Dead Heading

[sandy10]

When dead-heading petunias (or any other flower for that matter) do you just pull off the died flower or remove both the bulbous bit and the flower?

[shoota]

All of it.
The bulbous bit is trying to become seed and it is that bit that takes the energy from the plant.

[Old_Geezer]

I dead head my roses and remove the whole hip, but since that is the base of the flower I don't really see how I could remove the flower and not the hip.

[boxtops]

I agree with shoota - just talking off the petals doesn't stop the flower setting seeds.

[Chipchopper]

That's it, just pinch out the whole thing or use secateurs if necessary.

[Chipchopper]

I'm just about to dead head my Buddleia this morning, with the hope of extending the flowering period by a couple of weeks or so.