“Dirty flowers” refer to a small group of flowers that are known to turn their vase water yellow and murky very quickly after arranging them in a vase of fresh water.
To sear a stem: Hold the bottom 1-2 inches of the stem in boiling water for 10 seconds, then place it in cool water. Searing the stem seals the end to prevent the flower from losing vital nutrients that will keep it alive longer in the vase Some stems should be seared with flame or boiling waterĪs strange as it sounds, some flowers, such as poppies, need to have their stem seared to last more than a couple of hours in the vase. If the stem stays stiff as you wiggle it, it’s ready to cut.įlowers that need to pass the wiggle test:Ģ. If the flower flops from side to side, it’s too immature. Hold the stem a few inches below the flower and wiggle it back and forth. The wiggle test is a surefire test to know if a flower is ready to cut. Zinnias and statice are prime examples of flowers that need to be fully open before cutting. Once this happens, there’s no saving the flower. Just a few hours after arranging your flowers, you’ll see the flowers start to droop over.
If picked too young, these flowers will have weak necks that won’t support the flower head for long. Some flowers need to be fully open to last long in the vase.
Cut certain flowers when they’re fully open Some prefer to be at the “crack stage” when the petals are just peeking through others need to be fully open to prevent them from drooping over in the vase. And although it sounds bizarre, some stems benefit from a little heat post-harvest. Extra tips to get the longest vase life from your flowersĮach cut flower has an optimal time to cut and handle it. The information in the table above is based on my own experience and learning from professional flower farmers, such as Erin Benzakein’s books, and as a graduate of Lisa Mason Ziegler’s flower farming school. This table gives the general guidelines for when to harvest cut flowers, how long they’ll last, and if they’ll benefit from a floral preservative. Sear stemsĬut when just starting to open or fully openĬut when just beginning to open or fully openĬut as foliage with firm stems or with developed flowersĬut when beginning open or set seed pods. Once the green bells form along the stalkĬut when fully open, but before seed setsĬut when beginning to open or fully open.
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