How To Make Flowers Last Longer?

How to keep fresh flowers lasting? Underwater cutting, anti-corrosion, salt-coating, and transpiration reduction methods can all be used to preserve freshness. In addition, some common household items such as sugar, aspirin, detergent, etc. may also extend the shelf life of cut flowers.

Care of Fresh-cut Flower Arrangement

Commonly used methods for preservation of cut flowers:

Underwater Cutting

The end of the cut flower stem is immersed in water, and the stem is cut to 2~3cm under the water with scissors. The air content in the water is low. After such cutting, there is no air in the gap in the stem. Thus it will not produce air bubbles, which blocks water intake, at the stem end.

Antiseptic

For fresh cut flowers, it's important to keep the water clean. If you find that the water is turbid or smelly, change the water and clean the container immediately. Leaves of cut flowers soaked in water is also the cause of water quality damage, so maintain an appropriate amount of water. It is necessary to set aside the contact area between the stem and the air in the container. Allow air exchange between the inside of the container and the outside, and prevent anaerobic bacteria from causing changes in water quality.

Salt coating

Apply salt to the cuts of the fresh cut flowers first, and then put them in the water. This method also has a bactericidal effect and can also be applied to all cut flowers.

Reduce transpiration

Plants evaporate rapidly at high temperatures, so cut flowers should be placed in a position to avoid direct sunlight and wind vents. In order to ensure that the cut flowers can have enough water, the water absorption function of the cut flowers should be increased, such as increasing the area of ​​the plant's cutting mouth, raising the plant water in a sufficient amount of water, etc., to maintain the balance of water loss and water absorption. Where conditions permit, cut flowers can be placed in a lower temperature environment in the hot season.

Some common household items can also be used to extend the viewing time of cut flowers, such as white sugar, which can provide energy for cut flowers and keep the flowers bright: aspirin, detergent, etc. can maintain clean water and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the water. Or you can buy fresh flower preservatives for blending to preserve the freshness of cut flowers.

Maintenance of flower arrangement

After the flower arrangement is completed, maintenance and management are crucial. Timely management and proper measures can keep the flower arrangement fresh and clean and beautiful, and greatly extend the appreciation period.

Flower arranging works should not be exposed to the sun and wind, nor placed near soot and heating, otherwise the hot and dry air will accelerate the respiration and transpiration of the flower branches, consume too much stored nutrients and lose water, which will cause the flowers to wither and die early. The flower arrangement is placed at the air vent, which is not only dry, but also blows down or messes up the shape of the flower arrangement.

At the same time, the flower arrangement should not be placed near the ripe fruit, so as to prevent the ethylene released by the fruit from accelerating the senescence of the flower arrangement. Therefore, it is best to place flower arrangements under diffused light, in a cool and humid place, to minimize the presence of harmful gases.

How to plant roses

1.Preparatory Work Before Planting Roses

(1) Choose rose species. 

You may know that there are more than 13,000 kinds of roses. Different types of roses require different suitable growth environments. When you are choosing flower species, you need to know the characteristics of the place where you plan to grow roses. According to the characteristics of the soil, you can choose the most suitable rose varieties for planting. The shape, size and color of the flower should also be considered when choosing. The varieties of roses are mainly divided into the following categories:

• The appearance and color of hybrid roses are very beautiful, so they often appear in the decorative bouquets of flower shops or banquets.
• The bouquet rose is the most colorful variety. There will be many flowers on each flower cluster, not just one bud on each plant.
• Rosa grandis is a hybrid of hybrid roses and bouquet roses. Usually the bouquet is very tall, and each plant will have several buds on it.
• Climbing roses can wrap around fences and walls like vines.
• Dwarf roses are compact and dense, making them ideal for planting in containers.
• Shrubs and landscape roses are better varieties and are more resistant to pests and diseases. There are also richer choices of shapes, sizes and colors.
• The tree rose is a variety that is grafted on long branches, so it looks like a tree. [4] Compared to other varieties, tree roses require more careful care.
  
  
  

(2) Buy bare-rooted or potted roses. 

After deciding on the type of rose you want to plant, you have to decide how to plant the rose. You can choose bare-root flower seedlings planted directly into the soil, or you can choose rose seedlings that have been planted in small flower pots, and then transplant them to the garden or another flower pot. You can find what you want in any nursery. If you plan to buy rare rose varieties, you can also find them online.

• Bare-rooted roses should be planted in early spring, so that after the weather starts to warm, the roses planted can grow new roots.
• Potted roses should be kept indoors throughout the winter and will be taken out when spring arrives.

(3) Buy some gardening supplies for roses planting.

 In addition to rose seedlings, you also need some other gardening tools. You can buy the following tools in the community nursery or online store:

• Pruning shears. Pruning can keep the roses in good condition, promote the formation of buds, and keep the bouquets in good shape. Pruning is very important in the process of planting roses. You need a small arc shear and a large pruning shears.
• Gardening gloves. To prevent stab wounds you need to prepare a pair of thick gardening gloves.
• Flower fertilizer. The roses need to be fertilized several times each season. You can choose a fertilizer specially designed for roses, or other types of flower fertilizers.
• Mulch (cover soil). Covering the flower bed of the rose with cover soil can prevent pests and provide more nutrients to the rose. You can choose wood chips, pine needles, peat or any other form of cover soil.
• Mix the rose compost in the soil. This mixture can help the roses grow better.
• Shovel and shovel. These are used to dig the soil when transplanting.
  
  
  

2. How to plant roses?

(1) Choose where to plant. 

This place must ensure 6 hours of sunlight every day. Don't have too many other flowers and trees nearby. The soil is soft and well drained. If there is too much clay, you must loosen the soil and add some gypsum particles before planting.

The most suitable soil pH value for the growth of roses is between 6.3-6.8. 

You can choose to check the drainage of the soil after heavy rain. If the soil is moist but there is no accumulation of water, then this place is a good choice. If you see a lot of stagnant water and mud pits, then you may need to find another place, or make a good repair here, so that the soil becomes more suitable for the growth of roses.

(2) Replenish the rose seedlings with water before transplanting. 

If you want to plant bare-rooted flower seedlings, you can soak the flower seedlings in water for several hours before transplanting. If you are buying potted flower seedlings, water the seedlings thoroughly before moving to the flower bed.

(3) Dig a large dirt pit. 

Every flower seedling needs a big soil pit. Use a shovel and shovel to dig a 50 cm square and 50 cm deep pit. The size does not have to be very precise. A pit of roughly this size is suitable for transplanting roses. Mix the excavated soil with fertilizer, and fill the soil back into the pit as a base. Add some bone meal or rose flower fertilizer.

If you plan to plant more than one rose, you should pay attention to the half-meter distance between the two flower bushes, so as to leave enough space for the flower roots to stretch out.

(4) Transplant rose seedlings.

Place the flower seedlings on the top of the base and use a shovel to fill the soil back into the pit. The buds on the flower seedlings should be about 5 cm below the ground. If the temperature in the place where you live is relatively low, you can plant the flower seedlings deeper to ensure that the flower seedlings will not be damaged by the low temperature. 

If you are transplanting potted flower seedlings, remove the dirt on the roots of the flower seedlings before transplanting.

Make sure that the soil around the flower roots is firm. You can remove the air gaps by pressing with your hands.

(5) Watering. 

Thoroughly water the area where you are transplanting flower seedlings, which can help the soil and flower roots fit more closely together, and the flower seedlings will be more stable in the soil. Note that the soil must have good water permeability.

(6) Cover the flower bed with cover soil. 

Cover the area where the flower seedlings will be transplanted. If you are planting roses in pots, cover with soil near the flowering branches. This can help the flower seedlings to maintain the temperature (the suitable temperature for growth is 15-25 ℃), which is conducive to the growth in the early stage of transplantation.

3. Roses' daily care

(1) Water the roses regularly in summer. 

A well-grown rose needs a lot of water. Don't let the soil dry out completely. If you see dust on the ground, it means there is a shortage of water. For the flowers that have been transplanted, choose the frequency of watering according to the situation in your area. It usually needs to be watered thoroughly once a week.

(2) Fertilize. 

Roses usually need to be fertilized several times during each growing season. In early spring, when you see new sprouts, you can apply fertilizer, either liquid fertilizer or granular fertilizer. The fertilizer needs to be applied again for the first flowering, and again if there is a second flowering. After the end of summer, that is, Labor Day, you can stop fertilizing. 

• Some fertilizers have a slow-release effect, so you don't need to fertilize too frequently if you use this kind of fertilizer.
• Don't fertilize too much, or it may cause damage to the flowers.

