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Deadheading daffodils

EsspeeEsspee Posts: 274
in Plants

I was surprised to hear on GW last night that the whole flowering stem of daffodils should be removed after flowering.  I have always just snipped off the head believing that some goodness returns to the bulb as the stem (and leaves) die back.  Anyone with views on this please?

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  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,548

    I'm not going to argue with Carol, but I just take off the head so it can't make seed.

    Are we just being lazy , or is Carol being a wee bit OTT?

    Devon.
  • EsspeeEsspee Posts: 274

    It wouldn't take any more effort to snip off the whole stem so I don't think we are being lazy Hosta.  Glad I am not alone in finding this recommendation unusual.  I am aware that many of my routine practices in the garden are based on received wisdom from the dim and distant past and may be out of date so happy to change if it will give better results for next year.  I suspect it is just for appearance sake she removes the whole stem.  If the stem dying back naturally gives even the tiniest advantage to the bulb I would leave them on.  Just would like to know. ?

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,548

    I just find it easier to bend over and pull off the flower head rather than bending all the way to the ground to remove the whole stem.

    Lazy or just energy/ effort economy?

    Devon.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,053

    For me it's a matter of aesthetics - a decapitated stem looks ugly so i snip it off low down. It may not be necessary but I want my garden to look nice so I make a bit more effort.

    Probably if I had a larger acreage and only saw most of the daffs at a distance the ones further from the house would just get their heads snipped, while the ones I saw closer up would be done 'properly' image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,295

    Deadheading bulbs image

    That's just not going to happen



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 53,942

    I take the whole stem. Easy enough when you have a small garden as it looks better. I don't have several hundred of them, so if I did, I probably wouldn't deadhead at all.

    Certainly didn't do it at last house as we had hundreds, possibly thousands, along the front boundary. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 6,895
    Fairygirl says:

    I don't have several hundred of them, so if I did, I probably wouldn't deadhead at all.

    See original post

    And of course if you don't dead head at all, you're more likely to have several hundred of them image. If you have the naturalising type, anyway 

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 53,942

    They were at the previous house. No fancy precious ones in sight  - a yellow, Wordsworthian view in spring...image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 6,895
    Fairygirl says:

    They were at the previous house. No fancy precious ones in sight  - a yellow, Wordsworthian view in spring...image

    See original post

     Hard to beat at this time of year image

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • LynLyn Posts: 22,859

    I once knew someone who worked in a Stately home, where the whole of the front lawns were covered in daffs, I asked him how long it took to dead them all, he just laughed, who would have time to do that He said! But they came up every year as beautiful as ever. I just walk along and pick of the heads, no time to cut the stems from low down. 

    Each to his own.?

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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