Correct Deadheading for Roses

Correct deadheading is part of good rose care.

Deadheading is the process of removing spent flowers to interrupt a plant's fruiting cycle and encourage it to reproduce and bloom again. Deadheading of rose plants has multiple benefits. Keep the roses in your garden healthy and beautiful by following the correct deadheading procedure.

Purposes

Deadheading enhances the beauty of new rose blooms.

Removing spent flowers from your rose plant encourages repeat-blooming roses to bloom more by conserving the energy the plant would use for the effort of producing hips -- the fruits of the rose plant. Deadheading encourages air circulation and improves the appearance of the plant; dead flowers can detract from the new blooms. Deadheading also creates a tidier, pest-free garden, as it maintains the shape of the plants and removes the hiding places and food for insects. Many types of insects like to feast on decaying plant parts; cucumber beetles, earwigs and sow and pill bugs are particularly attracted to spent rose petals.

Procedure

Use the correct tools to deadhead your roses.

The correct deadheading procedure requires sharp pruning shears to cut off the fading flowers. Trim at a 45-degree angle underneath the bloom, immediately above the first leaflet, which is where the rosehip would normally be born. This will encourage the rose to flower again more quickly. When deadheading cluster-flowered roses, keep leaf removal to a minimum to conserve the plant's energy. Roses that are growing too large and becoming out of control, in particular some modern varieties that have been bred to have long stems, can be cut back to size when deadheading.

Timing

As soon as you spot your rose flowers beginning to fade, it means they are starting to die and are ready for deadheading. Deadhead your roses once per week or more often if necessary.

Stop deadheading at least one month before the first frost in your area, as new growth is produced soon after spent flowers are removed, and these fragile new shoots are susceptible to cold damage. After old spent blooms are removed, most modern roses rebloom after around six weeks, although some rebloom after only four weeks.

Exceptions

You don't need to deadhead roses that bloom only once per year, provided you appreciate the ornamental hips. Flower production is not the same concern for these roses as it is for repeat-flowering rose plants. Birds are grateful for the hips in the winter, when the garden provides little food for them. Once-blooming roses need an annual pruning instead of regular deadheading.

References

• Roses: Selecting, Growing, Maintaining; Andrew Mikolajski; 2007
• Rose Magazine: Deadheading Roses