Asters and rudbeckias dead head or not?

I had goldfinches and bullfinches on the v.bon seeds last year.

 

Bullfinches @Escarpment ! I've only ever seen one in my whole life! And yet I saw flocks of waxwings and fieldfares when I lived in the east midlands.

 

It was actually the end of January this year, looking at my photos. So worth leaving your seed heads on! Sadly I didn't have any Verb Bon come up this year, will have to buy some new plants for next year.

 

I always do cuttings of V.bon @Escarpment , to ensure I have new plants. They often don't make it through winter here, so it's the most reliable way to keep them going, although the changing climate means I've been getting some managing to survive if they're up against the house wall or similar.
They don't self seed easily here either because the conditions don't suit, but I removed raised bed this spring, and used the contents for mulching etc around the garden. There must have been seed in there, surviving under plants, and the hot spring meant I had loads of new plants popping up everywhere!