Dead heading Rhododendrons.

Rhododendrons are spectacular flowering trees and shrubs but now most of them have finished flowering, it may be beneficial to dead head them so that resources are put into new growth and flower bud production rather than seeds.

This is useful for young plants that are establishing themselves, the time and effort needed to dead head large specimens is seldom worth the effort. 
Do not use snippers, knives and secateurs to dead head, just locate the point of weakness just below the faded group of flowers and gently break it with your fingers. This will protect the delicate growth buds that surround the old flower head. These can be so easily damaged by the use of secateurs. 

  The first picture shows an old flower cluster that needs removing and the second shows the same cluster that has been snapped off using fingers. If you look carefully, you will see three growth buds just below the break. These could have been so easily damaged by secateurs. 
It is a good time to look for buds that have been attacked by the fungal disease 'Bud Blast'. These do not open, turn brown and eventually the buds are covered in small black bristles of the fungal pathogen. Remove and burn affected buds to prevent infection of healthy buds.