.
-
Step 5: Find a spent bloom above a new bloom.
-
Step 6: Repeat with each dead bloom on the same stem.
-
Step 7: Pinch growing tips at mid-summer.
Detailed Guide
Find the seeds or the plant markers.
If they are new types of petunias, like Wave or Tidal Wave, they don’t need to be deadheaded.
Many new petunias have been engineered to be low-maintenance.
They will fill out without being deadheaded.
Wave and Tidal Wave petunias are more likely to be available from large seed companies and garden centers than farmer’s markets.
If you have never deadheaded a flower before, you may feel more comfortable pinching off spent flowers than cutting the plant itself.
Move onto the next method once you have a season or 2 under your belt. , Fading blooms can be hard to see after a few weeks, and you will need to get your hands dirty.
Avoid wearing thick gardening gloves, because you are more likely to hurt the plant. , Move 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) up, or just above the bud.
Grasp it with your thumb and forefinger and pull.
It should come off easily.
Discard the bloom in the compost. , Then, move onto a new stem.
Herbaceous plants like petunias can have dozens of blooms on a single stem, so plan to deadhead every few weeks during growing season. , If you find your petunias are getting “leggy,” meaning each stem is long and hanging toward the ground, you should pinch off growing tips.
Grasp the stem lightly and find the thickest bud at the top of a set of blooms.
Pinch it between your thumb and forefinger to pluck it off.
In this case, you are plucking an actively growing part of the plant, instead of a dying part.
This type of deadheading will encourage new buds below that point to bloom.
It will also make the plant look thicker and healthier.
About the Author
Teresa Butler
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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