Three flowers to deadhead now to ‘prolong their display and give colour well into the month’

With summer transitioning into autumn, September marks a good month for gardeners to focus on pruning.

To prolong your colourful hues, the Royal Horticultural Society recommended trimming three flowers before the end of the month.

Not only do faded flowers leave gardens looking tatty and dishevelled, but spent blooms can turn slimy once exposed to rain, causing a real mess.

Left unmanaged, this may pave the way for complications such as fungal infections, which may lead to stem die-back.

The Royal Horticultural Society explained: “Planted as bulbs, tulips provide spring flowers in dazzling colours and flower shapes.

“Grow them in borders, rock gardens and containers before summer flowers appear. Specialist tulips (those closely related to wild species) often multiply in gardens.”

Three plants require deadheading this month to prolong the appeal of their display and colour.

“Continue to deadhead plants such as dahlias, delphiniums, roses and penstemons to prolong the display and give colour well into the month.”

Deadheading flowers at the right time can keep them looking their best throughout the season.

Not only does this promote neatness, but it improves plant health and productivity too, improving floral displays as a whole.

How are plants deadheaded?

According to the RHS, deadheading is the term for the removal of fading or dead flowers from plants.

“It is done to keep plants looking attractive and encourage more blooms,” according to the institution.

The gardening method works on all flowering plants, whether they’re in beds, borders, containers or hanging baskets.

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Beyond pruning, September offers a range of gardening opportunities, such as planting turnips, spinach, winter lettuce and oriental vegetables.

The RHS says September is also the ideal month to start harvesting top fruits like apples and pears.

“The last of the plums and autumn-fruiting raspberries are also picked now,” it added.

In addition, gardeners can sow sweet peas in a cold frame or the greenhouse for early summer blooms next year.