By Jeanne Yeoman, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener
Many plants will stop blooming during extreme heat. Removing the spent flowers improves the plant’s appearance, keeps the plants from spending resources on seed development, and sets the plants up for additional blooms once the hot weather passes.
Some perennials will rebloom after deadheading, but even once-per-season bloomers will benefit from the removal of spent flowers.
Avoid deadheading biennials, such as hollyhocks, or plants that you want to self-seed in your garden.
Additionally, spent flowers on some plants can be left to produce ornamental seed heads, fruit, or hips that provide winter interest and/or food for birds and other wildlife.