After months of planting, watering and weeding, sometimes the best thing you can do is stop working and enjoy what you’ve grown.
Cut a few flowers. Gather some interesting foliage. Bring everything inside and create something that makes you smile.
Whether your bouquet comes from your garden or our You-Pick flower field, these simple steps can help it stay fresh longer.
Cut During the Coolest Part of the Day
Early morning is usually the best time to cut flowers because the plants have had all night to take up moisture. Evening can also work once the temperature cools.
Avoid cutting during the hottest part of the afternoon, when flowers are more likely to wilt.
Choose healthy blooms and use clean, sharp snips. For zinnias, gently wiggle the stem just below the flower. If the stem feels firm, it’s ready. If it bends easily, let it keep growing a little longer. Michelle demonstrates this test in her video.
Bring Water Into the Garden
Carry a clean bucket of water and place stems into it as soon as you cut them. Don’t leave fresh flowers sitting in the sun while you continue gathering.
Cut stems longer than you think you’ll need. You can always shorten them when you begin arranging.
Condition the Stems
Before placing flowers in a vase:
- Recut the bottom of each stem.
- Remove damaged leaves and petals.
- Strip away every leaf that would sit below the waterline.
- Place the stems into clean water right away.
Leaves left underwater begin to break down and encourage bacteria, which can shorten the life of the bouquet.
Woody shrub stems may need a little extra help. Choose flexible new growth when possible, then make a short slit or gently crush the bottom of the stem so it can take up water more easily.
Don’t Forget the Foliage
You don’t need dozens of flowers to create a full arrangement. Fresh shrub growth, ferns, herbs, grasses, branches and seed heads can add shape, height and texture.
In
Playing in the Garden—Foraging & Creating, Michelle gathers flowers and foliage from around the garden and turns them into several relaxed, natural arrangements. Her approach is simple: use what you have, step back occasionally and keep adjusting until you like what you see.
Enjoy What You’ve Grown
Cut a bouquet for your kitchen table, leave one on a friend’s porch or gather a bucket during our You-Pick Experience and create something of your own.
And when you’d rather leave the arranging to the professionals, stop into
Stems Floral & More. Our floral team can create a fresh arrangement for your home, a gift or any occasion.
The Landscape Connection
4472 S. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61109
(815) 874-8733
www.TheLandscapeConnection.net
