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 Stopping
Some plants that naturally grow a straight main stem, for example pelargonium, can be made bushy by ‘stopping’ them.
When the young plant is 5cm to 7cm (2in to 3in) tall, pinch out the very tip of the stem. This encourages the development of sideshoots, which makes the plant bush out.
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With some plants, for example fuchsia, stopping the first set of new sideshoots will make the ones below bush out.
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 Deadheading
Deadheading is really mean. You are preventing a plant from doing what it most wants to do - set seed. But do it, and they’ll keep trying, producing flower after flower after flower. In fact, with regular deadheading you can keepÌýbedding, patio plants, and modern roses flowering from early summer into autumn.
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So, how do you deadhead?
- For plants with one head of flowers on a longish stalk, for example pelargonium, snap off the whole dead flower head and stalk, where it grows from the main stem.
- For plants with lots of short-stalked flowers (for example fuchsias and petunias) nip off dead heads in your fingers, removing as much stalk as possible.
- Plants with masses of tiny flowers, for example alyssum - forget it!
- Bulbs – snap off only the dead head leaving the stalk behind.
- Roses – use secateurs and snip off 15cm to 25cm (6in to 10in) of stem together with the dead head just above a leaf joint.
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And when should you do it?
Any time from when the flower begins to go over, until it is brown.
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