Expert: C.L. Fornari - 6/2/2006

Question
Hello,

I am not very familiar with salvia and gazanias.  Do I deadhead salvia by removing the entire spent bloom, or do I just take off the dead petals?  Also, gazanias are beautiful, but it is difficult to tell whether some of the blooms are new and will open up during the day, or are the old dead blooms of yesterday.  Any suggestions would be very helpful!  

Thank you,

Lisa  

Answer
Lisa,
Salvia gets deadheaded by clipping off the entire spent bloom just below where the flowers were - I find it's quick to use sissors.  

With Gazania, you're not alone when you find it hard to see the difference between the developing blossoms and the fading ones.  It's subtle, for sure.  I always deadhead this plant during the day so that current blooms are open.  To tell the difference between fading ones and buds, I'd do the following:  take a few "twist-em"s (those coated wire things that come with plastic bags or around extension cords - you can cut long ones into 2" pieces) and tie them around the stems of the flowers that are currently blooming.  Then when these flowers have faded, notice the difference between those marked flowers and the new ones - in look, and where they come from.  You'll only have to mark a few on one plant, and it will help you identify bus vs spent flowers.

all the best,
C.L.