Dear Master Gardener : This is my first time growing roses. Am I supposed to deadhead the flowers if I want rose hips?

Answer : Most roses will have new blooms continually throughout the summer if flowers are deadheaded. Remove spent flowers by cutting them off just below where the base of the flower joins the stem. Leave any remaining buds or blooms to continue flowering. Remove the flowering head by cutting the stem just above the first leaf with five leaflets.

Rose hips are the bright red-orange fruits that form on rose plants after the petals fall off. Do not deadhead hip-producing roses (such as William Baffin) if you want hips. Shrub roses produce some of the best rose hips, which are edible and used in jams, jellies, and teas. They are a good source of antioxidants and Vitamin C

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