THE CARE OF CUT FLOWERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23829, 8 June 1939, Page 19

THE CARE OF CUT FLOWERS

Most women, even if they do not care to work in the garden, like to arrange flowers in the home, for that is a task that gives them ,a chance to express their individuality. Many, however, do not study the art of preserving flowers as long as possible when they are cut, and are surprised when their lovely blooms wilt almost as soon as they are gathered. Flowers, in almost every instance, should be picked as early in the morning as possible, especially in the summer months. One exception is the nasturtium, which should not be picked till after sunset. When cutting flowers use a sharp knife rather than scissors, for scissisrs tend to close up the stems, thereby hindering them from aborbing water. Cut hardwood stems on the slant, as it gives a large surface for taking in water. If hard stems are also bruised or split this will help to prolong their life. Such flowers as cyclamens, daffodils, hyacinths, lily of the valley, violets, etc., should be pulled by hand the full length of the stalk All flowers should be put into water as soon as they are picked, and if they are not being arranged at once they shoum be put into a large bucket of water, preferably with the chill off (especially vn winter) right up to their necks. ! Daffodils should be picked when the flowers are young, and allowed to mature in water. Both daffodils and narcissi should stand in water for an hour or two, and then have a portion of the stem cut off before being arranged in the vases. This takes away the mucus which soon pollutes the water if left in the stems. Long-stemmed tulips which are inclined to droop should be immersed

In lukewarm water the length of the stem for a while. When arranging, the flowers should have the foliage stripped off up to the point of immersion, especially such flowers as stocks, wallflowers, etc., which pollute the water quickly and give it a nasty odour. Some flowers are bad mixers and poison others. A few examples are forget-me-nots, mignonette, poppy and stock. If any of these have to be mixed with other -flowers, use them sparingly, and renew the water frequently, washing the stems of the flowers in warm water. Iris and poppies should hive the ends of the stems burnt as soon as cut, and hydrangeas should have several inches of stem scraped, then burnt at the ends. , . , . ~ People with sensitive skins should wear gloves when picking and handling daffodils or primulas. The juice of the daffodils and the hairy leaves and stalks of the primulas often set up severe skin irritation. Flowers will not last long if placed on a mantelshelf when a fire is burning, or in a window which has the sun’s rays directly on it. .... A severe draught is equally injurious to them. If they are kept in warm rooms during the day, remove them at night to a cool place. Some flowers soon give the water they are placed m an unpleasant smell. The water can be kept sweet by adding a little charcoal to it. The water in the vases should be changed every day, and if the flower stems are slimy they should be rinsed well unded the tap before being put back into the vases, and a small piece should be cut off the end, especially of woody stems. Narrow-necked vases, besides being difficult to clean, very often hold too little water, and are therefore unsuitable, except, perhaps, for a single specimen flower. A wide-mouthed vase or bowl with a good, firm base is ideal whether tall or short. If tall, the flowers are easily arranged without any “ aid ” such as a perforated glass holder. Crumpled wire netting makes a splendid “aid," as the stems are easily arranged in it, and it keeps them upright. Simple earthenware vases look better than elaborate ones of cut glass or silver, and glass vases should never bo used for flowers that have ugly stems. An eminent florist in London who does floral decorations for Mayfair’s exclusive houses gives almost as much though to the receptacles as she does to the flowers themselves, and she is noted for her charming and lovely ideas. One particular decoration is a plain brown wicker basket with a tin lining to fit inside. This is filled with daffodils (crumpled netting holds them in position), arranged with their own leaves springing from a bed of moss. It does not need much imagination to realise how lovely such a decoration will be.