Deadheading Marigolds

    Of all the summer flowers, I think marigolds rank right up there in the top five. They have a fragrance that is both sweet and earthy, and rows and rows of petals making vibrant blooms. When the flower fades, it doesn’t scatter and fall apart like some flowers do. Those blooms, though now dry, remain tightly stuck together. So, we go along and deadhead them.  By deadhead, I mean that we pluck off the dry bloom and store them for next year. The seeds are all contained in that cluster and will come back up the next year.    I can’t say that the deadheading doesn’t hurt, because as I am not a marigold, I don’t know. But, I do know that there are things in my life that have dried up and once removed I felt refreshed. The actual deadheading may have been a decision that needed making or a habit that needed building. But, there are a tight little cluster of seeds that are removed. Then, safely tucked away, they will be ready to start a new season of growth.