Flower buds may be removed from perennials for different reasons, including
distraction from the ornamental foliage of the plant. I often think of this as
disbudding, because one is removing flower buds, but, as was previously
discussed, it doesn’t fit the technical horticultural description for disbudding.
DEADLEAFING
Charles Cresson, renowned horticulturist and author, popularized the term
deadleafing. Appropriately enough, it refers to the removal of individual dead
leaves. It is not cutting back stems. Deadleafing is the fine-tuning of the garden.
The dead foliage has done its job. It’s time to get rid of it and make room for any
new foliage that may be ready to grow and contribute to the health of the plant.
Deadleafing can mean removing yellowing and browning leaves for purely
cosmetic purposes as well, as they are often distracting in the garden. A plant
whose foliage is 30 percent dead leaves looks like it’s had it—but removing those
leaves can give the plant a fresh look and improve the appearance of the garden.
In this sense, deadleafing is rejuvenating. Dead and dying leaves can also harbor
insects and diseases.
Dead leaves sometimes are just the nature of the plant, no matter what the
growing conditions. Most often, they are the result of some cultural condition.
Dry or wet weather can cause leaves to yellow, scorch, or brown. Too much sun,
heat, or humidity are other culprits. Placing the plant in the right conditions will
minimize the problem. Of course, we have no control over droughts or mon-
soons, but if we stretch the growing conditions for the plant and increase its
stress, we may have the added maintenance of deadleafing. Dying leaves on
plants can also be a symptom of a larger problem that you may not be aware of,
such as poor drainage, competition from a neighboring tree, or a break in an
irrigation line. So think about the potential causes of dead foliage and what, if
anything, can be done to correct the problem.
Pruning by deadleafing is done with many perennials. My gardens don’t have
ideal growing conditions for primula. The plants do well through the moist spring
but start to fade with summer heat and drought. When summer comes, I simply
cut the yellow leaves from around the base of the rosette to create a fresh new
look. I have Fragaria ‘Pink Panda’ plants that invariably develop brown leaves by
midsummer. I grab handfuls of leaves out of the planting, not concerning myself
if I pull out a few fresh leaves or even plantlets, as new ones will be fast to follow.
My lady’s mantles (Alchemilla mollis) always need old leaves cut off in late summer
because they are sited in full sun. I have 25 of them repeating along the edges of 2
of my front gardens. I love my lady’s mantles and wouldn’t think of giving them
up, so my choice is deadleafing. For years I pruned each leaf individually with
hand pruners. I was about at the point of learning to like the plants with the dead
leaves on them. Brown is a color too, I told myself. Then I fortunately discovered
that hedge shears would do the job, and now I use them to make quick work of
this deadleafing task. New foliage waits below the old leaves to quickly fill in the
space. I have seen this pruning of lady’s mantle also referred to as shearing. Call it
what you like, but you’ll need to do it if they get too dry or receive too much sun.
A good deal of deadleafing is needed in the spring on evergreen plants such
as Asarum europaeum and species of Bergenia and Helleborus. Their outer leaves
deteriorate over the winter and removing them is all that is needed to start a
new season. ‘Elijah Blue’ fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’) is another plant
that after most winters needs its dead leaves pulled out from within the clump
in early spring.
PinchinG, disBuddinG, thinninG, and deadleafinG 127