(3) Trim branches and leaves. 

Pruning branches and leaves can keep the flowers beautiful and healthy. Areas where branches and leaves are too dense need to be pruned to prevent the flowers from rot or disease. The way of pruning varies from season to season, but the position of pruning branches and leaves is fixed: pruning from the place where buds emerge, that is, where the branches and leaves protrude. There is usually a small round piece on top of a large cluster of leaves, which can be trimmed diagonally downward.

• Roses are not easy to be hurt by cutting, because the new buds must grow from the newest buds. You only need to choose the right place to trim, otherwise the newly grown leaves will affect the shape of the entire flower cluster. Remember that the trick to pruning is to cut off the new branches that grow out to ensure air circulation inside the flowers.
• In late winter and early spring, remove the withered branches and leaves. If there are new branches and roots that derive from the main stem, clean these derived branches and leaves to prevent the nutrients from the main stem from being robbed. Keep around 8 flower clusters and cut off 1/3 of the height of the branches and leaves, which can make the bouquet grow better when the weather gets warmer.]
• Pay attention to cleaning up the withered flowers in summer, which can make the newly grown flowers bloom better.

4. Prevent roses from being hurt

(1) Pay attention to the necessary protective measures for the flowers throughout the winter. 

Flower bushes that are too tall may be damaged by strong winds or frost in winter. Keep the height of the flower bushes no more than 1.2 meters. Tie up with a string to prepare for the possibility of inclement weather. Use compost at the bottom of the flower bushes as a protective base and cover it with a layer of straw. When the temperature rises above 14 degrees Celsius, the protective seat can be removed.

(2) Use water to wash away aphids and spiders in the flowers. 

This pest is found in most rose varieties, and washing with water is the most effective way to kill the pests. In addition, ensuring that enough water is given to the flowers can also effectively reduce pests.

• Try not to use pesticides. Insecticides are likely to cause damage to your roses and other plants in your garden, as well as to kill other insects that are beneficial to plant growth.
• Clean up the withered leaves in time.
• If the pests are still not completely eliminated, you can try to make a mixed solution with dish soap and water, and spray it on the leaves once a week. 
• You can also buy some natural rose essential oil insecticide and spray it on the leaves. This method can inhibit pests without harming beneficial insects.

(3) Be careful not to let your roses get dark spots or powdery mildew. 

Choose a rose variety that can resist these diseases, such as "Charming Rose". You can also spray fungicides at the beginning of each season, which can also effectively suppress disease. You can also go to the local nursery for a consultation, you can know what is the most effective way to eliminate the disease in your place.

Tips:

• A good irrigation system is very important, because roses are very sensitive to the amount of water to be watered.
• Good pruning can give your garden a new look, and your house will get the best decoration because of it.
• If you like, you can add a little lemon juice to the water when you water the roses on sunny days.

How to Water Orchids

1. How to water orchids?

When watering the orchid, be sure to water the soil thoroughly but keep clear of  the center of the leaf. In a nutshell, there are four methods for watering orchids: Irrigation, Sprinkling, Dipping, and Spraying. Irrigation is to pour water to the orchids from all around, but be careful not to pour it into the leaves of the orchids, otherwise it will cause rotten heart. Sprinkling is to pour a little water on the entire orchid plant, and Dipping is to put the entire orchid flower pot in a bigger water tank, and make water permeate from the bottom and take it out after half an hour. Spraying is easy to understand, which means spraying a little water on the whole orchid.

2. Timing is also important for watering orchids

The choice of time to water your orchids is also extremely important. In the seasons of spring, summer and autumn, try to water before 9 o'clock in the morning, do not water after the dusk. That's because, if the water does not evaporate, the orchids will rot. Especially in summer, the high temperature at noon is not conducive to plant absorption. In winter, you should choose a warmer time. Avoid the morning and evening when the temperature becomes very low. If the water temperature is too low, frostbite will easily occur. 

Of course, the timing mentioned may vary with your local climate.

3. Pitfalls to avoid

(1) Don't just water a little each time, you must water the soil thoroughly. If you only water the soil on the surface every time, the roots of the orchids still not absorb water sufficiently and tend to grow poorly.

(2) Be sure to wait for the soil to dry before watering next time. Refrain from watering your orchids when the soil is still wet.