Many new petunias have been engineered to be low-maintenance. They will fill out without being deadheaded. Wave and Tidal Wave petunias are more likely to be available from large seed companies and garden centers than farmer’s markets.
It should come off easily. Discard the bloom in the compost. Many times after we withdraw the deadhead flower, petunias stop blooming. The common mistake is that we only extract the brown withered flower, not the stalk. The stalk is where a flower holds its seeds. So, you should remove it as well. [4] X Expert Source Jon RowlandPlant Specialist Expert Interview. 7 September 2021.
Pinch it between your thumb and forefinger to pluck it off. In this case, you are plucking an actively growing part of the plant, instead of a dying part. This type of deadheading will encourage new buds below that point to bloom. It will also make the plant look thicker and healthier. [6] X Research source
Although you must cut back portions of a healthy plant to encourage new, thick growth, pruning petunias will extend your growing season.
Occasionally, you will need to prune off a healthy blooming stem. If a stem is looking long and leggy with lots of dead blooms, sacrifice the healthy bloom on the end so the plant will bloom longer.
