How to Deadhead Geums and Keep the Flowers Coming Until Autumn

You all know by now that geums are one of my absolute favourite plants.

In fact, if you've seen any of my Chelsea Flower Show gardens over the years, chances are you've seen a Geum 'Totally Tangerine' or two making an appearance. I adore them. They bring such energy, movement and warmth to a border and, unlike some plants that flower for what feels like five minutes before disappearing for the year, geums offer incredible longevity and value.

But here's the thing. If you want your geums to keep performing, deadheading is absolutely key.

Many gardeners don't realise that regularly removing the spent flowers can encourage a second flush of blooms later in the season, often carrying colour right through into September. That's one of the main reasons I love them so much. They just keep giving.

The problem is that many people aren't quite sure when to deadhead or where exactly to make the cut, so here's my simple guide.

Why deadheading matters

Like most flowering plants, geums naturally want to produce seed. Once a flower has finished and starts setting seed, the plant begins directing its energy into reproduction rather than producing more flowers.

By removing the faded blooms before they set seed, you're effectively telling the plant, "Not finished yet, I'd like some more flowers please."

The result? A longer flowering season, a tidier looking plant and often a lovely second flush of blooms later in the summer.

When should you deadhead geums?

Keep an eye on the flowers as they begin to fade.

When the petals start to look brown, dry or tired and the flower loses its vibrant colour, it's time to act. Don't wait too long. The sooner you remove the spent blooms, the sooner the plant can redirect its energy into producing more flowers.

How to deadhead geums properly

This is where many people go wrong.

Don't grab the secateurs and chop the whole plant back.

Instead, focus on the individual spent flower. Follow the flower stem down to the first set of healthy leaves or to where new buds are forming and make your cut there. If you're feeling confident, you can simply pinch the faded flower off between your finger and thumb, but I usually use a pair of snips to keep things neat.

The important thing is not to remove any developing buds sitting nearby. They are your next wave of flowers.

Can you leave some seed heads?

Absolutely.

I must admit I sometimes leave a few because the fluffy seed heads have a certain charm of their own. They add texture and interest to the border and can look rather lovely catching the morning dew.

Just don't leave too many. If the plant spends all its energy producing seed, you'll get fewer flowers overall.

My final geum tip

Once the flowering season is finally over and there are no new buds left to open, cut the spent flower stems right back to the base of the plant. This tidies everything up and helps prepare your geums for next year's display.

For me, Geum 'Totally Tangerine' remains one of the hardest working plants in the garden. It earns its place year after year by flowering for months, mixing beautifully with almost everything and bringing that glorious shot of orange that makes a border sing.

So if your geums are looking a little tired this week, grab your snips, pop the kettle on afterwards and spend ten minutes deadheading. Your plants will thank you with months more colour and, if you're lucky, a whole second encore later in the summer.