| My stock plants appear to have seed pods on them after the flowers are gone. Do I cut them off to have the plant continue to bloom? Do the "common stock" also have seed pods that need to be removed? |
| Nearly all flowering plants benefit from removal of spent flowers (deadheading) before the seeds have time to form. This directs the plant's energy into making new flowers (or in the case of perennials into renewing the plant) rather than to making seeds. In fact, some annuals will cease blooming or bloom far less once they have set seed. Deadheading also keeps the garden looking tidy. However, stocks are essentially cool season plants for the most part and tend to fade away quickly no matter what the gardener does or doesn't do once the weather heats up. |
