Great idea! in Snip Off the Flowers Before Planting

By Shelly
August 18, 2011

When you get your new plant home and are ready to plant, snip off any bloom that may have come with the plant. The energy will go to establishing the plant instead of maintaining the bloom.

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fiwit

Aug 17, 2011 6:15 PM CST

Thread OP

Name: Mary
My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b)
Gardening dilettante, that's me!

That would never have occurred to me....

Thanks!

Northwest Georgia Daylily Society
I'm going to retire and live off of my savings. Not sure what I'll do that second week.
My yard marches to the beat of a bohemian drummer...

| @fiwit | Post #132784 (1)

KyWoods

Aug 17, 2011 6:22 PM CST

Name: Renée
Northern KY

And of course, put it in a vase so you can enjoy the bloom indoors, right?
I never thought of doing that, but yep, it does make sense. Thanks!

| @KyWoods | Post #132787 (2)

Shelly

Aug 17, 2011 6:31 PM CST

Name: Shelly
Colorado (Zone 5b)

Absolutely put it in a vase to enjoy!
It's so super hard for me to do sometimes,

but really the plant (in most cases) rewards me with blooms a little later.

"You may not be responsible for getting knocked down, but you're certainly responsible for getting back up."

| @Shelly | Post #132791 (3)

plantladylin

Aug 17, 2011 6:52 PM CST

Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Great tip Shelly! I agree that it's so hard to cut a bloom on a new plant, but it does help the plant become well established in it's new home. At least we have the cut bloom to enjoy in a vase and the knowledge that "mom" plant is putting down roots for many more beautiful blooms!

~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!

| @plantladylin | Post #132803 (4)

valleylynn

Aug 17, 2011 6:57 PM CST

Name: Lynn
Oregon City, OR (Zone 8b)

So hard to do. Sometimes I just can't get myself to do it.

Sempervivum for Sale
Sempervivum ~ Sedum ~ Containers

| @valleylynn | Post #132808 (5)

dave

Aug 17, 2011 7:17 PM CST

Garden.org Admin

Name: Dave Whitinger
Southlake, Texas (Zone 8a)

Makes perfect sense, and I can't believe I never thought of this before.

| @dave | Post #132830 (6)

woofie

Aug 17, 2011 7:20 PM CST

Name: woofie
NE WA (Zone 5a)

I knew this. I KNOW this. But I still have a dreadful time actually DOING it!

Confidence is that feeling you have right before you do something really stupid.

| @woofie | Post #132832 (7)

plantladylin

Aug 17, 2011 7:35 PM CST

Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

The only time I don't find it hard to do is if there are enough blooms to cut to fill a vase!

~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!

| @plantladylin | Post #132851 (8)

flaflwrgrl

Aug 17, 2011 8:27 PM CST

Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)

I also find it very difficult to do.

I am a strong believer in the simple fact is that what matters in this life is how we treat others. I think that's what living is all about. Not what I've done in my life but how I've treated others. ~~ Sharon Brown

| @flaflwrgrl | Post #132904 (9)

Sheila_FW

Aug 17, 2011 10:33 PM CST

Name: Sheila F
Fort Worth TX (Zone 8a)

Definately tough love...but it works.

| @Sheila_FW | Post #132961 (10)

quietyard

Aug 17, 2011 10:50 PM CST

Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona

I can't do this either.

" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8

| @quietyard | Post #132967 (11)

mcash70

Aug 17, 2011 11:23 PM CST

Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)

I've known about this, but I can't do it either especially on my daylilies as I may not see another bloom for 2 years!!

| @mcash70 | Post #132976 (12)

Boopaints

Aug 18, 2011 1:33 AM CST

Name: Becky (Boo)
Phoenix, AZ 85022
finding joy one day at a time!

Is this kind of like tough love, Shelley?

It's hard to do but worth it in the end?

Next time I'll try to do this.

ALL THINGS PLANTS ~ Garden Art ~ Purslane & Portulaca ~
MY CUBITS ~ Trust in the Lord ~
MY WEB SITE ~ Joyful Times Today

| @Boopaints | Post #132995 (13)

dahlianut

Aug 18, 2011 4:45 AM CST

Name: Dahlianut
Calgary, AB Zone 3a
NE Alumni

I can't do it either

and I can't thin baby seedlings. I ask someone else to do it and I can't watch

http://cubits.org/DahlianutsDi...
Share the Joy

| @dahlianut | Post #133021 (14)

vic

Aug 18, 2011 5:26 AM CST

Name: Vicki
North Carolina

Tough love indeed! It took me many years to do this but the rewards are worth it. GREAT tip!

NATIONAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION ~ Garden Art ~ Purslane & Portulaca ~

| @vic | Post #133037 (15)

Ridesredmule

Aug 18, 2011 6:37 AM CST

Name: Charleen
Alford, Florida (Zone 8a)
Walk in Peace / I'm Timber's Mom.

Love it. Great thinking...

Brugmansia *****Carnivorous Plants **********Charley's Girls

Posin Mule

| @Ridesredmule | Post #133064 (16)

Gymgirl

Aug 18, 2011 8:09 AM CST

Name: Linda
SE Houston, Tx. (Hobby) (Zone 9a)
"Godspeed, & Good Harvest!"

That's why I ended up with 208 tomato and 65 bell pepper plants this past season...i only needed 12 of my own!

My Blog: Fall/Winter 2011 Veggie Garden
My Cubits: Bucket Gardening! **Beginner Vegetable Growers **Growing Veggies By Zone **

| @Gymgirl | Post #133103 (17)

KyWoods

Aug 18, 2011 10:17 AM CST

Name: Renée
Northern KY

LOL, I'll bet your friends and neighbors were happy about that, Gymgirl!

| @KyWoods | Post #133178 (18)

Shelly

Aug 18, 2011 12:16 PM CST

Name: Shelly
Colorado (Zone 5b)

It really is tough love.

I feel like in my zone, if I do cut back the flower, it gives me a much stronger root system to deal with the winters (that don't always give us much snow cover for insulation), and honestly a stronger plant for next year. And truly I do get blooms in most cases a little later. The ones that really hurt (to me) are the ones that only bloom once a year, or if I do fall planting.

I planted 4-1 quart sized mums the 1st year we moved into this place, and cut back all the blooming pretty little flowers... Oh the pain of not having a little bit of fall color in the yard. But the next year, each 1 quart plant had grown its way into a 2 x 2 foot nice, tall plant. It was wonderful!