Since it is Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be fun to share it with you a short column about flowers which arrived in my email this week. Since Feb. 14, is the biggest day of the year for flower arrangements, here are some helpful tips in making sure your flowers stay beautiful as long as possible!
Handling Tips for Valentine’s Day Roses
If you are fortunate enough to receive roses from a loved one this Valentine’s Day, follow these guidelines to help extend the life of your
flowers.
For floral arrangements:
1) Keep the vase filled or floral foam soaked with warm water. Add fresh, warm water daily. If the water turns cloudy, replace it immediately. If possible, recut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Do this under water. This allows the stems to draw in
water instead of air.
2) Keep flowers in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling
fans, or near radiators.
3) If a rose starts to wilt, remove it from the arrangement, and recut the stem under water. Submerge the entire rose in warm water. The
rose should revive in one to two hours.
For loose stems:
1) If you can’t get your flowers in a flower food solution right away, keep them in a cool place.
2) Fill a clean, deep vase with water and add the flower food obtained from your florist. Be sure to follow the directions on the package.
3) Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water will promote bacterial growth.
4) Recut stems under water with a sharp knife and place the flowers in the vase solution you’ve prepared.
And just a quick reminder, on Feb. 17, at 3 p.m., there will be a Weed/Herbicide Update meeting at the American Ag Credit building located at 5634 10th street in Great Bend. Dr. Phil Stahlman and Dr. Curtis Thompson, K-State weed specialists will go over issues concerning weed pressures in crops in various subjects including herbicide resistance for Kochia and Palmer Amaranth and a weed management update. During the program, there will be a meal served, sponsored by Ed Junior Farm Inc. There will be no charge to attend this update, but please register by calling 620-793-1910 by Feb. 16, for an accurate head count. We must have a minimum of 10 participants to hold the meeting.
Alicia Boor is the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Barton County K-state Research and Extension. One can contact her by email at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910