Foxglove, known botanically as Digitalis, is a garden plant recognized for its tall spires of bell-shaped flowers. The process of deadheading involves removing the spent or faded blooms from a plant. This maintenance task is particularly beneficial for foxglove, helping to extend the plant’s flowering period and manage its reproductive cycle. This practice ensures the plant’s energy is redirected toward growth and further flower production rather than seed formation.
The Purpose of Deadheading Foxglove
Deadheading serves two main functions for the foxglove plant: promoting subsequent blooms and controlling self-seeding. By cutting off the main flower spike, you encourage the plant to divert its energy from producing seeds to generating smaller, secondary flower spikes. This can result in a second flush of color later in the season, especially with perennial varieties.
The second reason is to control the plant’s prolific self-seeding tendencies. Foxgloves, particularly the biennial types, produce an enormous quantity of tiny seeds once the flowers fade. If left unchecked, these seeds will drop and germinate, leading to a dense, overcrowded stand of seedlings the following year. Preventing this heavy self-seeding helps maintain a tidy garden.
When to Deadhead and Necessary Tools
The ideal time to deadhead foxglove is when the majority of the individual flower bells on the main spike have faded, turned brown, or begun to droop. You should act before the lowest flowers on the stalk have fully matured into seed capsules. Allowing the flower to remain until this point ensures you enjoy the maximum display before the plant commits its energy to reproduction.
To perform the cut, you require a pair of sharp, clean hand pruners or scissors. The sharpness of the tool is important to ensure a clean cut, which minimizes damage to the remaining stem and allows the plant to heal quickly. It is also important to clean your tools before and after use to avoid transferring plant diseases.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making the Cut
Begin by identifying the spent flower spike. Trace this main spike downward, past the faded flowers, until you locate the point where it meets a lower set of healthy leaves or a developing side shoot. These side shoots appear as small, undeveloped buds or leaves growing from the main stem.
The goal is to cut the spent stalk just above this healthy growth point to prompt the side shoot to grow into a new flower spike. Make the cut at a slight angle, ideally 45 degrees, which prevents water from pooling on the cut surface and reduces the risk of rot or disease. The precise location for the cut is generally just above the first or second set of substantial leaves below the faded blooms.
For biennial foxgloves that you do not wish to re-bloom, you can cut the stalk all the way down to the basal rosette of leaves at the base of the plant. This more aggressive cut stops seed production completely and removes the unsightly structure. Cutting above a side shoot is the method that encourages the secondary flowering that many gardeners desire.
Handling Reseeding and Plant Maintenance
Once the main stalk is removed, the foxglove plant will often focus its energy on developing the remaining side shoots into secondary flowers. These subsequent blooms will be shorter than the first spire but still offer additional color later in the season. For perennial foxglove varieties, this practice also helps conserve the plant’s energy, potentially increasing its longevity.
When disposing of the removed material, remember that all parts of the Digitalis plant are toxic. Foxgloves contain cardiac glycosides, which can be poisonous if ingested. Care should be taken when handling the spent stalks, especially around pets and children. Wearing gloves is a sensible precaution, as contact with the sap may cause skin irritation.
The cut material should be discarded safely, away from areas where it might be consumed. After deadheading, providing the plant with regular water and a light application of a balanced fertilizer can support the energy required for the plant to push out those secondary flower spikes.