Flowers from the florist! A gift box is always a delightful surprise and the moment of its opening is fraught with eager anticipation of colorful beauty and cool fragrance. The selected group we buy bespeaks a need fulfilled, either that of decorating for a party or simply satisfying the inner urge to enjoy flowers.
Since, on these occasions, so much pleasure lies before us, why not see to it that the loveliness which flowers add to our surroundings is made to last as long as possible? Too frequently these sometimes sturdy and often weary travelers are simply thrust into vases and never given any further attention until it is time to throw them out.
When I say travelers I mean just that. Many times I handle chrysanthemums from California, gladiolus from Florida or even lilacs from Holland. Arriving at their initial destination, the wholesaler's, they are plunged in water and kept at a cool temperature until bought by the retailer. He in turn may have to hold them several days in his ice box before they are sold, perhaps to you. In this case, cut the stems again immediately and deep soak them in a cool place three or four hours before placing in vases. Over night is often better. This I call "life insurance."
Too frequently the cool, crisp perfection of flowers as they come out of the florists' ice box is lost on contact with the warm, close air of our heated homes. If the stem ends have sealed over and the flowers cannot draw up water, their heads will naturally droop.
The next time you receive gift roses, notice if the stem ends are discolored.
If so, this is a sign that re-cutting is necessary. Roses will be greatly benefited by having their bottom leaves and thorns stripped off as this will also allow greater water absorption. Should they fail to hold up their heads upon arrival, try placing them in water as hot as your hand will stand. If the roses are reasonably fresh this hot water treatment will start the plant juices moving again and through the newly cut stem ends they will start drinking once more. In several hours time they should perk up.
One point to remember is not to be fooled into thinking that packaged formulas will revive limp flowers. They are meant solely for the initial soaking period and if so used are truly beneficial in adding to the life span of roses, carnations and snapdragons.
There are many little things we can do to our florist flowers to make them last longer. Snapdragons, for instance, must always be stripped of their lower leaves. This foliage is "soft" and breaks down quickly under water so that bacterial decay sets in. The water soon becomes discolored and foul smelling. These particular flowers have a very useful tendency to bend up towards the light so that if we buy very stiff straight ones we can coax them into curves by soaking them overnight at an angle.
Methods of Handling
With lilies remember to remove the pollen. Usually the florist does this to prevent the petals from staining. Do the same with the new buds as they open at home. The two hardiest florist flowers, the chrysanthemum and gladiolus, are naturally long lasting and seldom temperamental. Simply re-cut their stems and they are ready to arrange.
Daily care and grooming will pay dividends. Keep the vases full by adding water of room temperature. If containers have wide openings or are of the low, shallow type, it will not be necessary to change the water completely and thus disarrange the grouping. Discolored foliage and withered blooms should, of course, be removed.
If you place a bouquet near a breezy window or on a table beside a hot air radiator, very rapid transpiration will take place and the flowers will never hold up as well as when kept where it is cool and free from drafts.
After tending to the life-span of the flowers, the next step is to display them to the best advantage. All flowers look best when combined with green foliage, for that is the way they grow. Unfortunately, some must be cut without their own foliage. Carnations, gerberas, sweet peas and anemones are among those which arrive in market bare stemmed. Snapdragon foliagea or dracaena fragrans massangeana is neither distinctive nor of good substance and that of chrysanthemums will turn yellow long before the flowers begin to fade.
Knowing this, florists add "greens" to the flowers, using material that is plentiful and inexpensive. Years ago, asparagus fern was commonly used for this purpose. Now it is huckleberry, laurel or lemon leaves. By paying a little more, however, you can buy more interesting and desirable foliage materials, since flower arrangers have been incessant in their demands for them.
Author Resource:
Find out more as Thomas Fryd shares his experiences on landscaping and gardens at http://www.plant-care.com. Get cleared up on dracaena fragrans massangeana .
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