How To

How to Clean Flowers for a Floral Arrangement

By eHow Home & Garden Editor
Rate: (0 Ratings)

The artistry of fresh floral arrangements reflects a sense of style with a balance of colors, texture and size. Whether using flowers cut from a home garden or bought from the florist, the artist can maximize enjoyment by extending the life of the arrangement. Follow a few simple steps when cutting and preparing the flowers.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Container
  • Water
  • Pruning sheers
  1. Step 1

    Select and gather fresh flowers for the centerpiece. Remove dead or browning leaves and petals.

  2. Step 2

    Fill a wide container or sink with warm water. Use a sharp pair of pruning sheers to cut the stems to the desired length one at a time, at an angle, under water. Different types of flowers require different types of stem preparation.

  3. Step 3

    Strip the stem of all foliage or thorns under water or in florist foam. Slip a woody stem from the bottom up about 3 inches to ensure proper water absorption. Burn the ends of the stem for up to 3 seconds to prevent clogged pores of flowers with milky sap.

  4. Step 4

    Place the flowers in room temperature water for immediate use. Refrigerate the flowers in water for later use.

  5. Step 5

    Choose an arrangement container and materials and arrange your flowers.

Post a Comment

Post a Comment

Have you done this? Click here to let us know.

I Did This

Related Ads

Local Listings

Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

eHow Home and Garden
eHow_eHow Home and Garden