Tips for Cutting Flowers from your Garden

It's summer. The flowers in your garden are in full bloom! Why not cut them and display them inside your home? Fresh cut flowers from the garden is one of the many rewards for gardeners. Just about any flower from your garden from annuals to perennials can be used as a cut flower.

General guidelines to keep your cut flowers fresher longer:

• It's best to cut the flowers early in the morning when flowers are the most hydrated
• To prolong the life of cut flowers, cut them when the blooms are in bud, but showing colour
• Use sharp shears when cutting flowers, preferably from healthy plants (disease and pest free)
• Have a container of water close by. Once cut, immerse stems immediately to get rid of ants and other insects
• Once inside, recut the stems on an angle and place the flowers in warm water- flower food mixture immediately
• Remove the any foliage that will be submerged in water. Rotting leaves will contaminate the water and shorten the life span of your flowers
• Change the water in the vase on a regular basis and recut stems if flowers start to wilt

 

For certain varieties of cut flowers:

• Some flowers like poppies and spurges ooze a milky sap once cut; seal the ends with a flame or dip in very hot water for a few seconds
• Daffodils should be placed in a vase of its own as it emits a substance that can kill other flowers
• Sweet peas, pansies and primroses shouldn't be spray with water, as this can disfigure the petals
• Lilies should have their stamens removed to prevent stains
• Woody flowering stems like lilacs and azaleas should have all their foliage removed, so that sufficient water can reach the flower head
• Carnations and pinks should be cut between nodes; water cannot be absorbed if the nodes are cut