From my perspective as a Lobelia plant, my energy is a precious resource directed by my genetics. I am often grown as an annual, meaning my entire life's purpose is to grow, flower, set seed, and complete my cycle within a single season. My blooming strategy is twofold: I produce a central, primary flower spike first to attract pollinators. Once that initial show is over, my instinct is to divert all my energy into developing seeds at the expense of producing new flowers. Your intervention through pruning and deadheading directly counteracts this instinct, convincing me to keep investing in vibrant blooms rather than reproduction.
Deadheading is the simple act of removing my spent flowers. To you, it's a bit of tidying up. To me, it's a powerful signal. When a flower on my stem withers and browns, it begins forming a seed pod. If you pinch or snip that individual flower stem off just above the next set of healthy leaves or bud, you perform a crucial reset. You remove the developing seed pod, which was like a sink draining my energy. With that sink gone, I immediately redirect my resources back into vegetative growth and, most importantly, into creating new flower buds. It tells me my work is not done, and I must try again to attract pollinators with fresh blooms.
Especially for my trailing or mounding varieties, there comes a point in mid-summer when I might become leggy, with long stems and fewer flowers. The heat can make me weary, and my blooming may slow. This is when a more significant haircut, or rejuvenation pruning, is incredibly beneficial. If you cut back my entire form by one-half to two-thirds, it might seem drastic, but it is exactly what I need. This process removes tired, unproductive growth and stimulates me to send out a flush of new, bushy stems from the base. While I will need a few weeks to recover and regrow, this pruning effectively gives me a second wind, setting me up for a spectacular display of blooms that will last until the first frost.
For the health of my stems and to prevent disease, please use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears. Ragged tears from dull tools create open wounds that are vulnerable to infection. The optimal time for any major pruning is during a cooler part of the day, either in the morning or evening, to minimize stress on my system. After a significant cutback, a light application of a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer provides me with the essential nutrients I need to fuel this new growth spurt and produce an abundance of flowers. Consistent moisture after pruning helps me recover without becoming waterlogged.
