Cut Flowers

Southland Times, Issue 23308, 18 September 1937, Page 17

Cut Flowers

HINTS TO LENGTHEN THEIR LIVES Flowers need not represent a great household expense, because the cheapest varieties are often the most charming and effective. Moreover, a little care will always make them last very nearly twice as long as most people expect them to. The first essential is always to cut the stems before arranging blooms in water. It enables them to drink. Most people know this, but few of them realize that the cutting should be done diagonally, not straight (the latter method will often cause wilting). One

reason for this may be that the diagonal cut offers so much more barkless space through which they can absorb moisture.

The water must be kept clean, preferably being changed every day, in spite of the superstition that cut flowers should never be disturbed for water-changing. A crystal of permanganate of potash is the best thing for keeping the water pure if daily changing is impracticable. Or, failing that, a piece of charcoal may be dropped into

the vases. But no flowers will long survive in impure water, and fallen leaves and petals, which quickly poison it, should always be removed at once. Roses may be kept from their usual habit of speedily wilting if, every night, they are removed from their vases and either left floating in a bathtub full of cold water, or thrust head downward into a tai’, jug of water. This is a florists’ trick, which is also beneficial to both maidenhair and asparagus

Orchids responded particularly well to this treatment, and, as they can be made to last for weeks, it is worth practising on them. The one annoying habit of tulips—that of developing curves—may be altogether prevented by wrapping the whole bunch of them in newspaper every night, and thrusting the parcel deep into a bucket. The■ paper, like the flowers, absorbs the water and straightens the stems. The reign of carnations can be extended if they are kept in water in which a teaspoonful of boric acid to a gallon of water has been dissolved.