Trimming Flower Beds

Overview

Trimming flower beds must be done at the change of seasons to remove any annuals you were growing and to get rid of unsightly dead blooms. You should trim flower beds in the summer to get rid of dead spring blooms and in the fall to get rid of dead summer blooms and prepare your flower bed for winter. Unless you want your flower bed to be a mess the following season, take a little bit of time to trim your flower beds every few months and you will have nothing to worry about.

Summer Flower Bed Trimming

Step 1

Deadhead all spring perennials that have finished blooming. Hold the flower with one hand and cut the dead flowers off at the base of the stem with the scissors.

Step 2

Deadhead any reblooming perennials. Cut off the drooping flowers at the base of the stem with the scissors.

Step 3

Deadhead any spring annuals that have gone to seed. Cut the flowers off at the base of the stem with the scissors. You may collect the seeds if you desire.

Step 4

Remove any spent annuals from your garden to make room for new annuals to be planted. You can cut them back to the ground or pull them up by the roots.

Fall Flower Bed Trimming

Step 1

Deadhead all perennials. Cut the flowers off at the base of the stems. Collect the seeds if you desire.

Step 2

Deadhead all annuals. Trim the flowers off at the base of the stem. Collect the seeds if you desire.

Step 3

Remove all annuals from your garden by either cutting the plant off at the base or pulling it up by the roots.

Step 4

Cut perennials down to about 3 to 4 inches above the crown of the plant once the weather freezes.

Step 5

Mulch over your flower beds once the ground freezes.