Garden
Making Cut Flowers Last Longer
St. Valentine's Day is the time many of us are given cut flowers as gifts. How can you make these beautiful gifts last longer? Here are tips for preserving your cut flowers:
- Use a thoroughly cleaned vase or container.
- re-cut stems back about an inch at a 45 degree angle. Cutting at an angle exposes more stem surface so that the flower can more readily absorb water.
- Remove any leaves from the stems which would be immersed in the container water. If not removed, these leaves will deteriorate and shorten the life of the cut flowers.
- Remove any dead flowers. Dead flowers will contaminate the water, causing other stems to die prematurely.
- Change the water in the container every other day and re-cut the stems again.
- Use a commercial cut flower preservative in the container water. These preservatives provide nutrients to the flower, thereby preserving the flowers longer.
- Keep flowers out of direct sunlight and in a cool area. Direct sunlight or excessive heat will dehydrate the blooms and shorten the bloom life.
Featured Stories
August-September 2026 Newsletter
The August-September 2026 Newsletter is now available.
Bats – Friends or Foes?
If you have experienced the occasional bat in the house, you may be asking whether bats are...
Naming By the Experts
Walking between the stalls in the goat barn, you glance at the animals. Suddenly, you wonder if...
Freedom from Asphalt
There is nothing like the thrill of driving at top speed through an obstacle course on an ATV....
A Rodeo Before Fair
Did you know that there are many important events that go on before the fair? There are many...
Try That New Vegetable
FoodLink℠ is a tool that will be of help to you, your family, and/or those you serve to...