Gardeners with foxgloves in gardens urged to do 1 thing to keep them coming back

usually start to bloom in late spring or early summer for several months, so it's not long before their beautiful flowers will start to make an appearance. There are two types of foxgloves - biennials or perennials, the UK's two native foxgloves, Digitalis purpurea, and D. purpurea f. alibiflora, produce flowers that are a pinky-purple colour or white respectively. However, there are a vast number of species to choose from that boast a range of stunning pastel or bold colours.

Just like any , foxgloves require attention to ensure they reach their full potential. Spring is one of the best times to plant them, as the soil is moist and warm, encouraging new However, when it comes to ongoing care, there's one important task that shouldn't be neglected to ensure the longevity of the plant.

Deadheading is a technique where gardeners remove fading flowers from plants to encourage further blooming, and this is what you should make sure to do with your plants.

According to the , gardeners should foxgloves as soon as the flowers have finished, by removing the whole flower stem at the base. The organisation's growing guide states: "This stops them producing seeds, which conserves their energy.

"It can also sometimes help biennial foxgloves live and flower for an extra year, and also improves the longevity of perennial foxgloves.

As important as the task is to maintain the production of the beautiful colourful flowers, it should also be noted that deadheading "prevents plants setting seed and creating the next generation in the biennial cycle."

Therefore, in order to have a yearly supply of new young plants, it is recommended to always leave a few flower stems in place to set seed. Allowing the flower spikes to set seed, will result in them self-seeding "rapidly" and particularly in spring you'll will tend to find many little seedlings near the parent plant.

Additionally, make sure you're giving foxgloves enough space to grow and flower. Overcroweded seedlings should be spaced out or moved once they are large enough to handle.

Most importantly, before you do anything make sure you are wearing gloves when handling foxgloves plants and seeds because they can be .