A Little Slice of Evan

TULIPS…….do not immediately cut the stems when you get home, but put them in fresh cold water. It doesn’t seem to matter how much water, as long as all the stems are in, and it never runs out……be mindful that they get pretty thirsty. Pick a vase that keeps them fairly erect, cut the stems every third day, and change the water as well. They will last much longer if you keep them cooler, especially out of the sun, and  cool at night for sure.

RANUNCULUS…… Keep these in a tighter vase, new water and a small trim every other day. Cooler at night, you should be able to get 10 days easily, if not more.

STATUS……………..best value ever! Keep them trimmed in new water until the stems start to decay a bit, then throw the water out, and keep them dry. Good for a long time, at least a month, and still going at my place.

LISIANTHUS, MUMS, ALSTROEMERIA, FRESIA………….these need fresh water and a trim when you get home, and every other day. I have a selection of vases at home, so you have some options as the bunches get shorter or sparser, and picking the right vase to give the best show is key.

The key with all this is to set aside a bit of time to show some flower love, and you will be rewarded with longer lasting beauty.

If you are working with potted flowers, they actually take a little more work to get the watering just right. I have always struggled with Benjeminas until I discovered that they actually need a lot of water………no problem since.

If you have Hydrangeas, it’s actually best to replant them into a bigger pot, with a saucer below that will hold a bit of water. If the saucer shows dry, time for more. The pots that Hydrangeas come in should be seen as only a shipping container, and not as a permanent median. Look after your Hydrangea even after the flowers wilt and you cut them off; I have a whole re-hab section of garden at home that has been planted with ‘repurposed’ Hydrangea which had either dried out, didn’t look exciting enough to sell, or were damaged……………and they come back every year, even more splendid than the last. They like partial shade, and as you can imagine, moist soil.

Lastly, if you bought Cyclamen during their season, and you replanted them in a larger pot or planter, they will last you, with varying amounts of flowers, for a couple years. Keep them evenly moist, and although them will come back if they dry out, my experience is that they are never fully the same.

One very last thing……I have a Poinsettia going into its second year; it loves a good amount of water, a lot of sun, and contrary to what you might have thought, mine is in flower as I write this, although the flowers are somewhat smaller than you would expect.

Good Luck, Evan