I love the low-maintenance nature of foxgloves (Digitalis spp.).
You don’t have to do much beyond putting them in the ground and offering some water now and then.
But to keep them healthy and looking their best, these plants can benefit from some pruning and deadheading.
Removing the flower stalks when the blooms fade can help prevent them from spreading via seed and will tidy up the appearance of the plant.
In some circumstances, it can even encourage another round of flowers to form.
In our guide to growing foxgloves, we cover how to cultivate these spring-bloomers in your landscape.
This article is going to help you figure out when and how to deadhead your foxgloves to keep them looking their best and prevent unwanted spread.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
What You’ll Learn
Digitalis plants are usually biennials, which means they complete their reproductive cycle over two years. In the first year, the plants develop their root structure and foliage.
During the second year, they flower and spread their seeds. After that, the plant dies. Some are short-lived perennials that can also bloom in their third year.
Regardless of whether you decide to trim them or not, the plant will die in the second or third year. So why bother?
Why Deadhead Foxgloves?
With some garden species, the purpose of deadheading is to encourage the plant to put its energy back into growing new flowers rather than developing seeds.
After the flowers fade, they turn into fruits or seeds, and these will be scattered around so the plant can reproduce itself.
While it’s putting energy into seed production, the plant will stop growing leaves or any new flowers. So deadheading before seed set can – in some cases – promote further blooming.
You can deadhead your foxgloves to encourage more flowering, but two other important reasons are to remove the ugly stalks, improving the appearance, and to prevent self sowing.
In some areas, these plants don’t tend to spread much. But in other regions, like the Pacific Northwest, they spread far and wide.
In Oregon where I live, you see them all over the place along roadsides and on the edges of the forests. It’s pretty, but we don’t necessarily want these foreign species invading the natural environment.
So, as a responsible gardener, I try to deadhead my foxgloves to prevent them from taking over in areas outside of my garden.
As the flower stalks fade, the foliage can also start to die back, and deadheading will help to extend the life of the plant.
But if you don’t mind them looking a bit ragged and aren’t bothered about self-seeding, you don’t ever need to bother doing anything.
When to Deadhead
Figuring out when to deadhead is the easiest part of the process. Does the plant have a flower stalk and has it dropped most or all of the blossoms? It’s time to go!
You can cut off the flower stalk anytime you want, but if you wait until the flowers look droopy but before they drop from the stalk, you’ll prevent the seeds from spreading while still enjoying the full length of the floral display.
How to Make the Cut
Before you do anything, make sure your tools are clean.
Although the plants will generally die after flowering, you still want to make sure you’re not spreading disease in the garden by using dirty tools.
Wipe pruners or scissors with isopropyl alcohol, a 10 percent bleach solution, or wash them in hot, soapy water.
Cut the stalk down as close to the base as you can. If you’re worried about the seeds scattering as you make your cut, cover the stalk with a plastic bag to catch the seeds.
That’s it!
Grow Foxier Flowers
Foxgloves don’t ask for much in the way of maintenance, but we can always offer them a little support to help keep them in shape and make the garden look tidier.
Are you growing these dramatic flowers? Do you deadhead them? Let us know in the comments section below!
And for more information about growing foxgloves in your garden, add these guides to your reading list next:
