How To Deadhead Daisies – Trim Shasta Daisies For Cheery Blooms That Last All Summer Long

Shasta daisies are short lived yet prolific, cheerful bloomers. They are drought tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, and have few insect or disease issues. But what do you do as the flowers start to fade? If you want to get more from these easygoing flowers, it helps to know how to deadhead Shasta daisies. Deadheading is a brilliant way of extending the flowering season when growing Shasta daisies.

Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum) are made up of large white petals radiating out from a sunny, yellow center. This perennial is a member of the Aster family which is composed of many types of flowers. Shasta daisies originated as a hybrid in 1890, produced by Luther Burbank, an American horticulturist and was named after Mt. Shasta for the daisies snowy white petals. Today, there are many varieties, with single, double, quilled and fringed forms along with varying heights. Their blooms can last for weeks, but deadheading helps your displays last longer.

Whichever form you are growing, deadheading is a simple affair, as long as you have some good cutters for the task. A dedicated pair of sharp precision snips will help to speed up the process and keep your plant healthy. Our team recommends the super-efficient Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips, available from Amazon. Nimble and smooth, they are great for cutting delicate stems in small places without damaging the plant.

Benefits Of Deadheading Daisies

Knowing how to deadhead faded flowers on your Shasta daisy plant is a real game-changer, and very easy to do right. There are two reasons that makes deadheading these daisies a good practice.

First, Shasta daisies easily self-sow; perhaps too easily. If you want to curtail the myriad of resulting Shasta seedlings, deadheading is a must. If left unchecked, you will end up with a crowded garden with less than robust plants and a higher incidence of disease. Deadheading will keep the seedlings at bay, allowing for more aeration and less competition for nutrients or water.

Secondly, deadheading gives your plant a chance at a second bloom. Flower heads should begin to reappear about 20 days after deadheading. This will tidy up the garden bed, readying the plant for a healthy start the following year.

When To Deadhead Daisies

Deadhead Shasta daisies after the blooms begin to fade and brown. This will be in the summer after the first bloom and then again (if you remove the spent blooms after the first bloom) in the fall.

How To Deadhead Daisies

After the Shasta flowers begin to fade and brown in the summer, it’s time to deadhead. Cut the spent blooms with pruning shears. I usually do this in more than one go, removing only the spent blossoms and then a day or two later, getting another round of spent blossoms. Cut each individual stem back at the base of the plant.

Cut each spent flower stem just above a new bud or pair of leaves to encourage reblooming. If you don’t see a new bud or growing point of two leaves, cut the stem at the “Y” point of two branches meeting or at the base of the plant. It only takes a few days to deadhead the entire plant and then in about 20 days, you will get another round of buds coming up.

In the fall, wait until the first frost and then cut the plant back to a few inches above the soil. This will ready the plant for new growth come spring and tidy up the bedding area. Dividing Shasta daisies in the fall will also help rejuvenate the plants and allow you to plant them in a more controlled manner than just letting the seeds spread.

Shop Shasta Daisy Essentials

Regularly deadheading Shasta daisies not only stops aggressive self-seeding, but it also redirects the plant's energy into a fresh flush of late-summer blooms. To get the best results and keep your perennial borders thriving through the heat, these curated care goodies will help you extend the flowering potential of your Shasta daisy bed.

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