A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Dead-Heading Lobelia and Dianthus??

I have been wondering about this all spring - Even with geraniums and marigolds. The lobelia and dianthus and marigolds all seem to bloom out of a little pod. One pod per blossom - right? So when I'm dead-heading, am I supposed to take the dead petals out of the pod, or take the whole pod off? In other words - do they re-bloom from the pod, or do they just send out fresh pods? I feel like I'm dead-heading all the time and to no avail.
Also - My geraniums have been really slow to bloom. I got one nice batch, cut them off, and just cut off the second batch before it bloomed in hopes that the NEXT batch will be healthier and more plentiful. Is this right? I just couldn't stand to watch them anymore - It was like watching paint dry!
Now, I know I don't have a ton of sun, but the geraniums and dianthus are in pots in the sunniest spots I have. So - they should be fine, right?
I know -It's amazing I get anything to grow at all with my limited knowledge. Please help!

With Dianthus.fertilize weekly& pinch the STEM below the flower.dianthus has been tricky for me& I have to be sure it don't get alot of sun for the summer time,but get more blooms in the winter fall spring.On a frosty night I can drop a towel on it& its fine all winter,blooms and all.mine have composted cow manure mixed in soil& I fertilize weekly (Its the brugmansia fertilizer runoff)In December I mix in some 9 month feed potting soil when clean the bed& add panseys.
Gerainuims.I remove the spent heads when they are done or are too ugly to bear looking at anymore.When I do this I useually see the next buds growing or sometimes a pair(right now)I fertlize them every week.

I don't see where you live.
How big are your pots they are in?You can use a 9 month feed/ composted cow manure mix.My mom grows her gerainums in pots.I think there the 12 in pots.
My marigolds.I let dry long enough for the seed...then I pinch.We're spreading them

Lobelia as in red cardnial flower?I've wanted some of this.It should grow for you.It don't like much sun.Its a bog plant so can handle moistre.mulch it to help keep it moist.It s a plant that can't be shipped to TX.I hope you share seeds.Hummingbirds love it.pinch the stem at bottom of flowers