Comments on: Deadheads in the garden http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/deadheads-in-the-garden/ a garden journal about public garden maintenance, seasonal tasks, garden events, stories about gardening, volunteers, flowers, bugs and wildlife Sat, 15 Jun 2013 22:23:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ginny http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/deadheads-in-the-garden/comment-page-1/#comment-18570 Ginny Fri, 14 Sep 2012 20:32:25 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=7218#comment-18570 Call me a contrarian here. I like seeing Blithewold's gardens looking well-tended, not shabby chic. Yes, the birds and the bees can feast on some portion of the garden with a sign to educate visitors that this is the purpose of not dead-heading or cutting back. When I think of Blithewold's gardens I picture lush and lovely, not tumbled and "gone by". There, I said it. <em>Ginny, thank you! All opinions welcome. These are your gardens too. We do still intend to keep the Rose and North Gardens in peak lush-and-loveliness all season as much as possible (non-blooming dahlias are disappointing us in the North...) And signage is coming ... sometime soon... for the wildlife-centric stuff we try in the Display Garden. -kris</em> Call me a contrarian here. I like seeing Blithewold’s gardens looking well-tended, not shabby chic. Yes, the birds and the bees can feast on some portion of the garden with a sign to educate visitors that this is the purpose of not dead-heading or cutting back.

When I think of Blithewold’s gardens I picture lush and lovely, not tumbled and “gone by”. There, I said it.

Ginny, thank you! All opinions welcome. These are your gardens too. We do still intend to keep the Rose and North Gardens in peak lush-and-loveliness all season as much as possible (non-blooming dahlias are disappointing us in the North…) And signage is coming … sometime soon… for the wildlife-centric stuff we try in the Display Garden. -kris

]]> By: Reed Pugh http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/deadheads-in-the-garden/comment-page-1/#comment-18547 Reed Pugh Thu, 13 Sep 2012 12:06:01 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=7218#comment-18547 I agree that this year I have seen more butterflies, songbirds and hummingbirds. I am in between on deadheading. I leave some, but also cut back on plants that will rebloom. We have two more months, if the weather cooperates, that is plenty of time for some new color along with some food for the wildlife. I think it all depends upon the nature of the bed and types of plants. <em>Reed, You're absolutely right - there are no absolutes when it comes to deadheading. A little hear a little there and every year is different anyway. I am curious how long the monarda would have kept blooming... We'll see next year! -kris</em> I agree that this year I have seen more butterflies, songbirds and hummingbirds. I am in between on deadheading. I leave some, but also cut back on plants that will rebloom. We have two more months, if the weather cooperates, that is plenty of time for some new color along with some food for the wildlife. I think it all depends upon the nature of the bed and types of plants.

Reed, You’re absolutely right – there are no absolutes when it comes to deadheading. A little hear a little there and every year is different anyway. I am curious how long the monarda would have kept blooming… We’ll see next year! -kris

]]> By: Plant Stands http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/deadheads-in-the-garden/comment-page-1/#comment-18527 Plant Stands Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:47:36 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=7218#comment-18527 I think some of the "deadheads" are absolutely gorgeous, little pieces of sculpture. I'm not so sure how much it affects the garden...I'll leave that to you guys. <em>We definitely get more seedlings popping up than we otherwise would. But I don't mind a few extra freebies! -kris</em> I think some of the “deadheads” are absolutely gorgeous, little pieces of sculpture. I’m not so sure how much it affects the garden…I’ll leave that to you guys.

We definitely get more seedlings popping up than we otherwise would. But I don’t mind a few extra freebies! -kris

]]> By: Susan in the Pink Hat http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/deadheads-in-the-garden/comment-page-1/#comment-18505 Susan in the Pink Hat Wed, 12 Sep 2012 03:36:09 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=7218#comment-18505 Definitely let the garden go here. Not happy as I deadheaded the Echinops too late only to watch their prolific seed heads explode all over the bed. No doubt I'll be plagued with loads of new babies next year. Just as I was thinking of taking them all out in place of Eryngium. This is their revenge, I guess. <em>Susan, At least echinops seedlings are easy to identify and remove...I have a friend who used to spray paint the seedheads. Not sure it kept them from self-destructing but I thought it was a fun way to cheat and keep their color a little longer! -kris</em> Definitely let the garden go here. Not happy as I deadheaded the Echinops too late only to watch their prolific seed heads explode all over the bed. No doubt I’ll be plagued with loads of new babies next year. Just as I was thinking of taking them all out in place of Eryngium. This is their revenge, I guess.

Susan, At least echinops seedlings are easy to identify and remove…I have a friend who used to spray paint the seedheads. Not sure it kept them from self-destructing but I thought it was a fun way to cheat and keep their color a little longer! -kris

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