This is the guide used by the late Marie Gray in her flower arranging classes for the Belmont Garden Club.
Hardening off:
If possible, carry pail of hot water (80-100 degrees) to garden and place stems in water to neck of flower as soon
as cut; leave pail in cool place overnight. Avoid crowding.
Wash and clean all foliage to look crisp and fresh.
A few drops of denatured alcohol added to water will destroy offensive odors and prolong the
flowers' bloom.
Pick all flowers in the early morning or evening except roses and gladioli, which are best picked in the heat of the day.
Cut stems diagonally
Remove all very new foliage tips from branches. They will wilt. Woody stemmed material should be split, scraped six inches from cut. Flower stems exuding milky substance should be dipped in two and one half inches of very hot water.
Flowers use the maximum amount of water in the first twelve hours. Cut material long, then cut in water to length desired.
Glycerine treatment for salal, all eucalyptus, lemon, aurelia, magnolia, holly, Oregon grape, loquat, madrone, laurel and boxwood. One half glycerine to one half warm water, or one third glycerine to two thirds warm water.
Cut Flower Preparation:
Allium:
Cut under water.
Anemone:
Cut under water.
Aster:
Cut under water; place in quart of water with 1 teaspoon sugar for 1 hour or dip in alcohol.
Astilbe:
Cut under water.
Azalea:
Cut under water; burn stem ends or place in deep water.
Baby's Breath:
Cut under water.
Bamboo:
Place stem ends in boiling vinegar 4-5 minutes, submerge one hour in 1 quart water with 2 tablespoons salt.
OR condition in whiskey 2 minutes, then in water with floral life.
Begonia:
One teaspoon salt to 1 quart water; dip in alcohol.
Bellflower:
Cut under water. If they start to droop, use burning method.
Bittersweet: (This isnow considered an invasive plant and cannot be used in flower shows).
Cut under water. If it is to be dried, remove leaves and spray with clear lacquer.
Black-eyed Susan:
Cut under water. If they begin to droop, recut and use boiling water method.
Bleedingheart:
One tablespoon salt to 1 quart water.
Blossoming branches:
Crush or split stems, place in cold, deep water in a cool dark place overnight.
Blueberries:
Cut under water.
Broom:
Cut under water.
Calendula:
Cut under water.
Calla:
Half cup vinegar in two quarts water. Leaves should lie flat in water to cover. Stems may be bent by rubbing firmly on underside.
Cut under water or rub salt in stem. (Barbeque sticks can be placed in stems to lend upright support.)
Candytuft:
Cut under water. If they start to droop, use boiling water method.
Canna:
Difficult to preserve; cut in water; dip in alcohol.
Camellia:
Cut under water.
Carnation:
Cut under water. Snap rather than cut stems. Dip in peppermint oil.
Chrysanthemum:
Burn or place stems in boiling water; let stand in cold water 2 hours; or 2 quarts water with 8 drops peppermint oil.
Cineraria:
Condition overnight in hot water to start. Do not wet foliage.
Clematis:
Cut under water; dip in peppermint oil.
Cockscomb:
Cut under water. When leaves begin to droop, use boiling water method. To dry:remove all foliage, hang in warm dry place.
Cornflower:
Cut under water.
Cosmos:
Crush stem ends and rub with salt. Use burning method.
Crocus:
Cut under water; rub salt in stem
Cyclamen:
Pull blossoms and leaves from ground, cut under water, slit stems and condition overnight.
Daffodils:
Squeeze gelatin-like substance from stem, stand in inch of water for two hours, cut under water.
Dahlia:
Sear or dip stems in boiling water, condition for 2 hous in a quart cold water with half teaspoon alcohol.
Daphne:
Cut under water.
Delphinium:
One tablespoon alcohol to one quart of water.
Dogwood:
Crush and peel stems or cut under water.
Elaeagnus:
Burn cut end. Dip in alcohol for 2-3 seconds.
Enkianthus:
Cut under water.
Evergreens:
Split stem ends and stand in deep cold water overnight. Can spray lightly from below to hold needles/leaves on branches longer.
Ferns:
Cut under water. Some varieties will not condition. Test before using
Forget-me-nots:
Dip in boiling water then stand in deep cold water for one hour.
Fuchsia:
Cut under water.
Geranium:
Cut under water or burn cut end.
