The Benefits Of Deadheading Daisies, According To The Grumpy Gardener

About This Episode

A reader asks if deadheading their daisies will prolong blooming. Plus, Grumpy shares tips on fertilizing annuals and perennials.

Question Of The Week

"Will deadheading my Becky Shasta daisies prolong blooming?"

Grumpy's Response: Okay, let me just start with the name, Becky, that is a variety of Shasta daisy that is more compact, shorter growing, and, but you still get lots of flowers. So if you don't want something that grows three feet tall, you can get something that grows two feet tall and gives you the same flower production that will make more seed. So that is a good practice, and it's not just for Shasta daisies. The same practice holds true for the lion's share of annuals and perennials that you'll have in your garden, and that's where we get the phrase "cut and come again." And it's not for just annuals and perennials. If you have a chaste tree or you have crepe myrtle, after the first big flush of blooms is finished, go off and go out there and cut off all the seed heads that are forming. And a few weeks later, you're gonna get a whole second bloom. Two for the price of one.

Tip Of The Week

We're going to talk about fertilizing your flowers, your annuals and perennials. And there's different products that you can use, but I'm going to tell you about the ones I like to use.

I like to use certified organic fertilizers, and I'm going to name several that you can go out and buy. And by the way, I don't get paid for mentioning their names. It's just that I think that they're good products, and they're widely available.

• Espoma Plant-tone
• Fox Farm Happy Frog. We all like a happy frog
• Dr. Earth Bud & Bloom

Now what do they have in common? Well, they all have the major plant nutrients, which is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. But they also add in micronutrients that plants need in small amounts. Plus, they also contain beneficial microbes that help the roots work more efficiently and pick up nutrients from the soil. A final benefit is that they feed slowly and steadily over a period of months.

About Ask Grumpy

Ask Grumpy is a podcast featuring Steve Bender, also known as Southern Living’s Grumpy Gardener. For more than 30 years, Grumpy has been sharing advice on what to grow, when to plant, and how to manage just about anything in your garden. Tune in for short episodes every Wednesday and Saturday as Grumpy answers reader questions, solves seasonal conundrums, and provides need-to-know advice for gardeners with his very Grumpy sense of humor. Be sure to follow Ask Grumpy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen so you don't miss an episode.

Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors.