When buying bouquets, people do not always know how to care for them. Our flower delivery service Beauty Flowers has prepared useful tips for you on how to properly shorten flower stems so that they last longer.
Rules for trimming stems
If you cut flowers with pruning shears, it is better to shorten their stems with a knife. The fact is that nippers can pinch the stem, which will disrupt the nutrition. You should trim at an angle of 45 degrees, about 1 cm. Do not increase the cutting angle, otherwise the stem may begin to rot. If you cut evenly, the plant will not receive the nutrients it needs.
It is better to trim the stems not in the air, but under running water. An alternative method is to lower the flowers into a basin and trim in water. This method prevents air bubbles from clogging the paths through which water enters the plant.
3 Important Nuances of Flower Pruning
With a little effort and desire, you can make a bouquet you've been given or purchased last more than a week, maybe even two. To do this, follow these conditions:
- Pruning all components of the bouquet daily. Then putting it back in the vase with the water replaced with fresh water. If you return the flora to dirty liquid, the microorganisms that have multiplied there will fill the cut, the water supply will deteriorate, and the flowers will begin to fade.
- Shorten the stems early in the morning. In warm seasons, it is too hot in the afternoon, so it is better not to touch the flowers. If the day is cloudy and cold, daytime pruning is possible.
- Pruning not only the bottom of the plant, but also its lower leaves. You must always ensure that they do not fall into the water, otherwise the decay products will accelerate the withering of the flora.
If you received roses as a gift, for example, and they dropped their heads on the very first day, trimming them can save them. You can fill the bathtub with cold water and trim the stems right there, and leave the flowers to soak overnight.
Flowers need an individual approach
Not all flowers like the same pruning. There are representatives of the flora that require special care:
- Tulips and other flowers with juicy stems need to be pierced with a needle. This helps prevent blockage.
- Lilies should be placed in cold water immediately after trimming.
- It is better not to cut the stems of chrysanthemums, but to break them off or smash them with a hammer, turning them into panicles.
- Lilacs are split from below.
It is better to order flowers with long stems to enjoy their beauty and freshness longer.
