:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/flowers-to-deadhead-in-july-GettyImages-1324734502-422a151257604e3687f86656ed4adb0b.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "5 Flowers You Should Deadhead in July to Keep the Blooms Coming")
We’re deep into summer, and gardens are (finally!) bursting with their best blooms. To keep those flowers thriving all season long, regular watering and fertilizing are essential—but don’t forget deadheading, which involves removing faded blooms so the plant can direct its energy toward producing new flowers instead of seeds. Many varieties that peak in July especially benefit from this!
Here, professional gardeners share five flowers you should deadhead now to keep the blooms coming through the rest of summer.
Shasta Daisies
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Shastas are the classic flower we picture when we think of daisies, with their slim, white flower petals and sunny yellow centers. And according to horticulturist Tammy Sons, this iconic, herbaceous perennial is a prime candidate for deadheading in July.
“As soon as those fresh white petals start to look droopy or brown, I cut them off just above the next ring of leaves or a new bud,” she says. “It tidies up the plant and also spurs more blooms all the way into fall.” Be diligent about it, and every few days, go out and trim the dead ones. Sons says you’ll be rewarded with more flowers and often a healthier plant in the long run.
Coreopsis
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While she’s at it, Sons will deadhead coreopsis flowers to “keep the blooms going or prevent the flowers from dropping seed too early in the season.” Coreopsis flowers, also known as Tickseed, are true summer stars, because they’re incredibly drought-resistant perennials and they’re long bloomers—assuming you stay on top of deadheading them.
Ace Berry, floral/garden designer at Oasis Forage, recommends snipping off faded blooms just above a fresh set of leaves. If you’d like your coreopsis to return next season, be sure to leave some of the spent flower heads, since it’s a plant that can reseed itself.
Salvias
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Salvias are sun-loving perennials that attract all kinds of pollinators, like hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. To keep their vibrant blue and purple flowers going—and the pollinators coming—all summer long, you’ll need to properly deadhead them. (Watch out for legginess or flopping, which are signs you should deadhead ASAP.)
“Cut the flower stem down to the base once most of the blooms are done,” Berry says. “Shearing can also help reshape the plant.” Doing this will encourage buds through the fall.
Echinacea
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Echnicea, or coneflowers, are some of the easiest perennials to grow, making them an excellent plant for beginners to incorporate into their summer gardens. They’re also notoriously long bloomers even without deadheading, but doing so will prevent them from reseeding and overpopulating your garden.
When deadheading, just follow the stem from the flower down to the first set of leaves and snip right above them. Berry suggests holding off on deadheading spent flowers in late summer so birds can take advantage of the lingering seeds.
Roses
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No garden is complete without a rose bush or two, it seems, and regularly deadheading them throughout the summer will keep your roses looking picture-perfect. (Note that not all rose types require deadheading—”self-cleaning” roses will naturally shed their spent blooms and continue to rebloom, so double-check your varieties to save yourself from doing extra work!)
Berry suggests cutting just above a five-leaflet stem. For the prettiest blooms, “watch for black spot and provide good air circulation,” he adds. Berry also recommends using the spent flower petals for rose water, potpourri, or even tablescaping.
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