To Deadhead or Not to Deadhead, That is the Question.

Most flowering plants flower repeatedly if they are dead-headed regularly. Think of the life cycle of a plant.

Plant embryos grow into juveniles. Juveniles mature into adult plants, which go to seed.

If plants are allowed to complete their life cycle and to disperse seeds, their life cycle is complete and the plant can die now that it has set seed for a new generation.

However, deadheading prevents flowering plants from dying by keeping the plant in a continual state of juvenility. Everyone knows juveniles grow like weeds!

Deadheading keeps plants in adolescence and they grow vigorously. Instead of putting the energy into forming seeds, they can continue to form new buds and new flushes of flowers.