5 plants to deadhead in October for extra blooms this autumn – and keep them flowering until the first frosts

Autumn is in full swing, and plenty of plants are still in full bloom – and if you know which plants to deadhead in October, you can extend those displays up to the first frosts.

Deadheading is the one October garden job you’ll want to crack on with if you’re keen to keep your garden looking beautiful until temperatures plummet. Removing spent blooms from the likes of dahlias and cosmos will direct their energy into producing new flowers, and keep your garden nice and tidy at the same time.

Here’s a list of plants to deadhead in October to squeeze the last blooms out of the season (although you could plant a few winter-flowering shrubs to enjoy cold-weather displays).

What you'll need

1. Cosmos

If you’re lucky enough to have cosmos growing in your garden, you’ll know they’re prolific bloomers. With the right care, the displays can continue up to the first frosts – and that’s why deadheading cosmos in October is so important.

‘They’re cut-and-come-again flowers: the more you pick for the vase or remove fading blooms, the more they’ll keep flowering, provided the weather stays mild,’ says Jane Westoby, creative director at The Hampshire Seed Company.

You can deadhead cosmos by hand or add a dedicated deadheading tool to your kit, like the Kent & Stowe Garden Life Pruning Snips.

2. Zinnias

The same principle applies to zinnias: they’re cut-and-come-again blooms, which means the more you deadhead them in October, the more flowers you’ll enjoy before the colder weather arrives.

‘If you leave spent flowers on the plant, they put energy into making seed instead,’ says Jane.

3. Dahlias

If you’re wondering what to do with dahlias in October, deadheading should be at the top of your list. At this time of the year, many dahlias are still in bloom – and you can extend those displays by nipping off faded flowers.

'Dahlias are an example where removing spent flowers can be worthwhile while they're still actively blooming,' says Ross Dyke, Hornby George's consultant horticulturist and host of the Plant Pod.

Many gardeners use a clean pair of sharp secateurs like the WOLF-Garten Bypass Secateurs (available at Amazon) to deadhead their dahlias.

4. Repeat-flowering roses

Repeat-flowering roses are another example of autumn-flowering shrubs that continue blooming until temperatures drop. The best way to keep them flowering to their fullest potential is by deadheading them throughout October.

‘I’d also keep deadheading any repeat-flowering roses,’ says Jane. ‘The principle is the same: removing fading flowers encourages the plant to put its energy into the next flush.’

It’s wise to deadhead your secateurs using a sharp pair of bypass secateurs like the Kimura® 8" Pro Bypass Garden Secateurs from Amazon.

5. Calendula

Vibrant calendula blooms can also be deadheaded in October to keep them flowering until the weather cools down. They're a self-seeding cottage garden flower, but deadheading can prevent them from spreading.

‘Once frost finishes the tender annuals, though, deadheading won’t bring them back into flower,' adds Jane.

The best time to deadhead calendula, like other plants, is once the petals begin to fade and curl.

Deadhead these plants in October to keep them flowering until the frost arrives!