After bringing the flowers into the house, remove all leaves that will be under water in the container. Keep the flowers out of water. Leaves and flowers will rot in water and the plant cells will become clogged with bacteria, preventing water from moving up the stems. After removing the leaves, cut an inch off the stems, and immediately put them in water almost as hot as your hand can stand. The water should be about half as deep as the stems are long. Make sure the water containers have been thoroughly washed. Use floral preservatives which are available from florist. For best results, cut the stems and place them at once into a hot preservative solution. Properly used, preservatives will extend the life of the flowers for one or more days. Store flowers and foliages in a cool, humid place, out of the sun, and away from drafts. Do not store with fruits, vegetables or decaying flowers or leaves; these give off ethylene which shortens the life of many cut flowers. Wait until the plant materials feel stiff before the arrangement.
Care during Arranging: The container should have been thoroughly washed since its last use. Fill it with water before start to arrange the flowers. If needed add a floral preservative. Using a sharp knife or shears, make a fresh cut on each stem just before put it in the container. Leave the stems in water until use them. Do not let the plant materials lie around on the table to dry out. Handle the flowers by their stems.
Care after Arranging: Place the arrangement out of the sun and away from drafts, hot air ducts, and radiators. At night, put it in a cool place to prolong the life of the flowers. Keep the container full of water daily. Change the water occasionally. When you do this, you may want to rearrange the flowers. When rearranging, be sure to remove at least 1 inch from each stem.
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