Deadheading question

[rideaway]

My flower beds around the house are still not full, I will be adding more manure and compost as soon as my sister's horses are moved. I have been deadheading the roses and other flowers directly into the flower beds. I got to wondering if that is a good idea? Also, when I cut dead stalks I've just cut them into smaller pieces and letting them lie in the bed also. Am I making a mistake?

Thanks!

[sbemt456]

Hey Rideaway that is the way I do my flower beds every summer. Mine are all perrinials and when they bloom in spring and need to be dead headed, I take a pair of pruning scissors and cut the plants back and jus let the pieces fall where they may. They will come back out and bloom again usually. Any mature seeds from some of the plants will come up an produce more plants. The only time I would say not to do this, is if there is disease in some of the plants. Hope this helps some.

Have a great day!

stella

[NCLee]

Since roses are subject to so many disease/pest problems, I'd remove the prunings from the bed for those. For pruning of anything that's large enough to provide shelter for vermin I'd remove, as well. Anything, even annuals that show signs of disease should be removed and should not be composted. Diseased plant materials should go into the garbage pickup or be burned.

Small clippings from healthy plants (excluding roses) should be OK to leave in the beds. The rest, I'd remove and to the compost pile.

Just my 2-cents.
Lee

[nhlivefreeordie]

I agree with Lee, even if the plants aren't diseased, the litter should be removed to the compost pile. By leaving the litter, you are inviting pests, a clean garden is a happy garden.:wink:

[momma_to_seven_chi]

You throw out all the deadheads from flowers. I'm not sure why, but I know the gardeners at church are wild about that. You NEVER drop them back into the plants. They say it spreads disease.

I was told that the first time I helped with the gardens at the Mega Church. They hire professional gardeners to come plan and care for them. Then some of the people from the area volunteer to help under their supervision. It's a beautiful place with pool, lake, boats, greenhouse, lodge, etc. I won't go into the scriptural correctness of rich mega churches because it is one of my sore spots. But they do let the public walk their track which is nice.