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Make
the Most of Your Cut Flowers
Flowers are in full-bloom
and now it is time to show them off. Here are some harvest and care
tips to prolong the life of cut flowers.
Harvest:
Always harvest with sharp scissors or a knife so that the capillaries,
which help soak up water, remain in tact. Harvest in the morning
when flowers have high water content so that they won’t wilt.
Immediately plunge them into very clean container filled with warm
water (at least 70F).
Transition to the
Vase:
Before you transfer the flowers into a very clean vase, cut the
stems at a sharp angle underwater (this increases surface area)
to urge water uptake. Woody stems, like peonies and lilacs, should
be scraped a few times with a sharp tool vertically and criss-crossed
at the bottom of the stems. Salvias, flowers that exude a milk,
should be put in boiling water for 1 minute and the end of the stem
should be charred. All leaves that touch the waterline should be
removed because their decay will likely breed stem-clogging bacteria.
In Their New Home:
Just like you need to eat, so do your flowers. Many people buy flower-food
from the florist, but the recipe is amazingly easy – just a
teaspoon of sugar (for glucose) and bleach (for fungicide) to a
gallon of water. Changing the water and food often is also an important
weapon against exponentially breeding bacteria (aka. scum), which
shorten a flower’s lifespan. To optimize their lifespan, place
flowers in a cool place, away from direct sunlight, heat, air ducts,
and violently curious animals. Also, unsealed fresh fruits and vegetables
spawn the nemesis of flowers: ethylene gas. So, keep them away if
possible.
If you follow these instructions
carefully, you will be able to indulge in nature’s take-home
peep show twice as long as before. (Does that mean you now only
need half the flowers in your garden?)
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