Deadheading Rhododendrons ?
Question:My Rhodo has about 10 flower heads per bulb. does the whole bulb need deadheading or just the individual heads? Also the flowers are falling off but look healthy, is this normal?
Answers:
It is best to pick off the dead flowers, and just bending it at the point below the flower stem, should easily snap it off, leaving new shoots that are probably just being produced to grow. I think what you refer to as the 'bulb' is the cluster of flowers, and it is this that you need to remove, in its entirety.
Snapping the dead flower heads off prevents nutrients being used to create unneccesary seeds. It also gives the emerging shoots maximum space and light to grow away as healthily as possible.
You shouldn't need to cut the flower heads off, as they are easily snapped off, with minimal effort.
Good luck! Rob
its normal.individual needs deadheading
The new leaves and stems will start to grow from leaf buds just below the faded flower heads (called trusses). So when the flowers have faded clip each truss off just at its base. It's normal for the colored parts of the flowers to drop off when they're past. The remaining parts of the flower would go on to make the seeds if not deadheaded.
Rhododendrons are woody shrubs. Bulbs such as tulips or onions are quite different kinds of plants, not woody.
it's definitely normal and healthy. Make sure you cut back the flower cluster when its done though. You will get a bushier shrub with more flowers next year!
Hi Craig Follow Rob's advice and you wont go wrong. Use your thumb and fore finger to snap off flower head and be careful not to take off the growing tip as well!! Cheers Pendelli
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