When you pour your heart into growing a garden full of gorgeous flowers, it can be tough to think about cutting them.
It shouldn’t be, said Harriet McMillan, horticulture specialist with Echter’s Nursery & Garden Center in Arvada.
“I think flowers are meant to be cut and enjoyed in the home,” she said. “They’re beautiful out in the garden, but bring some of them in.”
Besides, a little flower power could be just what the doctor ordered. A fresh bouquet can brighten a mood, as well as a room, according to a study by Rutgers University and the Society of American Florists. But before you go wielding those garden shears, do a little digging. The way you cut, gather and care for your bounty can make a big difference.
Water is key, of course, and not just inside the vase.
Horticulturists say to be sure the plants you harvest are thoroughly hydrated the day before you cut them, plunged into a bucket with water (rather than a dry basket or bag) the second they’re snipped, and never cut during the hottest part of the day.
“(Flowers) are just like us. We say, ‘Man, it’s too hot, I don’t want to move.’ They feel the same way,” said Kaz Yamazaki, owner of Mr. K’s Floral Design School of Denver in Littleton. He recommends cutting flowers early in the morning or after sundown. “During the summertime, cutting them in midafternoon is not a good idea.”
Another not-so-good idea? Using a dull tool for clipping. Whatever your choppers of choice — scissors, shears, pruners or knives — make sure they’re sharp. Cutting with a dull knife can crush a flower’s stem, making it more difficult to absorb the water it needs. And slicing stems on a slight diagonal is better than straight across.
“When you have an angle, you have a wider expanse of tissue there that is exposed,” McMillan said. “That would create a little more water uptake.”
Stems should be cut long, too, so there’s room to make a fresh, rejuvenating slice every few days. And some flowers do better when they’re snipped while their buds are still closed.
“They’ll open in the vase, so you get a little more time with them,” said Krystal Keistler, Echter’s area manager for indoor plants and annuals.
The type of vase you choose for your burgeoning buds has little to do with how long they last. But, whatever the container — plastic, metal, ceramic or glass — it should be spotless, since dirt left inside can breed bacteria. Glass vases have a glamorous side; they look striking when sunlight streams through them. And transparent vessels make it easier to monitor the water’s level and cleanliness, said floral designer David Schuemaker of Newberry Brothers Greenhouse & Florist in Denver.
It’s best to change an arrangement’s water at least every other day, Schuemaker said, and it’s important to keep it foliage-free. “When water starts getting yucky and slimy,” he said, “that’s what shortens the life of the flower.”
Overlooking the importance of light and temperature can make flowers fade faster, too. Arrangements fare better when exposed to indirect light, not scorching sun.
And most flowers last longer when placed in a cool spot in water that’s lukewarm, not cold. The combination makes water molecules move faster and boosts hydration.
And those plastic packets of “flower food” that come with store-bought blossoms? Don’t toss them! Plopping pennies or aspirin or pouring a dash of sugary 7-Up into the water is said to add acidity or act as a food or fungicide — the stuff fresh-cut flowers need. But experts say that no homemade concoction is as good as the life-lengthening mix of ingredients in prepackaged preservers.
“We get really annoyed at the home remedies,” McMillan said, “because horticulture is a science, and there is a science behind it.”
Following the right formula can push cut flowers to their full potential, but some varieties are likely to outlast others no matter what. Mums, carnations and gladiolas, for example, can hang onto their petals more than twice as long as irises and gerbera daisies.
Horticulturists suggest experimenting with multiple types of plants, vases, methods of care and display locales to decide what works best for the flowers in your own garden.
“The more you do it, the more you will want to do it and the more you will learn from doing it,” McMillan said. Whatever you do, she added, “cut those flowers and use those flowers. You want to maximize your enjoyment.”
Consider design a form of your own expression
Mastering the art of floral design takes much time, effort and commitment, but creating an arrangement that makes you smile calls only for motivation.
“Let’s put it this way,” said Kaz Yamazaki, owner of Mr. K’s Floral Design School of Denver. “How many artists win awards? Some artists are geniuses; they are very good at it. Some are not very good at it, but they’re still artists. Everyone can do” flower arranging.
Color, shape, proportion, balance and depth are some of the basic principles of floral design, but professionals use myriad techniques and criteria to make their arrangements as appealing as possible. Every flower has a front and back, for example, and in many cases, only an experienced eye can tell the difference.
Beyond the nuts and bolts of floral design are basic differences in style.
Ikebana, the ancient art of Japanese flower arranging, for example, focuses on the beauty of individual blooms, limits the types of plants used in a single arrangement and has a linear look. European design, on the other hand, uses a greater variety of flowers with contrasting colors and textures, and emphasizes shapes that are thicker and fuller.
Novice designers should consider flower arranging a form of personal expression, follow their instincts and be willing to think outside the vase, allowing their arrangements to illustrate their individualism and creativity.
Yamazaki, who has taught floral design for more than 30 years, challenges students with a mental exercise before they begin to work on a display. He encourages them to imagine they’re on top of a mountain looking down at plants growing in a natural setting.
Amateur designers who arrange flowers for pure personal pleasure can adopt the same advice, keep it simple and let their personal sense of beauty lead the way.
“Don’t think too much,” Yamazaki said. “The bottom line is that you have to love it.”
—Lisa Chinn
