deadheading

OK, not that kind of deadheading but the kind you do in the garden. I did a bit of deadheading yesterday to my sage and basil. This technique is also called pinching and results in a longer yield of flower, vegetable or herb.Depending on the size of the stem, use your thumb and forefinger, or scissors, or pruning shears, to remove spent flowers or prevent new ones from growing. This year I am going to try my hand at pinching my broccoli to get more florets instead of one large one. You need to wait until the broccoli has branched and is at least 4 inches in height. My broccoli is almost ready but another week will do it better. Sweet peas are another garden flower that benefits from deadheading. Keep on truckin'!