Sunflower is a strong and vibrant plant that is recognized globally for its beauty, aesthetic uses and as an important source of food. Sunflower produces healthy and highly valued vegetable oil while sunflower seeds can be enjoyed as tasty, nutritious and healthy snacks or ingredients to spice up different foods. Aesthetically, sunflowers are used as summertime bouquet. Their bright yellow color boosts mood and bring out the much-needed summer spirit. But, how do you cut sunflowers to achieve the perfect bouquet look? Here are a few simple steps to follow.
Select the best flowers
You want something that will last indoors for a week without losing its beauty. Therefore, you must select the best and healthiest sunflower plants. It should have multiple branching stems and flowers to ensure bouquet fullness. The common orange or yellow sunflowers last longer as compared to the dark petal varieties whose petals shed off in less than seven days.
Right development stage
To ensure longer freshness, cut the flowers when their petals are beginning to open or just before they open up completely. This ensures that you enjoy your sunflower bouquet when it is at its best. The flower continues to open up even after being cut if placed in a vase with water.
Cutting at the right time
The ideal time to cut your sunflowers is in the morning or evening when the weather is favorable. Avoid cutting during the day when the heat is at its peak. The flowers at that time are withered and dehydrated. So, they may not last more than a day in your vase.
Right cutting angle
If you are conversant with gardening tricks, you know that flowers take up water best when they are cut at a 45-degree angle. Measure at least 24 inches of the stem from the sunflower head and cut at a 45 degrees angle. The flower cuttings should be at least 24 inches allowing enough stem to be in the vase and reach the water it needs to radiate for one week.
Water temperature
Sunflowers must be placed in water immediately after being cut to retain freshness. They should be placed in a bucket with warm or hot tap water. Sunflower cuttings take up hot or warm water from the tap better. Place the cuttings in water and ensure that they are exposed to direct light for some hours. This allows them to take up enough water and light they need to thrive before they are taken indoors; a process known as conditioning.
Keep vase water fresh
To retain freshness, sunflower bouquets must be kept in fresh water. This means that you must change vase water daily. Before changing the water, it is advisable to recut the ends to ensure that no previous water residues and bacteria get in the fresh water and cause your bouquet to wither prematurely. Remember that the water must be warm or hot tap water.
Summary
A sunflower bouquet is beautiful and accentuates any interior décor. However, to retain their bright and refined look, they should be kept away from direct light once indoors.
