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kristin_flower

Deadheading for re-bloom? How important?

kristin_flower
15 years ago

I have several shrub roses including John Davis, William Baffin, Carefree Beauty, Carefree Wonder, Morden Blush, Ramblin Red, Earthsong, Frontenac & Pretty Jessica.

How important is deadheading for re-bloom on these varieties? I've heard it's more important for certain varieties, but I can't remember which.

I've been spending a ton of time on it, but I'd rather not if it won't make much of a difference.

Comments (13)

  • tennesseerose
    15 years ago

    I always deadhead all my flowers. It really does seem to make for lots more flowers,roses included. If you don't deadhead roses they start to make hips and spent flowers start to make seeds if they aren't deadheaded often. I just truly believe deadheading makes for lots more blooms.

    P.S. Blooms is a Southern woman's word for blossoms.(smile)

  • allison1888
    15 years ago

    I think deadheading helps them grow new flowers more quickly. Is it psychological? Not sure!

  • jerijen
    15 years ago

    Chinas, and many Teas (Tea Roses, not Hybrid Teas) don't much care whether you deadhead or not.
    But with most modern roses, it makes a huge difference.

    Jeri

  • kristin_flower
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks Tennesseerose, Allison & Jeri. I'm off to deadhead some more.

  • harryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania
    15 years ago

    I also believe there will be more blooms sooner if you deadhead. Here, deadheading is really pruning. Many roses look better if you cut a cane back to a point where new growth will add to a fuller, bushier plant.

  • kristin_flower
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks Harry, that's a great thought. I have a couple roses that could use a shaping pruning to tame some awkward growth.

  • anntn6b
    15 years ago

    But if the rose doesn't make hips readily, you can just let the abscission layers do their thing and more blooms will come. Will take maybe two weeks longer, but repeat bloom will happen just as if you'd taken the time in the heat of summer when there are other chores that need doing.
    It's when the rose chooses to make fertile seeds in hips that bloom slows down without your intervention.

  • jont1
    15 years ago

    I always deadhead all of my spent rose blooms and am convinced that it does indeed cause the rose bush to produce more flowers all year long. It also makes it possible to keep the garden more neat and tidy looking without all those spent blooms to look at. I just prune them off and put the scraps in the trash. I never use used rose parts in compost in case there are fungal issues with them.
    John

  • roseman
    15 years ago

    Deadheading stimulates them to recycle. Many shrubs like the Knockout family don't require deadheading. You could, but that's about all you would be doing in the garden, because there are so many per bush. These roses tend to deadhead themselves, but the HTs now, that's another matter.

  • jbcarr
    15 years ago

    I can tell you that with carefree beauty it does not make much difference. I once did a mini experiment with and without deadheading. The bloom was the same. You do get some nice hips from CB, so I would not deadhead late in the year. Knockouts are pretty similar. Of course, if you like the "tidier" appearance, that is a very good reason to deadhead.

  • triple_b
    15 years ago

    P.S. Blooms is a Southern woman's word for blossoms.(smile)

    * * *
    I prefer that word myself. :o)
    Sounds more voluptuous, the way a rose bloom ought to be.

  • sammy zone 7 Tulsa
    15 years ago

    Oh, if only I could get to my blooms the way I wish I could! I think it makes a difference if you get rid of the spent blooms, but I just snap them, or clip a group. It took me quite a bit of time to snap off the blooms on my Knock Outs, but they hold the spent blooms forever, and do look ragged if they are not removed.

    I think most of my other roses do repeat faster, and look better if the spent blooms are removed.

    Sammy

  • gilli2007
    15 years ago

    I only have experience with Morden Blush and John Davis. My Morden Blush gets quite spindly looking with the first flush of flowers and the canes can get bent over with the weight of all the blooms. Once they are done I deadhead and cut back slightly and to shape. I have found that if I don't deadhead MB then I don't get as many blooms later in the season. With deadheading I get lots of blossom all season.
    John Davis on the other hand, has a wonderful first flush and then it doesn't seem to matter whether I deadhead or not, it only seems to bloom sparsely from then on. I have two of these and they both act the same.

    Gilli

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