tom&barbara writes
Hi folks,

Just me with yet another gardening question. I am learning loads by
posting and reading all the threads on this site and I swear that being
on here is a far quicker way of learning than it is reading any books!

Anyway onto my next query...

I have always dead headed my roses and not really sure if there is a
point to doing this or even if I am supposed to do it. My partner told
me a few years ago that you were supposed to do it, so I have continued
religiously ever since. Yesterday he denied ever telling me to do it
and now I am left wondering if I imagined it, or if he is going
prematurely senile!

Anyhow the point to this thread is that I was wondering if I should
continue doing it and if it has any benefits etc? Can anybody please
share any info?

Theory is that a) it stops energy going into fruit production b) it
encourages a second flush (especially if you remove a few inches of stem
back to a decent bud point) c) some roses don't drop their petals very
well and dead flowers look tatty.

It depends what sort of roses you grow. If you're growing species roses
which don't have a repeat flowering, for example, deadheading is a waste
of time from that point of view and deprives of a crop of beautiful
hips.
--
Kay