 |
||||
Fresh-cut Facelift Give your floral arrangements a boost of flower power  Image courtesy istockphoto A blooming display of fresh flowers is irresistible whether your bouquet comes from the farmers market, a florist's shop or your backyard. A floral arrangement just brightens up any room. Unfortunately, you may notice that within hours of arranging those posies, the heads droop, the leaves start to curl, and you think you've wasted your money or time on inferior flowers. Maybe it's not the flowers but your care techniques that are causing the decline. Even after cutting, flowers need TLC to look their best. If you want your flowers to last longer, try these tips from floral professionals. Cut flowers before they're fully open, says Steve Papoulakos, owner of Richmond, Va.-based Vogue Flowers & Gifts. "Flowers should be cut when they show color but are not yet in full bloom," says Papoulakos. Ideally blooms should be cut early in the morning or late in the afternoon, not at midday when the plant may be dehydrated, says the Virginia florist. Hydration, in fact, is one of the two essential keys to keeping flowers vibrant; the other is controlling bacteria. As soon as you get your flowers home cut the stems on an angle while holding them under water, says Bob Heffernan, executive director of the Monroe, Conn.-based Connecticut Florists Association, . The angled cut allows more water to flow up the stem, while cutting under water prevents air from entering the stem and blocking intake of water, Heffernan says. To prevent flowers from sitting in slimy contaminated water, place them in a clean vase and remove all leaves below the water line. If you bought your flowers from a florist's shop, you probably received a packet containing a mixture of anti-bacterial chemicals and a carbohydrate plant food to mix in the water. But you can also make your own blend, says Heffernan. Add three or four drops of bleach and a half-teaspoon of sugar to a quart of water, he says. Ideally you should change flower water and re-cut the stems daily, but most flowers will withstand every other day care, says Papoulakos. No matter how well you treat cut flowers, they have a limited life span. Carnations, daisies, chrysanthemums and lilies are your best bets for longevity. Unfortunately, as lovely as roses are, they're also short-lived.
|
||||
|
||||
Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"
