Condition flowers before arranging

  Before we know it, the Yuma County Fair will be here, March 31 through April 5, and our flower specimens and arrangements will be sitting pretty in the big tin building, waiting for judges to hand out ribbons to the winners.

  Because our Yuma heat is going strong during fair week, it is very important that your flowers are conditioned so they don’t wilt before being judged.

  In order to keep flowers looking fresh through the week of the fair, you must "harden,” or condition, them when first cut. Hardening allows cut flowers to absorb as much water as possible before they are arranged. If your flowers are not conditioned properly, your arrangement or specimen will soon wilt, and your chances of receiving a ribbon will be slim.

  I recommend cutting your flowers early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, the day before you wish to arrange them. As you cut your flowers, place them in a plastic bucket 1/4 full of lukewarm water containing a few drops of bleach and a packet of flower preservative.

  The bleach will help kill any bacteria in the water which could clog the stems’ water absorption. The preservative will add sugar for nutrition, a bacteria inhibitor, and an acidic ingredient to promote uptake of water through the flower's stems. Lukewarm water contains less oxygen than cold and will have less air bubbles to clog the stems. Pull off all leaves that will be underwater, as these will rot and add more bacteria.

  Keep your buckets of cut flowers in a cool area of your home overnight until you are ready to arrange them. The cooler the temperature, the slower the aging process. However, don’t store your cut flowers in your refrigerator, as this will quickly kill your pretty blooms.

  If you would like to try a homemade flower preservative, here is a recipe: 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon bleach, 2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice and 1 quart lukewarm water. Mix this together and fill your buckets or your vase before arranging.

  Another recipe calls for one part lemon-lime soda, not diet, three parts water and 1/4 teaspoon bleach. Every four days, add 1/4 teaspoon more bleach. If you prefer to purchase commercial flower preservative, it comes in small packets or loose in jars at florist shops and craft stores.

  Not all flowers take kindly to being cut and plopped down in a bucket of water. Some flowers require special treatment in order to keep them absorbing water and looking beautiful.

  Hearty stems are flowers with a solid stem. Cockscomb, clarkia, marigolds and statice are examples of hearty stems. They need a diagonal cut across their stem to allow proper water absorption. Using a knife to make the diagonal cut is better than using scissors or pruning shears.

   Once your hearty stem flowers are in a bucket of water, fill your kitchen sink with lukewarm water and cut off another inch from the ends of each stem underwater and at a slant. This will ensure no air bubbles are trapped in the stem to block water absorption.

  Hollow stems are flowers with a hollow cavity. Amaryllis, bells of Ireland, dahlias, delphiniums and hollyhocks have this type of stem. To prepare them for arranging, turn each stem upside down and pour water into the stem cavity. Wet a small piece of cotton and plug the stem opening, or cover the stem opening with your finger as you place the flower back into the bucket of water. This will keep air bubbles from entering the stem and blocking water absorption.

  Soft stems are flowers with a delicate stem that crushes easily. Hyacinths, irises and tulips all have soft stems. Cut their stems with a knife to avoid crushing their soft tissue. Cut just above the white area on the stem, since only the green stem can absorb water.

  Place the flowers in cold water, not the usual lukewarm water, and be sure to have cold water in your vase when arranging. Tulip stems keep growing after being cut, which causes them to droop. To prevent this, put their stems deeper into the arrangement to allow for 2-3 inches of extra growth during the life of your arrangement. Also, while conditioning tulips, wrap the flowers in newspaper to keep their stems upright.

  Woody stems are flowers with tree-like branches. Lilac, dogwood, mock orange, pear and other woody stems need their bark scraped away from the lower portion of the stem and their ends split with a knife, about two inches up. This helps create more surface area for water absorption.

  Milky stems have a white liquid that oozes out when cut. This liquid stops water from moving up the stems and will wilt other flowers in the vase, as well. Dahlias, poinsettias and poppies have such stems.

  To avoid the problem, use a candle flame, or lighter, to sear the ends of the stems for about 30 seconds, or dip the stems in boiling water for 30 seconds, to seal in the milky liquid. After sealing the stems, place the flowers in a bucket of water overnight. Don’t use a pin holder when arranging, as this will prick holes in the sealed stems and allow the inner liquid to ooze out, causing other flowers to wilt.

  Carnations and pinks need their stems cut between the jointed nodes running along their stems. If you cut right below a node, water won’t be absorbed. Carnations and orchids will easily wilt if exposed to gases emitted by fruits and vegetables. Any gas leaking from a gas stove or heater will also cause them to wilt.

  Once your flowers have been conditioned overnight, you are ready for arranging. Make any fresh cuts underwater, except for sealed stems, as you create your arrangement. Be sure your vase’s water has preservative to keep your conditioned blooms looking fresh throughout the fair.

  This year’s theme for the Yuma County Federated Garden Show is "Recycle! Junk to Gems.” Categories open to all arrangers are "Second Time Around,” "Think Junk” and "Can Do" projects.

  The smaller arrangements are "Downsized Delight,” "Play It Again” and "Rubble Away.” For junior arrangers, there are a variety of design titles: "Recycling is HOT,” "Trash to Crafts,” "Cash for Cans,” "Make It a Habit,” "Think Trash” and "Make a Difference.”

  Check the fair book for details about each title. Start saving interesting recycled items for use in your arrangements. Gardeners not in a local garden club can enter both arrangements and specimens, all listed in the fair book.

  Area garden clubs meet once a month at the following locations: Yuma Garden Club, 1 p.m. on the second Monday at Sun Leisure Estates clubhouse; Yuma Orchid Society, 10 a.m. on the second Monday at Fortuna del Oro Restaurant, Foothills; Pecan Grove Garden Club, 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday at University of Arizona Extension building; MGM Garden Club, 10 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday at Moody Garden, by U of A Extension office.

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Karen Bowen is a member of Yuma Garden Club. She can be reached at bowenkaren@ymail.com.