BLOOMS FOR DECORATIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 December 1939, Page 3

BLOOMS FOR DECORATIONS

WHEN AND HOW TO CUT FLOWERS. It is very disappointing to find flowers which have been cut fresh from the garden, wilting soon after they have been arranged in vases. Gathered carefully and at the right time, the blooms will retain their freshness much longer than if cutting is done in a haphazard fashion. Roses are best cut in the evening, and it is advisable to choose fairly tight buds. If sweet peas are to retain their delicate fragrance and colour, they should be cut as early in the morning as possible, while the dew is still upon them. If cut after several hours of brilliant sunshine, they will soon wilt. Gladioli and lilies are best gathered in the late afternoon. The former should be allowed to remain in the sun for about 20 minutes after cutting. Choose spikes which have only the bottom one or two blooms open. All the buds at the top of the spikes will open in water as the lower blooms fade. Remove the faded flowers and cut a small piece from the end of the stem. If treated in this manner gladioli will remain decorative for a fortnight. After cutting lilies, stand them, out of water, in a cool shady place for half an hour, then arrange them in vases. Iris should be cut at dusk, buds in which the colour is just showing being selected. Dahlias are somewhat disappointing as cut flowers, but if, after cutting, the stems are stripped bare of foliage, then plunged in hot water for a few minutes and afterwards placed in the dark for a few hours, they will last for a considerable time. At least an inch of the stems of hard-wooded shrubs should be bruised with a hammer before the flowers are arranged.

Poppies are usually regarded as being of little value for decoration, but they will last for a long time if the buds are cut just as soon as they are well coloured. Before arranging the poppies in vases, hold the ends of the stems in a flame to char them, or plunge into boiling water for a few seconds.