Not Grateful Dead, although you and your garden will be grateful that you have deadheaded!

Whether to snip or snap, depends on the plant. If the stem is tougher than you can "snip" with your thumbnail (presuming you don't mind ruining your manicure ;-), cut it with good, sharp hand pruners or garden scissors. A smooth cut gives less opportunity for wind and water borne diseases to get a grip on your plants.

One plant that doesn't mind a quick snap, though, is the rhododendron. With a firm, but gentle grip, snap the old blossom off the stem. It should separate just above the new leaf and flower buds. If you ignore them until the old flower skeleton dries, the whole process is easier. The new leaves and buds are more apparent and the "deadhead" snaps out more easily.

Deadheading perennials is just a tidy up for fall sort of project, but deadheading your annuals frequently, will help to keep them blooming in an attempt to produce seed ("Oh my God, I forgot to have children") all summer long. It's a good, evening "ipod and cold drink" sort of thing to do.