How long to keep the cut flowers?

Without flowers it is impossible to imagine our life. Their environment is always pleasant. But what if not everyone is able to grow flowers on his own in the country or in the apartment? They have to buy to decorate their house. But the life of the cut flowers is short. How to extend it, read in the article.

Why do the cut flowers fade?

The opinion has been established that plants are less sensitive than humans. This is not quite true. Plants, like all living organisms, are subject to stress. But they do not have the ability to say this. When flowers are cut, they lose nutrients and water. This is stress for them.

Flowers begin to wilt, as in their tissues the amount of sugars and moisture decreases, which leads to dehydration. This is because the vessels of the plant are clogged with air bubbles.

How to prolong the life of cut flowers? To do this, you need to put them in water, having prepared the container, liquid and plants. Then ensure proper care.

When to cut flowers?

The best time for this is early morning. Live flowers, cut at this time, still retain droplets of dew on leaves, petals, stems. Plants will transfer the cutting process is not so painful, as saturated with moisture. They can be cut off in the evening when the dew falls out. In the heat, the flowers evaporate water in large quantities. In such plants, dehydration will begin earlier, and they will not last long in the vase. This time of day is not suitable for making a bouquet.

There are a lot of flowers, the time for cutting them is different. Irises, peonies, tulips, gladioluses, lilies, roses cut during the formation of buds. But the marigolds, dahlias, phloxes, asters - when the flowers blossom.

Always want to collect a bunch of different colors, but you should know that not all of them get along with each other. Neighboring in a bouquet - yes, but not everyone agrees to live together. Carnations, lilies of the valley, primrose should not be placed next to other flowers, especially placed in a single vase. They are poisonous and have a negative effect on their neighbors. Do not make a bouquet, if it contains together tulips, daffodils, lilies, roses. Tulips wither. But if you put them in a vase with a cypress, they will last longer.

Cornflowers, poppies, daisies will quickly fade, if you put lilies in one vase with them. But there are flowers that must always be put separately, otherwise they will ruin all the plants in the vase. These include roses, lilies of the valley, cloves, bird cherry.

Preparing flowers for life in a vase

To ensure that the air does not enter the stem and does not clog the pores through which nutrients enter, the stem cut must be done without removing it from the water, at an oblique angle and with a sharp knife. After this, the plant should always remain in the liquid.

Many flowers are characterized by the presence of thick and hard stems. In this case, their tips need to be split approximately five centimeters up the length of the trunk. In the middle it is recommended to insert a match, so the moisture will be more actively absorbed. If the stems of the flowers are soft, they should be scratched or cut at the bottom to increase the area through which moisture will flow to the plant.

How to keep cut flowers with hollow stems for a long time? They should be properly prepared. To do this, in each stem, you need to pour water, and plug the hole with cotton. It happens that a lot of milky juice flows out of the plant. In this case, you need to lower the stems in boiling water or burn their tips with fire.

Many flowers have stamens. If their anthers are carefully removed, the flowers will last longer.

Stem processing

To prolong the life of cut flowers, the following recommendations should be observed:

• On that part of the stem that is in the water, you need to remove the leaves, otherwise they will start to rot. Such an environment is favorable for the reproduction of bacteria, which will damage the whole plant.
• The tip of each stem must be cut at an incline. This increases the absorbent area of moisture. The cut is made with a sharp, disinfected knife, after which the stem must be immediately immersed in water. Stems of flowers such as roses, it is better to cut off immediately underwater, to prevent clogging of blood vessels with air.
• To preserve flowers for a long time, you need to subject them to the procedure of hardening. For this, the plants are placed in hot water, the temperature of which reaches forty-four degrees. In this vase with flowers should be put for two hours in a cool place. Water molecules of this temperature move faster along the stalk, and thanks to the cool air of the environment, flowers will lose moisture in smaller quantities. This increases the life of flowers in the vase.

• If the cut flowers are not subjected to the hardening procedure, they should be placed in warm water, which they absorb better. But for bulbous plants it is better to use cold water.
• The stem needs to be processed throughout the life of cut flowers. As soon as rotten, slippery leaves appear, they need to be torn off, the stem and vase washed, water changed, and only then put the flowers in a container for them. When wilting flowers that emit ethylene, they should be removed immediately, otherwise the rest will be the same.

Preparation of water

Based on experience, it is noted that soft water prolongs life to cut flowers. It is better to take it from a spring or to accumulate a rainwater. If there is not one, tap water or tap water is used, but not immediately from the tap. It must be poured and left for a day to weather the chlorine.

