Preparing Cut Flowers and Foliage

• When harvesting take a container of water around the garden and plunge freshly cut flowers into it immediately.
• Recut all stems at an angle with a sharp knife as you arrange them. This increases the area of stem that can take up water and also prevents a stem from sealing itself to the bottom of a vase and thus stopping water being taken up.
• Allow flowers to draw in water in a cool dark place for several hours prior to arranging.
• Remove any damaged or excess foliage and any that will be below the water line when arranged.
• Lilac and Sunflowers benefit from having all the foliage removed.

Ten Tips for Prolonging Vase Life

• Harvest early in the morning or just after sundown never in the heat of the day.
• If using Oasis scrape of 1-3 inches of outer bark from woody stems.
• Woody stems can be split vertically for 2-3 inches to help them drink. Do not hammer.
• Change the water when it starts to cloud, recutting the stems.
• Use a preservative in the water except for species where this causes problems like Campanulas, Bulb flowers, Orchids and naturally long lived tropical flowers.
• Keep cool and out of direct sunlight.
• Once in place avoid disturbing flowers which is apt to cause bruising.
• Avoid draughts and dry air.
• Certain flowers and blossoms carry a large amount of foliage in proportion to flower. Remove some foliage particulalry for Lilacs and Philadelphus.
• Avoid a vase or vessel that warms the water.

Avoid Ethylene

• Fruit and vegetables give off ethylene gas that acts like a trigger for decay and death. The more ethylene the faster the decay.
• Flowers last longer with no or less ethylene around so keep them away from mature fruit.
• Do not store in a refrigerator with food particularly fruit.
• If mixing fruit and flowers in a display make it airy and open so the ethylene is not concentrated. Also expect the display to go over more rapidly.
• Avoid damaged flowers and leaves as even this decay produces ethylene.
• Bacteria and fungus produces ethylene so keep everything clean.

Homemade Floral Preservatives

• 14 Ounce of clear lemonade not the diet variety.
• 14 Ounces of tepid water
• A tablespoon of bleach
• Mix well until the bubbles have all gone. Use for conditioning, normal vase water and topping up water levels.

Copper from an old penny, vinegar, lemon juice and aspirin have some preservative effect as they are all acidic.

Grow Your Own Cut Flowers with Sarah Raven

‘Grow Your Own Cut Flowers is for the flower arranger who wants to grow their own flowers, but has never gardened before, and for the gardener who knows how to grow their own flowers, but wants ideas to fill their house with their harvest’ Amazon
To grow a generic mix of flowers for arrangements and bouquets check out Thompson & Morgan