Gardening expert Monty Don has shared another task gardeners need to do in April for a better flower display next year.
Other tasks to do this month, as detailed in Monty’s blog, include mowing lawns, looking after houseplants and sowing seeds.
The 68-year-old said deadheading rhododendrons and azaleas is a “simple job” but can help reduce the risk of fungal diseases developing and increase next year’s flower display.
Monty said on his blog: “This is a very simple job but one which is often overlooked.
“To extend the Rhododendron and Azalea season and ensure that the plant does not waste its energies into seed production, dead head as many faded flowers as you can. This is particularly relevant to the large-flowered varieties.”
As tempting as it may be to snip the flower heads off with secateurs, Monty urged gardeners not to do this as they could risk injuring the fragile buds growing at the base of the flowers.
Instead, gardeners should gather the flower heads between their forefinger and thumb and snap them off.
He continued: “Removing the withered flowers also reduces the risk of fungal infections and will increase next year’s flowering display.
“As well as doing the plant good it also removes unsightly dead flowers that can hang onto the shrub for days or even weeks.”
Rhododendrons should be deadheaded once the petals start wilting and turning brown.
Azaleas should also be deadheaded once the flowerheads turn brown and start to fade.
After deadheading, gardeners can fertilise the acid-loving shrubs with a balanced fertiliser to promote growth.
This will also ensure the plants produce a better display the following year.
If you don’t deadhead azaleas and rhododendrons, they will simply produce the same amount of flowers next year as they did this year.
