Do you cut the flower for more to come up

Question

when the flower blooms do you cut the flower for more to come up

Answer 1

For most plants, after the bloom has faded/died back, you do want to remove the faded flower, a process called dead-heading.  This stirs the plant to produce new flowers.

Answer 2

not usually. I think what your thinking of is when you have a plant of any kind growning you want to cut or prun the dead or about dead ends, flowers, leafs off. This will allow the good flowers and leaves to get all the food!!!    

Answer 3

Dead-heading will give the plant more energy and resources to produce more flowers, but one thing I consider is whether the bloom that has now turned to seed is one that will benefit the birds.  

We have feeders placed around our yard in the summer, but I know that the variety of native flowers have important nutrition for birds that they don't get in the feeders, so I like to leave some for the birds.  

Here's a few links that give you information on which plants birds like so you can choose what to do with the plants you have ... and maybe choose to plant more that will benefit the birds :-)

http://www.birdwatching.com/tips/flowers...

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/b...

http://www.avianweb.com/plantingflowersf...

We especially enjoy the American Goldfinches eating our seeds as you can see from these photos.  We're in Central Virginia.

Green-headed Coneflowers

http://www.theherbsplace.com/gallery/blu...

Heritage Petunias:

http://www.theherbsplace.com/gallery/cri...

Upright Verbena:

http://www.theherbsplace.com/gallery/cri...

We really enjoy gardening for wildlife - you may be interested in more information on this:

http://www.thenatureinus.com/2008/05/wil...