Deadheading roses in July is a crucial task that encourages more buds and flowers, according to gardening expert Tom Strowlger. By removing spent blooms, gardeners redirect the plant's energy from seed production to new growth, resulting in a stronger second flush of flowers.
Why Deadheading Matters
When rose petals drop and lie on the ground like confetti, it signals that the flower has faded. If left, the plant will produce hips (seed pods), which diverts energy away from flowering. Strowlger emphasises that a regular check of rose flowers and deadheading will keep the plant's energy focused on producing more buds and flowers, rather than seeds.
“A regular check of rose flowers and deadheading will keep the plant's energy to producing more buds and flowers, as opposed to producing seeds,” Strowlger said.
How to Deadhead Roses
For single-flower roses, deadhead all the way down the stem to the first set of five leaves. For clump-forming roses, snip each individual spent rose until the last flower is spent, then cut down to the first set of five leaves. This method removes the weaker stem and leaves a strong stem for new buds and flowers to form on.
The first flush of rose flowers is typically the biggest, but a second flush can be sizeable with effective deadheading. Strowlger recommends performing this task throughout July to maximise blooms.
Additional Gardening Tips
Last week, Strowlger recommended another beautiful flower with “four different colours” that is perfect for a summer garden. He also offers seasonal advice on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube under the handle @garden_with_tom.
For those looking to order roses, Thompson & Morgan offers a 12% discount using promo code TMTAWTOM12 on orders of £20 or more.