Bacteria are more dangerous for flowers. Their reproduction occurs very quickly, which significantly shortens the life of flowers in the vase. To keep them for a longer time, you need to add to the water substances endowed with disinfectant properties:

• Coin of silver.
• Washing powder in a small amount.
• Charcoal.
• A tablet of streptocid or aspirin for six liters of water.

Per liter of water:

• The table salt is a teaspoonful.
• Boric acid is one hundred milligrams.
• Soda with lemon juice - a tablespoon.
• Sugar with vinegar is the same amount.

What is needed to keep the beauty of flowers?

In most cases, people donated or cut flowers themselves are immediately put in vases. But for the beauty of plants to remain the same, the cut flowers should be placed in a cool place with a temperature of five degrees of heat for a period of five days. You can use a refrigerator for this.

However, it should be borne in mind that each variety of colors has its own individuality, and therefore the storage conditions will not be the same.

Tulips and irises are stored at a low temperature, which reaches two degrees of heat. Orchids, on the contrary, prefer warmer conditions, for them is a comfortable temperature of eight degrees or more.

Storage of cut flowers of most varieties is carried out immediately with the ends of the stems immersed in water. It is not necessary to put plants in a large vase, any tank, even a very small one, will do. The main thing is that stems enter into it without compromising quality.

Although for chrysanthemums, tulips and carnations, water is not needed during storage. But roses are demanding of moisture. They are placed on storage in a standing position and the stems lowered into the water. In addition, they are tightly wrapped in paper. Optimum temperature is considered five degrees.

Anemones and hyacinths need a fairly low temperature, two degrees above zero. And, the first are stored with the connected water supply and in an upright position. For pions, gerbera and lilies, the general temperature regime for cut flowers is suitable.

Folk remedies for preserving flowers in a vase

To create a cosiness in the house always cut flowers help. To their life was relatively long, it is necessary to take care of this. For a long time in the water, where the flowers were, add rotting substances and nutritional supplements. Here are some of them:

• Every day changing the water, you should add vodka and sugar, respectively a teaspoon and a piece.
• To immerse the stems in water you need not less than ten centimeters. Water is changed every three days, adding sugar and vinegar on a teaspoonful.
• When changing the water two days later, mix the water with bleach in the calculation of three drops per liter.
• Sweet dressing for cut flowers from carbonated beverages is used for daily water changes. It adds fifty grams of cola in a dark vase, and the same amount of sprite - in the light.

Top dressing of cut flowers

Most often, sugar is used, which is well responded to by many flowers, including carnations, tulips, daffodils. You can prepare nutrient solutions on your own using different components.

For chrysanthemum, cyclamen and gerbera, a mixture, in percentages, of alum, sodium and potassium chloride, sugar, respectively: 0.08; 0.02; 0.03; 1.5.

Roses and carnations respond well to the composition, in milligrams, of aluminum sulfate, citric acid, silver nitrate, sucrose, respectively: 500; 150; 50; thirty.

Today, many drugs are sold that can prolong the life of cut flowers, one of them is the "Buton". The substances entering into it simultaneously disinfect and nourish the plants. Flowers last for twenty-five days longer.

Place for bouquet

Flowers cut, photos of which are presented for viewing, will stand much longer if properly looked after them. In many ways, their freshness is affected by the place they were taken in the house. To keep the flowers longer, the following recommendations should be adhered to:

• Choose for flowers a place with natural light, but that they do not get the direct rays of the sun.
• The room should be cool and no drafts.
• Do not put bouquets and fruits next to each other, as the fruits secrete ethylene, which accelerates decay.
• It is necessary to consider compatibility of plants in a bouquet. So, lilies, roses, lilies of the valley, daffodils, orchids, it is better to live in a vase apart. Conversely, thuya and geranium, always welcome guests for any flowers, they keep their freshness.

How to care for flowers?

To cut flowers well preserved, you need to ensure them a decent care. Do not immediately remove the packaging from them, it is enough to free the stems from it and put them into the water. If the packaging is cellophane, you need to replace it with paper. Then moisten with water and wrap flowers again. Only after that they are put in a cooler place. This is necessary for the acclimatization of plants in a new microclimate.

While the flowers are absorbed by moisture, you need to thoroughly wash the vase with detergents and fill it with cooked water. A few hours later, the flowers are placed in a container, having previously updated the sections.

Care for cut flowers is to change the water. It is better to change it daily. Each time the vase is washed, disinfectant and nutrients are added to the water. Stems are processed from the leaves, and the cut is updated.