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Cut Flowers

Cut Flowers 003-230x153Ever wonder how florists get their flowers to last so long? Here’s a few tips that will help you to keep your cut flowers longer. Pick fresh young blooms just as they open whenever possible. The ideal here is to pick blossoms freshened with morning dew; next best is early evening.

But this ideal time to pick is highly dependent on the day. The idea is to cut blooms with the highest levels of moisture and water-borne minerals retained in the stems. For this reason commercial growers will sometimes liquid feed a crop the day before harvesting the cut flowers.

Once cut remove most if not all foliage because the leaves will evaporate stem moisture into the air bleeding the bloom to an early death. The way you cut the stems has a lot to do with how long your prize blooms will last, too.

As a general rule firm, thick, fleshy stems like lily, gladioli, daffodil, anemone, tulip, snapdragon, polyanthus, etc. should be cut on a slant to allow maximum water to enter the stem.

Recut these stems frequently taking off a few centimeters each time to keep the water and food flowing up the stem and feeding the next buds to open.

Hardwood stems like viburnum, lilac, hydrangea, spirea, philadelphus(mock orange), tree peony, roses, spring fruit tree blossom, etc. should have the bottom 3-5cm scraped and/or crushed then plunged in 4-5cm of near boiling water for a few minutes. This seals the stems, locking in the stem minerals that the flower will live on for the remainder of its life.

Some flowers have a milky sap that is a true latex, sort of a raw rubber. This sap bleeds out quickly in water and, the flower quickly perishes. To stop this, burn or scald the stem ends immediately on picking. Re-scald if the stems are recut. Flowers with latex sap include: poinsettia, oleander, euphorbia, mandevilla and poppies.

Other flowers that respond well to their stem ends being boiled or scalded for a few minutes to seal in minerals include: aquilegia, aster, canterbury bells, chrysanthemum, dahlia, delphinium, foxglove, gaillardia, iris, stock and zinnia.

Once the stems are properly cut and prepared, stand in deep water up to the neck of the flower for at least a few hours. You can further enhance the flowers life span by adding the tiniest pinch of soluble plant food or Chrysal to this water in which the flower arrangement actually stands.

The flowers will absorb this nutrient solution through the stem wall, further enriching the bloom and prolonging it’s life. A pinch of sugar or epsom salts is an old fashioned substitute.

Also try adding a tiny spot of bleach or disinfectant to kill water-borne bacteria that causes stem rot which will block stems making flowers wilt and die quickly. At first sign of stem rot recut the stems at least 3cm above the affected stem.

Once the flowers have been arranged, place them in a bright, well ventilated room where temperatures remain comfortable to cool. Avoid excessive heat or direct sunlight which will perish blooms prematurely.

It’s all worth the effort because well prepared and cared for blooms can often outlive their neighbours left in the garden to weather the elements!

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About us

dale-john 01-100x66 Dale Harvey and John Newton met in Melbourne Aust. in 1981. Since then they both men have supported each others careers while also building and maintaining their own. Read about how they were able to turn their joint careers into one and creating a dream of a better world starting in their own local community.

Media & Publications

host daffodils-100x66The following articles are a small part of the many published editorials on or about both Dale Harvey and John Newton.

Plus the property affectionately nick named by the people of New Zealand, as the
"Quarter Acre” Paradise gardens.

Awards & Credits

HOPE Trust-100x66This is a collection of Appreciation Certificates, Local and Overseas Awards with Acknowledgments presented to Dale Harvey and John Newton over the many years of their joint careers.
Plus the Launch and Registration
of The H.O.P.E. Trust
The Healing of Planet Earth.

Contact Us

Quarter Acrea Paradise
23 Vine Street
Mangere East 2024
Auckland New Zealand

Text: 0274720700
 
Tel: +61 9 276 4827
 
Email: info@daleharvey.com 
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