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CUT FLOWER CARE & ARRANGING
Proper care and handling is essential to achieving the maximum vase life of your cut flowers. Here are a few tips to help ensure you'll enjoy your HOMEGROWN beauties for the maximum amount of time possible.
1.
First thing's first - prep your container. Always start with clean tools and a clean container. Avoiding bacteria is the name of the game, as it will cause the arrangement to wilt and die off sooner. Gather the flowers, greenery, branches, and any special touches you’d like to use. Clean your vessel with soap and water then rinse well. Fill with clean, lukewarm water at least 3/4 full. To your water, add either floral preservative according to the instructions or a drop, and I mean a drop, of liquid bleach.
Photos Courtesty of Visit Vortex Magazine Fall 2017
With tape, create a grid or pound symbol (#) across the top of your container. Go around the rim of your container with tape as well, to hold your grid in place.
2.
Strip & Snip. Remove the packaging from your bouquet and recycle. Using sharp pruning shears or a knife, cut at least 1" from the bottoms of your stems. Remove any foliage that will fall below the water line once your stems are submerged.
Begin with your greenery and longer, wispier pieces, such as huckleberry greens and silver dollar eucalyptus (pictured). Rotate your container as you work, creating a greenery frame for the rest of your arrangement to be built upon.
3.
Arrange It- Begin adding your structural flowers, such as Snapdragons and fill in with shorter focal flowers.
Continue rotating and building as you work. Rotating the container allows you a view of how the arrangement is coming along, and will also guide you to where your next piece should be added.
Lastly, add “air” to your arrangement, with taller, wispy pieces that move as you pass and float above the rest of the arrangement. Grasses and tall, light foliage works well here. Give it one last spin and fill in any voids with a little filler and VOILA! You're DONE!
4.
Maintain It. Make sure you keep your arrangement out of direct sunlight and away from heat registers. It's also important to change the water out every 2-3 days and trim the stems each with each water change. Finally, make sure to keep your bouquet away from ripening fruits and veggies as they emit an odorless and harmless-to-humans yet deadly to plants ethylene gas which will lead to certain, premature death of your masterpiece.
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