[Pete E. Kruzer[_2_]]

Florists are damn stingy with those little packets of "preservative"
they give you with cut flowers.
What is that powder? And most important, is there a good preservative
that you can make at home?

[Bill who putters]

In article
,
"Pete E. Kruzer" wrote:

Florists are damn stingy with those little packets of "preservative"
they give you with cut flowers.
What is that powder? And most important, is there a good preservative
that you can make at home?

http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemis...cutflowers.htm

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
What use one more wake up call?
globalvoicesonline.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY

[David E. Ross[_2_]]

On 8/2/10 5:24 AM, Pete E. Kruzer wrote:
Florists are damn stingy with those little packets of "preservative"
they give you with cut flowers.
What is that powder? And most important, is there a good preservative
that you can make at home?

Start with a clean vase. Scrub away any crud that dried on from its
last use. Then fill the vase with fresh water.

Cut the flowers early in the morning. Carry a bucket of water as you go
through your garden, putting the cut stems into the water.

Fill your kitchen sink with about 3 inches of water. Working with one
stem at a time, hold the cut end under water and remove another inch at
an angle. Keep the fresh cut under water for at least 10 seconds. When
you remove the stem from the sink, you should see a drop of water
hanging from the cut. Immediately place the stem in the vase.

Every second day, remove the flowers from the vase. Change the water in
the vase. Repeat the cutting in the kitchen sink, removing another inch
of stem while it is under water.

This does NOT work with certain flowers. Dahlias and plants with milky
sap need to have the cut ends of their stems singed. Use either a gas
range or a large candle.

Of course, there are plants whose flowers just are not intended for cut
bouquets. Among them are several varieties of florabunda roses (e.g.,
'Iceberg').

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

[Thdaoub]

Originally Posted by David E. Ross[_2_]

On 8/2/10 5:24 AM, Pete E. Kruzer wrote:
Florists are damn stingy with those little packets of "preservative"
they give you with cut flowers.
What is that powder? And most important, is there a good preservative
that you can make at home?

Start with a clean vase. Scrub away any crud that dried on from its
last use. Then fill the vase with fresh water.

Cut the flowers early in the morning. Carry a bucket of water as you go
through your garden, putting the cut stems into the water.

Fill your kitchen sink with about 3 inches of water. Working with one
stem at a time, hold the cut end under water and remove another inch at
an angle. Keep the fresh cut under water for at least 10 seconds. When
you remove the stem from the sink, you should see a drop of water
hanging from the cut. Immediately place the stem in the vase.

Every second day, remove the flowers from the vase. Change the water in
the vase. Repeat the cutting in the kitchen sink, removing another inch
of stem while it is under water.

This does NOT work with certain flowers. Dahlias and plants with milky
sap need to have the cut ends of their stems singed. Use either a gas
range or a large candle.

Of course, there are plants whose flowers just are not intended for cut
bouquets. Among them are several varieties of florabunda roses (e.g.,
'Iceberg').

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at David Ross's Garden Diary -- Current

Aha, tthere're all detials, thanks a lot, I learn so much from you, and it's useful for me!

[Pete E. Kruzer[_2_]]

On Aug 2, 9:30*am, Bill who putters wrote:


http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemis...cutflowers.htm

--
Thanks for the chemistry site. Very interesting.

[songbird[_2_]]

David E. Ross wrote:
Pete E. Kruzer wrote:

Florists are damn stingy with those little packets of "preservative"
they give you with cut flowers.
What is that powder? And most important, is there a good preservative
that you can make at home?

Start with a clean vase. Scrub away any crud that dried on from its
last use. Then fill the vase with fresh water.

Cut the flowers early in the morning. Carry a bucket of water as you
go through your garden, putting the cut stems into the water.

Fill your kitchen sink with about 3 inches of water. Working with one
stem at a time, hold the cut end under water and remove another inch
at an angle. Keep the fresh cut under water for at least 10 seconds.
When you remove the stem from the sink, you should see a drop of water
hanging from the cut. Immediately place the stem in the vase.

Every second day, remove the flowers from the vase. Change the water
in the vase. Repeat the cutting in the kitchen sink, removing
another inch of stem while it is under water.

This does NOT work with certain flowers. Dahlias and plants with
milky sap need to have the cut ends of their stems singed. Use
either a gas range or a large candle.

Of course, there are plants whose flowers just are not intended for
cut bouquets. Among them are several varieties of florabunda roses
(e.g., 'Iceberg').

also if you are doing early spring flowers it is a good
idea to keep the daffodils in a different vase for a day or
two as the stems leach chemicals which shorten the vase
life of other flowers... i'm not sure if recutting them leaches
more or not.


songbird

[Bill who putters]

In article
,
"Pete E. Kruzer" wrote:

On Aug 2, 9:30*am, Bill who putters wrote:


http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemis...cutflowers.htm

--
Thanks for the chemistry site. Very interesting.

Some where buried about in books not frequently looked at I have a
1948 garden series much like the time life series from ~ 1972. Anyway
one whole book dealt with Flower arrangements and preservation. The
chapters deal with Japanese flower arrangements also deal with esthetics
and info on doing the cuts some just cut some burnt. This is a wonderful
art info book. I'll try to find the book which may be in my bedroom and
give you the ISBN # but this was before ISNB #s. )) This will take
time as I need help getting to it.

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
What use one more wake up call?
globalvoicesonline.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY