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