Flower care – how to help cut zinnias last

As summer arrives, your zinnias should start flowering. Your garden will be bursting with colour and you might be tempted to cut those beautiful flowers, put them in a vase and place it on your living room table. For those who aren’t lucky enough to have zinnias growing in their garden, perhaps you have a neighbour who is willing to share, or you can take a trip to your local florist and pick up a bouquet. It doesn’t matter if you grow or buy zinnias for yourself or just want to send flowers to a friend, you always want them to last as long as possible. There are several ways to get the most out of cut zinnias. Here are some essential flower care tips.

Careful when cutting

The first flower care tip to remember, if you cut them off the plant yourself, is that you need to be prepared and bring a bucket of water with you. As soon as you’ve cut the flower off the main plant, place the stem in the water. This will prevent the stem from drying out and you can spend some time picking the flowers. Also, be sure to use a sharp pair of scissors, scissors, or a box cutter. Dull or dull cutting tools will damage both the flower stems and the main plant.

Cut at the right time

When cutting them from your garden, do it during the cooler times of the day, such as early morning or late afternoon. Pick flowers that are just starting to open. Fully open flowers don’t have much life yet, and tightly closed buds may never open if they are cut from the plant too early.

Care after cutting

Once you have cut all the zinnias you need, or as soon as you get home from purchasing them from your local florist, you can take steps to keep them as long as possible. This means you will need a clean vase and some flower preserves. Add warm water to the vase and allow the flower jam to dissolve in the water while you care for your zinnias. By taking these flower care steps right away, you will provide your blooms with just what they need to look their best for as long as possible.

Proper trimming of stems

Cut the stems to the same length and cut them at an angle. This will ensure that there is ample surface area for absorption and that the flower stems do not lie flat in the bottom of the vase. Also remove the excess leaves. Only the stems should be below the water level. If possible, cut the stems underwater. This will prevent air bubbles from entering the stems. When you have done all this, you can place your zinnias in their vase and display them away from direct sunlight, wind or air conditioners.

Just like flower care for any other type of bloom, it’s important to monitor the level and quality of the water in the vase. Change the water every other day, and when you do, check the base of the stems for bacterial growth. If the bases are covered in goo, cut to about an inch from the bottom. Again, corner cut as before. Also add more flower preserves to the fresh water.