The flowers will be prolific at this time, and if you intend
growing some of your own from seed next year, this is an excellent
time to select which varieties you want to use as the parent plant.
Don't cut the fading flowers off these plants, but allow the seed
heads to form and dry out. It is a good idea to squeeze any moisture
out of these over the next week or so to prevent the seed head from
rotting.
Continue to remove spent blooms to encourage new flowers to
grow, otherwise the plant is fooled into thinking it had better set
some seed before dying back for the end of the season. The more you
pick, the more flowers you will have coming on.
Always pick with a decent stem, and cut it off just above a leaf
node so that the next laterals can grow on. Keep up your spraying
and watering to prevent the plants drying out.
Make a note of varieties you are not going to continue with
next season,and check out catalogues for new ones, or go to the
flower shows and displays that are usually held at this time of the
year and make your selections there.
Check all plants are labeled correctly whilst they still have
flowers on them,as it is so easy to forget what was what once the
plants are bereft of blooms.
Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the flowers.
