“Deadheading” is not the act of traveling around to attend jam band shows.

It is, however, the practice of removing spent flowers from annuals and perennials to encourage fresh growth and more blooms. And it’s one of the simplest ways to keep your garden looking beautiful and colorful.

Now that our gardens are recovering from this summer’s brutal heat, many plants are putting on a fresh flush of flowers. To keep them blooming right up until the first frost, make deadheading part of your regular garden maintenance.

Each week, I set aside time to deadhead my gomphrena, zinnias, salvias, and agastache. The result? More flowers and plants that look noticeably tidier.

If you can, set aside a little time tomorrow to deadhead your plants. You may be surprised by how much better your garden looks almost immediately, with fresh blooms following in the days ahead.

A few deadheading tips

• Cut back leggy plants. If plants have become leggy or floppy, try cutting farther back into the plant when deadheading. This encourages branching from lower on the stems and promotes a stockier, bushier growth habit.
• Know where to make your cuts. Some flowers can be deadheaded by simply removing the spent bloom, but in most cases, it's better to cut the stem just above a set of leaves. This prevents your plants from ending up covered in bare, headless stalks.
• Save a few flowers for seeds. If you'd like zinnias, cosmos, or gomphrena to reseed, leave some flowers on the plants until the seed heads are completely dry and brown. Collect the seeds and scatter them where you'd like new plants to grow next season.

I hope you're enjoying this fall weather as much as I am!

Coming up next: Native & Perennial Flower Gardens

Next Saturday, October 17, at 10:00 a.m., I'm teaching Native & Perennial Flower Gardens live online.

I intentionally scheduled this class for October because fall is the best time of year to plant perennials in North Texas. It's also an excellent time to move or divide many established perennials.

We'll cover the best perennials for North Texas, how to care for them, and how to combine plants to create a cohesive, beautiful garden.

Already enrolled? You'll receive reminder emails leading up to class with instructions for joining.

Not enrolled yet? Join our community of North Texas gardeners and attend next Saturday's class live. Your enrollment also includes access to our on-demand class library, ongoing gardening guidance, and a community of gardeners who share your enthusiasm.

Can't attend live? Watch the recording whenever it's convenient and get help from me afterward.

CWL