When The Blooms On These Plants Die, Do You Need To Pick The Dead Blooms Off, So New Ones Can Come In? If So, How Do You Pull Them Off. I've Tried And End Up Pulling The Whole Bud Off The Stem. If I Don't Pull Them Off They Look All Brown And Dried At The Ends Of The Bloom. Can Someone Tell Me How To Care For These. Thanks
Hello BELLIEJEANS, Deadheading (removing the spent flowers) will encourage most bedding plants to rebloom. If the flowers remain on the plant and are allowed to set seed, the plant focuses its energy on forming the seed and thus has less energy to make new flowers. Many plants have stems that are tender enough to pull off without damaging the plant. Dianthus stems are a little too tough for this. If you have strong hard finger nails, like I do, you may be able to pinch them off, otherwise get a garden shears and cut them off.
