Make everyday and summer gatherings special with the help of garden-fresh flower arrangements.
Gather your flowers in the morning after the dew has dried whenever possible since that's when the temperatures are cool and the plants are hydrated. The evening is the next best time. But don't hesitate to harvest flowers right before guests arrive or when picking vegetables for the evening meal.
Use a pair of sharp snips or bypass pruners to make the cut above a set of healthy leaves or back to an adjoining branch. Keep in mind that the more flowers you harvest, the more flowers produced on annuals and some perennial plants.
Remove the lower leaves and immediately place the flowers in a bucket of water. Consider taking a bucket of water to the garden to keep the flowers fresh and hydrated while you're busy collecting. Let the flowers stand in a cool place, out of direct sunlight, in tepid water for several hours or better yet overnight.
Recut the stems at a 45-degree angle when assembling the flower arrangements. This prevents them from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase and exposes more of the surface area to the water. Remove any additional leaves that will be submerged in water. Leaves covered by water tend to turn slimy, increasing the risk of bacterial growth that decreases the life of your cut flowers.
Always use a clean vase and fresh water to maximize your cut flowers' vase life. Add a floral preservative to the water to further extend their longevity. Check the water level often, ensuring that the cut ends are always covered with water. Change the water often to keep your flowers looking their best for as long as possible.
Since different flowers last in an arrangement for different lengths of time, consider reworking your arrangements by removing flowers as they fade. This keeps it interesting while extending your enjoyment.
As far as what flowers to use in arrangements, start with a walk through your landscape looking for potential florals and foliage.
