Materials Needed
- stem-cutting shears or sharp pruners
- pail
- vase
- 1 cup regular 7-Up
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon household bleach
Step 1: Cut Flowers
Some of the best and most widely adopted annual cut flowers with the longest vase life include alstroemeria, aster, celosia, cosmos, gypsophila, lavatera, rudbeckia, scabiosa, snapdragon, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnia (pictured). It’s best to cut flowers in your garden in the morning before the dew has dried, or in the early evening. With stem-cutting shears or sharp pruners, snip above a node or dormant bud to spur new blooms. Put stems in a pail of lukewarm water as you cut them. Tip: Flowers with hollow stems do not have a long vase life.
Step 2: Recut Stems
Once indoors, recut stems on a slant under water to eliminate air bubbles that block the uptake of food and water. Certain types of flowers (including celosia, sunflower, and zinnia) benefit from scalding the stem ends in boiling water for 20 seconds or over a candle flame to stop nutrient-rich sap from oozing. To prevent decay, remove bruised leaves and foliage below the water line.
Step 3: Condition Flowers
Condition flowers several hours before arranging. Rest stems in lukewarm water in a cool, dark place so they can absorb water.
Step 4: Arrange Flowers
Arrange conditioned flowers in a vase of warm (110 degrees F) water. To slow aging, place the vase in a well-ventilated cool place (as low as 38 degrees F). Don’t store flowers near unsealed fruits and vegetables, which produce ethylene, a gas that hastens to ripen, or in the case of flowers, aging.
Step 5: Add Water
Fresh-cut flowers have enough stored sugars to survive in a vase, but if you would like to add a preservative, try a homemade version. Tests have found commercial floral preservatives to be less effective than the following formula; the sugar in the 7-Up provides energy for the flowers, and the bleach controls bacteria. Simply mix together 1 cup regular 7-Up, 1 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon household bleach. If you need more liquid, just increase the amounts proportionately.
if you want a professional to help you with wedding flower preservation, click here to book your slot.