The Difference Between Deadheading and Pruning (and Why You Should Do Both)

If you’ve ever had (or wanted to have) a garden, you know it requires quite a bit of work. Creating one involves building a bed, possibly erecting fencing, and, of course, planting seeds. After a garden is established comes the careful work of maintaining it for the months and years to come. This maintenance can involve tactics like pruning and deadheading.

While the term “pruning” is familiar to most of us, “deadheading” isn’t as well known, especially if you’re not an advanced gardener. So what exactly is deadheading, and how is it different from pruning? Are both necessary? We asked gardening experts to break it down.

What Is Deadheading?

Deadheading is the process of removing dead or dying flowers from a plant to encourage more blooms. Doing so directs the plant’s energy toward healthy growth for an overall better appearance—though it’s not solely for vanity.

“People often believe deadheading is only for looks, but it helps plants bloom longer and reduces unwanted spreading in aggressive species,” says Tammy Sons, a plant expert and the founder of Tennessee’s TN Nursery.

To deadhead, you can snap the “head” of the flower off with your finger, or use pruning shears to cut away just the head of the flower. Getting rid of the dead flower heads makes the plant look better, but it also stops it from trying to produce seeds and instead generate new, healthy flowers.

What Is Pruning?

Pruning, on the other hand, is broader than deadheading. Pruning is carefully cutting back branches or stems from your plants or trees. Like deadheading though, this will improve your plant’s health and increase the number of blooms.

It involves not only cutting out diseased, damaged or dead branches, but also looking to thin out growth to allow bottom branches to get sunlight, keep unwieldy branches from blocking pathways, and cutting away branches that might be prone to disease. Pruning helps you shape plants so they fit your garden space more effectively.

How Is Deadheading Different From Pruning?

A lot of people mix up deadheading and pruning, Sons says, but each function performs a different role in maintaining the plant. Pruning requires cutting stems, branches, or roots to remove unhealthy growth and strengthen the plant’s structure. When you’re pruning, you’re cutting a live branch, as opposed to deadheading, when you’re popping off a dead flower.

“With deadheading, you’re actively removing spent or dead flowers during the blooming season to encourage additional flowering, while pruning is mostly done in late fall or early spring when the plant is dormant to establish a better structure,” explains Michael Clarke, a horticulturist, landscape architect, and founder of Yardwork. “You can also prune a plant during its growing season to manage growth and remove dead or diseased branches, but this should be done sparingly to avoid fresh cuts that can be prone to disease or insect damage during the high season.”

Overall, pruning is the preferred method for shaping and training plants—when it’s done correctly. Clarke notes that when it’s done incorrectly, it can damage plants like hydrangeas. And some plants, like azaleas, flower on old wood, “meaning if you prune them in the wrong season, you might cut off buds that were set the previous year,” he says.

Similarly, when you’re deadheading, it’s important to keep in mind that it doesn’t always encourage more blooms in plants. Researching the plant variety you’re planning to manipulate is key. “Some species will stop blooming altogether after deadheading if you remove too many dead flowers,” Clarke says.