Gladiolus:
Condition in 5 tablespoons vinegar to 1 quart water.
Grasses:
Dip in alcohol or vinegar.
Hawthorne:
Cut under water.
Heathers
Cut under water.
Hellabore
Crush stems, place in 1 pint water with 5 drops alcohol.
Heliotrope:
Bun Stems, 5 drops alcohol to 1 pint water.
Holly:
Split or crush stems and condition 8-24 hours.
Hollyhock:
Cut under water.
Honeysuckle:
Dip in peppermint oil.
Hosta (Funkia):
Cut under water. Pick when leaves are mature.
Hyacinth:
Cut under water; dip in alchohol.
Hydrangea:
Dip in alcohol or place in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Iris:
Plunge immediately into cold water, cut under water.
Larkspur:
Place one teaspoon alcohol in two quarts cold water for 1-2 hours, cut under water.
Cut under water; dip in alchohol.
Lilacs:
Remove all foliage. Add 1 teaspoon vinegar to one quart of water. Split stems and put in vinegar/water mix.
Cut under water; dip in alchohol.
Lily of the Valley:
Cut under water.
Lupine:
Cut under water; dip in alchohol.
Magnolia:
Cut under water; place in deep cold water.
Marguerites and Daisies:
Dip in hot water for 4-5 minutes.
Marigolds:
Cut under water; soak 1 hour in a teaspoon of peppermint oil in 1 quart water.
Maples:
Burn ends after cutting in water. Rub in salt or dip in alcohol.
Mock Orange:
Remove 3/4th foliage, condition in warm water to start.
Nasturtium:
Cut under water.
Nandina:
Crush stem ends and, if in flower, salt the water slightly.
Pampas Grass:
Cut under water, add one part vinegar to three parts water. Especially with young pampas,
use stem part with leaf. Leaf alone will not keep.
Pansies:
One pint water with 5 drops alcohol, or cut under water.
Peonies:
Crush stems 3-4 inches, place in 2 quarts water with 2 teaspoons sugar.
Petunias:
Dip in alcohol.
Phlox:
Cut under water.
Pinks:
Cut under water.
Plum:
Split cut ends in 4 parts, rub salt intoit, then burn. If it has green leaves, dip in peppermint oil for a few seconds.
Poinsettia:
Burn mildy stem end to seal. Put in water.
Poppies:
Rub salt on ends of diagonally cut stems, place in deep cold water for 2 hours, sear ends or dip in boiling water.
Primrose:
Dip stems in boiling water. Soak in slightly salted cold water. Will last if arranged in tight bunches.
Pussy Willow:
Split stem ends.
Ranunculus:
Cut under water.
Rhododendron:
Cut under water or dip in alcohol.
Roses:
Cut under water or burn ends, or dip in alcohol.
Rose of Sharon:
In August take whiskey to source. Leave stems in 2 minutes, take into house and put into water and
floral life in a deep bucket overnight. Cut in bud-will flower in one day.
Salvia:
Split sem ends and use boiling water method.
Snapdragons:
Strip lower leaves, place stems in 2 quarts water with 3 tablespoons baking soda. Cut under water.
Solomon's Seal:
Cut under water.
Spiraea:
Cut under water, dip in peppermint oil for 2-3 seconds.
Stock:
Strip lower leaves, cut under water. Condition in very cold water.
Sunflower:
Dip in boining water for 5 minutes.
Sweet Peas:
Condition in 8 drops alcohol to one pint water. Cut under water.
Sweet William:
Cut under water, crush stem ends or dip in boiling water.
Thistles:
Cut under water and dip in peppermint oil.
Tuberose:
Cut under water.
Tulips:
Cut under water; add 1 tablespoon gin to 1 pint water (makes them stiff and easy to manage).
To keep tulip closed, pick when tightly closed and tun a pin through stem directly below the blossom.
Violets:
Submerge in cold water for 1 hour before arranging.
Weeping Willow:
No treatment needed.
Wisteria:
Place stems in solution of one part alcohol to 4 parts water for 5 minutes or burn stems; leave in cold water 2-3 hours.
Yarrow:
Crush stem ends, rub with salt or use burning method, or dip in peppermint oil for a few seconds.
Zinnia:
Cut under water, remove lower leaves. Dip in peppermint oil for a few seconds.
