KEEPING CUT FLOWERS FRESH

Evening Star, Issue 19781, 3 February 1928, Page 6

KEEPING CUT FLOWERS FRESH

There are many ways iu which the life of cut flowers can be lengthened considerably—a not unimportant consideration for those who like flowers, but have to study economy. Flowers purchased from a florist should be placed iu water to which a pinch of carbonate of soda has been previously added and stirred. Instead of beginning to wilt in three or four days or less, the flowers, if in good condition when bought will last- for ten days or a fortnight. The requisite amount of fresh water should be added daily, and every third day a complete new supply of carbonated water. If bought flowers do not look very fresh the ends of the stalks should be snipped off and the latter dipped into hot—not boilingwater for ten minutes. Tho effect is really wonderful. The flowers can then be transferred into carbonated water. If flowers sent by post arrive drooping they will usually revive if entirely immersed in water for an hour and then set to stand in a cool, dark place. When they have drained, place them in vases or bowls and add not more than three drops of sal volatile to tho water. Transfer them the next day to carbonated water. Post-sent flowers, it may be added, wopuld always arrive fresh if the stalks were inserted in little pieces of potato. Many people cannot understand why, although they never fail to keep the water in a vase or bowl at a certain level, the flowers droop and die. The reason is that flowers not only absorb a certain amount of water, but extract the “nourishment” from the rest. ■Thus a full vase may be practically useless water so far as the flowers are concerned. The obvious course is to renew all the water at least every other day. Some stalks, when cut, seal themselves. Apart from woody stalks, such as those of chrysanthemums, this closing or sealing process may be undone if the stalk ends are deliberately bruised by a tap or so with a small hammer. The water can then mount into the stalk. Flowers thus treated, and put in carbonated water, have lasted for five weeks. Many cut flowers, by the way, are suffocated by not being removed when a room is being swept. The coating of dust prevents them, literally, from breathing.