Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Flower Cutting
The flowers in your garden serve so many purposes. They attract bees and butterflies to pollinate.
They can repel the harmful bugs. Some are edible. All are beautiful. Beauty fades, as we all know,
but there are things you can do to make it last just a bit longer. To help cut flowers last longer,
keep in mind that they are now only getting nutrients to stay alive from the water you put them in.
Maximize that nutrition, and you'll extend their life span. There are a few factors that go into this.
Carefully selected flowers can make stunning arrangements for gifts, crafts, or simply visually freshening up
a space.
(Photo courtesy of Steve Swayne)
Flower health.
A healthy flower is going to last longer than an unhealthy one no matter how you
slice it (pun pretty much intended). So along with being careful cutting the stem and the environ-
ment you keep it in, you also need to be selective about the flowers you cut, and then preserve their
integrity after doing so. For example, a rose's thorns must be kept intact for the rose to thrive.
Single-stemmed flowers, like daisies, should be fully open when you cut them. If there are multiple
flowers on a stem, such as snapdragons, at least one should be bloomed and one closed. If they are
all tightly closed, they won't likely bloom in the water. If they are all open, they will not last long.
Morning is best for cutting, before flowers are dehydrated in the afternoon.
Stems.
A healthy stem makes a healthy flower. If you hack away at the stem with a dull blade or
serrated edge, the vascular system will not be strong enough to support it. Cut at a diagonal angle
with a sharp blade. Even after they are in the vase, trim periodically to give them a fresh place to
drink. The angled cut helps it stand up in the vase and expose a broad area of the stem to water.
