Pick Plants That Do Dead-Heading For You

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- I call it 'pretty litter'. When flowers fall from a plant after they're done, that's good news, because it means you don't have to dead-head them. Known as 'self-cleaners,' they save you lots of time picking and plucking the tanned, droopy petals out of your plants.

The reason to deadhead at all is that if you remove flowers before seeds can form, plants are prompted to try again; which means they'll make more flowers. But beyond pushing plants to pump out more flowers, self-cleaners keep plants tidy.

Looking at loads of browned, dead heads all over your garden beds really detracts from that summery freshness you desire.

Some plants naturally shed old blooms, and others have been bred to drop them quickly. So, if you're tired of deadheading geraniums and dahlias, look to add some plants born or bred to be self-cleaners. Including one of my favorite no-fuss annuals for sun, summer-flowering vinca, which blooms well into fall, and drops its pretty heads intact before they brown, strewing flowers at my feet that are just as lovely on the ground.