TIPS FOR ENTERING FLOWER SHOWS
THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW TO PREPARE FOR NEXT SUMMER
1. Read the schedule and look around your garden now. Think about what you might enter. Here are the broad classes offered in flower show schedules:
a. Annuals
b. Perennials
c. A leaf from a plant grown for its foliage
d. Woody trees or shrubs in fruit or flower
e. Conifers and broadleaf evergreens
2. Make a list of the common and Latin names for three to five plants you think you might want to enter.
a. It's ok to just note the genus name, for example, "Hydrangea spp."
b. If you don't know the Latin name, Google "Latin name for (common name of plant)" and check photos to make sure you have the right plant.
c. Including a specific epithet and/or cultivar name helps the judges evaluate your stem accurately and, more importantly, educates the visiting public.
d. Make it a habit to save plant labels or keep notes.
3. It's really as easy as cutting a stem the morning of the flower show and bringing it with you. But many flowers and stems can and should be cut in advance.
4. Learn about conditioning cut stems. It's different for every bloom and is fun to learn.
a. Flower farmers and seed and bulb suppliers are fabulous sources of information. Some of my favorites are Bear Creek Fresh, Floret Flower Farm, Longfield Gardens, and Brent & Becky's Bulbs.
b. Many garden clubs offer conditioning tips - links will appear in a Google search of "how to condition flowers."
c. See below for examples/advice - Conditioning 101 and Conditioning 201.
5. Practice cutting and conditioning stems in the next few weeks.
a. Remember to remove all leaves that will be submerged in water in your vase (or bottle in which you display a specimen at a flower show).
b. Practice makes perfect!
CONDITIONING CUT FLOWERS 101
Start here!
Why? To maximize vase life for cut flowers and help flowering stems recover from being severed from the plant's vascular system.
1. Plan to cut early in the morning or after the sun goes down, when the plant is well hydrated.
2. Have a clean plastic harvest bucket with water on hand, and sharp pruners that you've cleaned with bleach or alcohol. Don't use galvanized buckets, which produce an oily residue that clogs flower stems, and don't use dull scissors or pruners, which can crush the stem ends and prevent the flower from taking up water.
3. Cut stem at a 45-degree angle, remove any foliage that wil be below the water line, and put stems into harvest bucket ASAP.
4. Keep the water in your bucket clean: treat it with Chrysal CVBN tablets, one tablet per gallon or change water frequently (every 4 to 8 hours).
5. Use FloraLife QuickDip hydrating solution, especially for flowers that wilt quickly.
6. Let stems 'rest' for at least four hours or overnight in a cool, dark place.
7. Re-cut stems when staging your cut specimen. Cut at a 45 degree angle.
8. Sometimes it makes sense to cut stems a few days in advance, for example, if heavy rain or high winds are predicted, and in fact, many flowers have a long vase life and can be cut in advance. After conditioning stems, you can move many flowers (but not zinnias) to a refrigerator - but make sure your fridge has no fruits or vegetables that release ethylene gas, which ages flowers quickly.
CONDITIONING 201
Research specific flowers for useful tips and tricks.
Below are some examples of valuable tips for conditioning and cutting different types of blooms/stems. Use "Dr. Google," search YouTube, or ask a floral design friend.
Hydrangeas should be cut early in the morning when well hydrated. Pick only fully mature blooms and split the bottom of the stem. You can revive a wilted bloom by submerging it fully in water and letting it drip dry. If you have alum on hand, give them a fresh cut and dip the stem end in alum to extend its life.
Dahlias: Dahlias don't open after cutting, so they should only be cut when in peak bloom. Be sure to include the first pair of leaves below the bloom.
Zinnias: Harvest zinnias when stems pass the "wiggle test," that is, when you hold the stem about 8 inches below the flower and shake, the stem remains stiff and upright. Never put zinnias in a cooler or refrigerator, but store in a dark or shaded area. Zinnias are notorious for "dirtying" water, so be sure to use CVBN tablets or change water several times a day.
Cosmos and sunflowers: Cut cosmos and sunflowers when there is just one petal unfurling, and let the flower open indoors in a vase.
Woody stems: Never crush or smash the stem ends of woody shrubs or trees with the idea that this will allow them to take up more water. It doesn't work. Instead, use a vegetable peeler to remove a thin layer of bark from the bottom 2 to 3 inches of the stem and, if thick enough, split the stem about 1 to 2 inches.
Freshness in general. One measure of freshness is pollen. Pick before the bees visit your flower, because once they do, the flower fades quickly.
Source: Julie Sakellariadis 9/10/2024
