I am a cut flower expert and my unusual trick with the 70p Tesco makes the flowers last longer
I don’t know about you, but I often associate chrysanthemums with cheap gas station bouquets.
Lovely and trendy, but I thought the only advantage was that they lasted a really long time in the vase.
3
3
But it turns out I’ve done them a disservice.
In fact, Naomi Slade’s new book ‘Chrysanthemums’ claims that they are not only back in fashion, but are also ‘blessed with old-world glamour and a generous dose of vintage chic.’
Naomi said: “Chrysanthemums naturally flower as the days get shorter and as long as the temperatures don’t get too low they can often stay outside for months.
“The hardy varieties tend to have smaller flowers and can be grown outdoors like other perennials, adding a valuable splash of colour to a late season border.
The semi-hardy flower arranging and exhibition varieties are now classified as Early, which flower in late summer, Mid-season, which flower from early autumn, and finally Late, which flower until mid-winter.
“These are more delicate and can be damaged by frost, a bit like dahlias. But if you grow them in pots you can bring them inside to continue flowering.
“Or they can be planted straight into a greenhouse edge and pruned if necessary.”
And when it comes to cut flowers, Naomi has a few simple rules.
“It is best to pick flowers first thing in the morning, when the air is cool.
“Choose flowers that are already showing some colour and budding, or, in the case of spray chrysanthemums, when about one in four flowers is already open.
“Cut the stems by dipping them directly into a bucket of clean, cold water. When you are done, prune the stems again, but under water.
“Put the bucket in a shady and cool place so they can drink and recover. Leave them there for a few hours or overnight.
“For both store-bought and home-grown flowers, remove excess lower leaves and cut the stems at a 45-degree angle, preferably under water to avoid creating air bubbles.
“Then arrange them in a vase with a few drops of white vinegar or bleach to slow bacterial growth and make the flowers last longer.
“Change the water and add a dash of fresh vinegar every three to four days.
“You can trim the stems every time and throw away the stems that look tired.
“Store in a cool place, away from direct sunlight and away from draughts and hot radiators.”
Cut flower experts often recommend adding bleach or vinegar to the water.
While the bleach kills any bacteria in the water, the vinegar ensures that the water in the vase has a pH of 3.5. This means that the water flows up the stems.
At the moment you can buy a bottle of bleach at Tesco for just 70p.
And at Asda you can buy white wine vinegar for just £1.40.
Naomi’s book is now available from Harper Collins.
3
In Veronica’s Column this week
Top gardening tips, news, jobs and a fantastic beanbag competition
NEWS! THE winner of this year Cuprinol shed of the year, is Wayne Dawber with his shed ‘Wrinkly, Rusty and Retro’.
The artist and art technician from the Crewe school built his winning barn by combining materials including corrugated iron from a demolished stable roof and windows from a recently demolished chapel.
And he’s filled it with colorful, hand-painted vintage signs from the 1950s. He uses paint to perfect his style, which he calls “industrial, ghost-town chic.”
NEWS! THE winner of the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fairs beautiful border competition, was Amy Drewitt’s ‘The Daisy Chain’, about how a multi-generational family shares a garden space through play, exploration and nature. It included sound cushions, a pool with a solar fountain, an in-ground trampoline, bells hanging from trees and birch trunk seats that double as a play tunnel and balance beam.
NEWS! IF you are an amateur gardener with a community space that you want to transform into a garden to help others – the National Garden Scheme opens for grant applications on Monday. Visit www.ngs.org.uk
TO RESCUE! Professional gardeners love a hop-up for pruning – much easier than ladders. Save on the Ladderstore’s £68.50 Youngman Oddjob Hop Up work platform, or choose the £39.99 B&Q version.
WIN! Enjoy the last days of summer by chilling in an XL Indoor/Outdoor LayZ Bean Bag – and you get to choose the color! To enter, fill out THIS FORMor for more information visit www.thesun.co.uk/Layz OR write to Sun LayZ Comp, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Please include your name, age, email or telephone number. Only for UK residents aged 18 and over. Ends 23.59GMT 21.09.24 Terms and conditions apply.
THIS WEEK’S TASK Consider sowing vegetables such as peas and garlic for an early harvest next year. Plant garlic cloves 25cm apart, about 2-3cm deep. They will germinate before winter and then overwinter.
TOP TIP! If you are still having problems with pests on your roses etc and want to use a soapy spray, the Ecover brand is the best for the environment, but any other brand will work too.
Follow me @biros_and_bloom
