Flower Arrangement

Lesson 07 :Mechanics/Equipments And Tools Required

Floral Form

The most commonly used material for holding the stems of flowers is floral foam. Chicken wire and needlepoint holders have limited use as holding devices; although before the manufacture of floral foam, these were used extensively . Today, chicken wire is used mainly along with floral foam to help support heavy stems in large arrangements. Needlepoint holders are sometimes used in designs where limited numbers of flowers are needed and floral foam would be visible.

Floral foam is soft, very absorbent lightweight material. When the stems of flowers are placed in the foam, they are able to take up water through the foam. Floral foam can be purchased in cases of 48 blocks that are 3 inches by 4 inches by 9 inches. For specially uses, foams enclosed in plastic cages are also available as is foam for dried and silk flowers .

Floral foam may be purchased in several different densities; The Smithers-oasis company is the most widely known manufactures of floral foam. This company is so well known that many florists refer to floral foam as oasis. The various kinds of floral foam produced by this company are shown in Table 7.1.

Floral foam should be thoroughly soaked with water before use. Floral preservative should be added to the water. The manufacturer recommends that floral foam be soaked using the free float method (Figure). Place a block of floral foam into a bucket or sink filled with preservative treated water to a height greater than the foam. As the foam absorbs the water, the block will gradually sink. When only one quarter inch of the block remains above the surface, the block is saturated and ready to be used. Instant foam absorbs water so quickly, it can be placed in the container dry and water poured over it when needed. Thoroughly soaking the floral foam is most important. Dry spots in the foam can cause flowers to wilt.

Various types of floral foams:

Types of floral foam	Uses
Standard Deluxe Instant Instant deluxe Spring time	An all purpose foam that is used with a large variety of flowers. A sturdier foam used for heavy stemmed flowers. An all purpose foam that absorbs water quickly. A foam similar to deluxe but absorbs water quickly. A softer foam ideal for the soft stems of bulb crops.

Adhesive materials:
Four kinds of adhesive materials, as shown in Figure 5-6, are used by most florists. They help to secure mechanics.

Waterproof or anchor tape is used to secure floral foam into the container. Anchor tape is available in half- and quarter-inch widths. The quarter-inch width is preferred since it covers less area when stretched over floral foam. The wider tape covers more area and can cause problems in the placement of flowers.

Anchor tape is available in green, white, and transparent varieties. Use the white tape on white containers and the green on colored containers. Green tape can be more easily hidden in the floral arrangement than white.

Stem wrap or floral tape is a waxed, stretchy type that only sticks to itself. The techniques for using this material will be explained in Unit 6. Stem wrap is mainly used in cor­sage work to create stems for the flowers used in the corsage. It is also sometimes used to hide wires or picks in other type designs.

Stem wrap is available in several widths, but half-inch is the most commonly used. It is sold in an assortment of col­ors to match the colors of the design. The most frequently used colors are green and white.

Floral adhesive clay is a sticky type material similar in texture to children's "play dough." It comes in a flattened strip wound onto a roll, with waxed paper between the lay­ers. Two commonly sold brands are "Cling" and "Sure-Stik."

Floral clay is used to fasten anchor pins (round plastic holders with four upright prongs used to hold floral foam in place) or to anchor pinpoint holders. Pinpoint holders are round devices of steel needles used to hold flow­ers. Small pieces of the clay are placed on the bottom of the holder, which is then pressed firmly against the container. Make certain the container surface is dry. Floral clay will not stick to a wet surface. Floral clay has one disadvantage. It will leave a sticky mark on the surface of the container which is difficult to remove. As a designer, you may want to be cau­tious in the use of clay on expensive containers.

Hot glue is an adhesive material that is used extensively in the florist shop. It is purchased in solid sticks that are in­serted into an electric gun to be melted into a liquid that hardens within seconds. Hot glue can also be melted in a glue pot or electric frying pan. A low-temperature hot glue is also available. It does not hold as well as the regular hot glue but is safer to use. Hot glue has a wide range of uses that includes design work with live and silk flowers.

Caution: Hot glue guns and hot glue can severely burn your skin.
Cutting tools:
A variety of cutting tools are used by florists in the construc­tion of corsages and arrangements (Figure 7-8). Each of these has a specific use. You will find that tools last longer if they are used correctly and properly maintained.

Floral knives are one of the most important tools used by the designer. The knife is used for cutting stems only, never used to cut wires with a knife. Because one may be success­ful in cutting small wires, but this makes knife dull.

Most florists prefer a knife for cutting stems because they make a quick clean cut. Other tools, such as shears, will cut the stem but may pinch the tubes that take up water, thereby restricting the flow of water to the plant.
Select a knife with a short, sharp blade that can be easily handled while working. Most designers hold the knife in their hand when not actually cutting. Laying the knife down after each cut would be a waste of time.
Select a knife with a short, sharp blade that can be easily handled while working. Most designers hold the knife in their hand when not actually cutting. Laying the knife down after each cut would be a waste of time.

Keep your knife sharp. You are less likely to cut yourself with a sharp knife. Hold the knife between the thumb and forefinger in the manner illustrated in Figure 5-9. Cut to­ward yourself at an angle. Do not attempt to cut hard woody stems in this manner. Ask your instructor to illustrate the correct use of the knife before you begin. Proceed slowly and with caution until you feel comfortable using the knife.

Florist shears are another tool that can be used for cut­ting stems. However, this tool is slower to use since it has to be laid down after each cut and as discussed earlier, it tends to pinch the stems restricting the uptake of water. The pri­mary uses of florist shears are cutting wires and ribbons

Ribbon Shears or scissors are use full for cutting ribbons and decorative foils used by the florist. Never cut stems or wires with ribbon shears.

Wire cutters are used for cutting wires and the stems of artificial flowers which contain a wire. Use wire cutters for cutting wires only, not on plant material or ribbon.

Pruning shears are useful for cutting heavy stems that are too large to be easily cut by a knife or florist shears. These are particularly useful when cutting woody stemmed materials that are sometimes used in arrangements. Pruning shears may be used to cut stems of up to one-half inch in diameter.

Picks:
Florists use wooden and steel picks. These are used mainly in funeral designs, to make wreaths, and in dried and artificial arrangements. Wooden picks can be purchased in the natural wood color or the more common green color (Figure 5-10). They come with or without a wire attached and may be from 2 1/2 to 7 inches in length. Wooden picks are used to add length or support the plant materials.

Steel picks are commonly sold in lengths of 1 3/4,2 1/8, and 3 inches. They are attached to the stems of various mate­rials with a steel pick machine. The pick makes it easy to insert plant material into a wreath ring, styro foam, or other holding device.