How to Precondition Your Cut Flowers

There are many different ways to precondition your cut flowers and foliage. You will probably hear one gardener say that the method he uses is the best, while another gardener will say that it is not. To get past this confusion you should know that the first step to preconditioning your cuttings is to make sure you put them in a pail of water as soon as they are cut. This will ensure that the stem doesn’t start to heal itself and seal the cutting.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Once you have your cuttings in a pail bring them indoors. You will need to have another container of fresh, room temperature water handy. Take each flower out of the original pail and place its stem underwater in the fresh water. While the stem is underwater cut another one or two inches off of the stem at a 45 degree angle. Doing this will ensure that the flower stems are absorbing air instead of water. It is important that you use a sharp tool. If you do not, you may bruise the stem and block the tubes which carry the water.
2. After the cut has been made and while the stem is still underwater, gently scrape the sides of the flower stems with a knife. Scrape only the bottom inch or two. Removing bits of the stems' fiber in this way will help them to absorb water easier.
3. Remove any foliage or leaves that have been underwater. This will ensure that your flower doesn’t become infected with bacteria once the leaves start to rot. You should also remove any extra leaves or foliage from the flower. Doing so will keep the water that is absorbed through the flower’s stem from going to these areas. Removing the extra leaves and foliage will also make your arrangement look cleaner if it is in a glass container.
4. Place your cuttings in a fresh container of room temperature water and mist the flowers with cool water.
5. Special Pre-Conditioning Instructions: Woody Stems
   
   If you are cutting woody stems you will follow all of the above steps. Except after you make the new 45 degree cut you will take the cuttings out of the fresh water one by one and smash their ends with a hammer. Follow this up by using a knife to cut a slit into the sides of the woody stems. This slit should be no longer than one third of the flower stem’s length. After you do this you can place your woody stem cuttings in a fresh container of room temperature water. Don’t forget to mist the flower heads with cool water.
6. Special Pre-Conditioning Instructions: Hollow Stems
   
   If you are cutting hollow stem flowers such as Shasta daises, dahlias, poppies and so on, they require a bit more attention. Once you bring them indoors you should submerge the stems in fresh water and make a new 45 degree cutting on the stem as outlined above. At this time, you may notice a white substance coming out of the flower. This white stuff is a nutrient that the flower needs or it will die. So, it is up to you to make sure that it isn’t all lost. You will have to remove the flower from the water, make a third 45 degree cut and then sear the flower’s tip with a match or candle flame immediately. This will seal off the stem and contain the nutrient inside. Next, remove any extra leaves or foliage and place the cutting in room temperature water. Be sure to mist the flower heads with cool water.
7. Double Checking the Preconditioning Process
   
   Once your flowers have been preconditioned and they have set for about an hour or so in freshwater, it is time to see how they are doing. Any flowers that have started to wilt should have the preconditioning process repeated.
8. You are now ready to go to the conditioning stage.

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