The secret of cut flowers is to do the right thing to the right plant. For instance, have you ever noticed that when you cut a poppy, it oozes a sticky, milky substance? Poppies, like hydrangeas, hollyhocks, and daffodils, need their stems cauterized before you use them as cut flowers, because the milky substance in their stems will seal the cut ends, making it impossible for them to draw water when they're standing in a vase. To use them as cut flowers, trim the stems and then singe the cut ends briefly with a flame.
Many trees and shrubs, such as lilac and forsythia, have hard stems. If you want to use cuttings as cut flowers, you need to smash the stems with a hammer first. This makes it easier for the cuttings to absorb water, and they'll last longer in your flower arrangements.
Do you love using roses as cut flowers? Then you probably already know to prepare the rose stems by removing any leaves that are going to end up below the water line. But did you know that you should always cut the ends of rose stems diagonally to give the stem a larger surface to absorb water?
Lilies are another favourite cut flower for many people. They're gorgeous and they last well. If you're cutting lilies from your own garden, be sure you cut blooms from the same plant only every second or third year, as cutting lilies every year will weaken the bulb. And when you're using lilies indoors as cut flowers, you might want to remove the anthers from each flower, to avoid getting yellow pollen stains all over everything.
Many cut flowers will last longer in flower arrangements if you give them a conditioning treatment. Once you've cut an inch or two off the stems, put the flowers into a deep pail of water and let them stand for a few hours in a cool spot. If the flowers you've cut have hollow stems, such as those of delphiniums, you might even want to take your conditioning treatment a step further. Take each flower out of the pail, turn it over, and fill the stem with water, plugging the end with a piece of cotton when its full. Then put the treated flower stem into whatever water-filled receptacle you're using for your arrangement.
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