Deadheading

By Charlotte Riegel –

While working with the Green Thumbs Ministry team at our church, I noticed the west pansy bed looking rather bedraggled. It looked as if it needed water in spite of the recent rains we’d had. Perhaps the building had sheltered this bed and prevented it from getting much of the needed moisture.

However, before watering, I decided to do some deadheading, removing flower heads that are past their prime. It’s a bit like getting a haircut. If spent flowers are not removed, the plant will direct energy into creating seeds, however, if the dead flower heads are removed quickly, the plant will direct energy into creating beautiful new flowers.

An hour later I could hardly believe my eyes. The flower bed looked rejuvenated and quite beautiful. I then realized lack of water had not made this bed look so awful, but rather, the many spent flowers hanging their heads at the end of their normal cycle.

I pondered this miraculous makeover for several days and then wondered if my life is sometimes like that pansy bed. Do I have ‘spent’ flowers drooping from my life? Is it time to prune my activities and commitments because some of them are past their prime and causing me to look bedraggled? By removing areas in my life that are basically ‘dead’ I could freshen up and be rejuvenated. This would free up energy to create new ‘flowers’.

Does your life need some deadheading? Don’t hang onto areas of your life that are spent. Let them go and make room for some new endeavors. You will be amazed at your renewed vigor, creativity, and beauty.

“Thank you, Master Gardener of my life, for pruning me to become more fruitful in Your vineyard.”

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:1- 2 NIV).