By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Euphorbia, an annual, with white and green foliage, 

which often reseeds itself.

Rudbeckia, a daisy-like perennial, 


which blooms the first year from seed.

When selecting plant material for cutting, be daring! Experiment with ornamental grasses, foliage from woody plants, ferns, perennials grown for their foliage like artemesia, mint or hosta, or anything else that catches your imagination. Some plants, of course, hold up better when cut that others so for that special occasion bouquet, use of tried and true flowers and foliage would be the most sensible.

Collect your cut flowers and foliage during the coolest part of the day. Early morning after the dew has dried it best as flowers are most fully hydrated. Flowers can also be gathered in the evening as temperatures drop with the setting sun. Do avoid cutting in the midday heat whenever possible.

Always bring one or more buckets of water into the garden with you when cutting flowers. Stems can be plunged in immediately after cutting. Use a sharp knife or harvesting shears to sever the stem from the mother plant making a diagonal cut. Ordinary scissors unless extremely sharp tend to crush the stem reducing the amount of water is can take up.

Once all your plant material is collected, set the water filled buckets in a cool, shaded place for a few hours until the flowers and the foliage appear fresh and crisp. Some flower species are prone to air bubbles which will restrict the flow of water up the stem. If flowers appear limp even after soaking for a while, place stems in warm water and remove the bottom one inch of stem making the cut under the water. Flowers that fail to rehydrate from this treatment may just be poor candidates for cutting.

Plants with stems that exude a milky sap like poppies and snow-on-the-mountain require additional attention before using in a bouquet. To stop the sap from clogging the water transport system in the stem, quickly sear the cut end over a flame. I have also hear that placing the stems in near boiling water for 30 seconds or so, or, dipping the cut end in alcohol will also halt the flow of sap but I have yet to try these measures. Poppies have not been particularly long-lived in my moist beds (yet I keep trying!) but I routinely use the annual euphorbia, snow-on-the-mountain for arrangements each Labor Day for our annual garden club Flower Show at Olde Home Day. Since our floral creations only have to last one day, I have found that even without searing the ends the euphorbia will last through the show but not too much longer. Searing the ends will keep them going for maybe 3 or 4 days.

While the flowers are soaking up water, select the vases and containers for your arrangements. If florist's oasis is to be used, it needs to be immersed in water until thoroughly saturated. Before beginning any arrangement, strip off the foliage which would be under water. Recut the stems before inserting into your floral designs.

For the longest lasting bouquets, use a floral preservative. Commercially prepared ones contain some form of sugar (carbohydrate) which serves as an energy source. This is needed because once cut, stems can no longer manufacture their own food through photosynthesis. The sugar, however, promotes bacterial growth which can clog a plant's stem so a bactericide is added to commercial preservatives as is an acidifying agent such as aluminum sulfate.

Homemade recipes consisting of such items as a pinch of sugar and a few drops each of hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice, or a 50-50 mix of 7-UP and water have been suggested but the commercial preservatives usually cost less and are most effective.

To maximize the life of your cut flowers, change the water at least every other day and recut the stem ends to prevent them from clogging and not being able to deliver water. Whether just that single, perfect rose or a carefully orchestrated arrangement, do enjoy the luxury of fresh flowers in your home this summer. 

If you have questions about growing and using cut flowers, or on any other home and garden topic, call the UConn Home & Garden Education Center (toll-free) at (877) 486-6271, visit www.ladybug.uconn.edu, or get in touch with your local Cooperative Extension Center.