Care for cut flowers: how to keep gerberas in a vase longer?

The history of gerbera travel around the world began in the 18th century, when the plant was described by a botanist from the Netherlands. To date, there are about 70-80 varieties. This diversity has been achieved thanks to enthusiastic breeders from just a few of the original species.

But all this long varietal row is known only to professionals, and two varieties are mainly popular among amateurs - this is Jameson's gerbera and Green-leafed gerbera. They are the basis of numerous genetic transformations of the species.

Gerberas are herbaceous complex flowering plants, refer to asters. Durable plump stems with leaves of various shapes depending on the variety are collected in a rosette-type outlet and decorated with flowers in the form of baskets of various shades. The foliage is sharp and large, elongated, sometimes up to 35 cm, quilted with veins like a feather. In the center, a fan-shaped bouquet towers flowers.

The height of the stems is from 30 to 60 cm. Often there is cream, orange, white, pink and red coloring, as well as multi-colored varieties in which one tone flows into another along the length of the petals. The diameter of the inflorescence baskets ranges from 4 to 15 cm. There are also individual varieties with huge inflorescences up to 30 cm in diameter. The type of flower is divided into simple, semi-double baskets and terry.

Does this flower grow in water?

Unlike roses, which easily let the roots out in the water and then may well take root in a pot or open ground, gerberas do not have this possibility.

Learning to buy / choose cut plants

• The stalk should have a smooth green color without spots and bumps.
• When bending the petals, they must quickly restore their original position.
• The cut surface of the stem should have a light color, without darkening.
• It’s better not to take already created bouquets, even if they look freshest, most likely they have a flower or a couple, just about ready to wither.

  Often they try to hide flowers that are broken and have lost their vitality in ready-made bouquets, and I must say, they do it so successfully that the lay person simply does not notice the differences.

• Ready-made bouquets, richly decorated with bows, ruffles and spangles, should be especially alarming.
• If the finished composition is to your liking, it is better to repeat it with you from new flowers.

The main signs of freshness

1. Flower - even and elastic petals hold the correct shape, are located at an obtuse angle with respect to the peduncle, in no case do not lean down.
2. The gerbera, which is losing freshness, is characterized by wilted petals, which quickly curl up and dry.
3. Slice and leg - in a fresh flower, the leg is strong, dense and solid. If you click on it, then nothing should ooze from the slice.When, when pressed on the stem, mucus emerges from the cut area, it means that the flower has to stand for very short time.

How much do they cost in water?

Cut gerberas can stand in water from 7 to 14, or even more days.

What determines the life span?

First of all, on the conditions and time of transportation and storage.

Standards required to get a bouquet of fresh and strong gerberas:

• Cutting flowers is done after the inflorescences are fully opened, and the pollen ripens.
• Immediately after cutting, the stems of flowers are immersed 5 cm in water at room temperature, they are thus kept for several hours.
• Then put a few pieces in cardboard packaging.
• Storage is carried out at a temperature of 3-5 degrees.
• The storage period should not exceed 36 hours.

Equally important is the care for gerberas after purchase. This is the second half of the guarantee of a two-week freshness of the flower.

What to do to make the bouquet stand longer?

Home Care Rules

1. The correct arrangement of gerberas in a vase. These flowers have a large basket combined with a thin and fragile stem. Therefore, you need to be very careful when distributing the bouquet. It is also important to arrange the tips of the stems in a frozen state so that they do not come into contact with the bottom surface.

   To do this, they are wrapped with a bandage and fixed with a fishing line on the neck of the vase. For the same purpose use scotch tape and a thin wire, wrapping them with a stalk until inflorescence. There are special tablets made of cardboard that are placed on a vase, and the stems of flowers are embedded in special holes, thus, as if hanging on this tablet.

2. Moisture supply. The stem is cut obliquely in the water to maximize the water intake. When cutting, it is important to use a sharp blade, protecting the water-absorbing canals from crushing. Then the flowers are placed for some time in a basin with water at room temperature, and after that they are placed in a vase. If trimming is made shorter, the freshness period will be increased.

   Water should cover the stems by four centimeters, a higher level will damage, cause rot. Since the water evaporates, you need to make sure that the level does not become lower than the recommended, adding new if necessary.

3. Trimming and peeling stems. Once every three days, stalks are cut half a centimeter to unlock clogged and squeezed canals in the stem, through which the flower absorbs moisture and food. In addition to pruning, the stems are washed to cleanse the mucus.
4. Accommodation. Gerberas are by no means lovers of heat and direct sunlight. Putting a vase on the window or next to the battery, you can bring the bouquet to premature wilting. Afraid of gerbera and drafts. So it’s ideal to be a cool place with ambient light.
5. Disinfection. Add drops of lemon acid to the water, or a tablet of activated pharmaceutical coal, or a tablet of aspirin.
6. Make-up. In flower salons, various preparations are sold that allow you to give the plant a dose of nutrients to maximize the freshness period. It happens that even bags with similar preparations are attached to bouquets in a single dosage.

Additional Tips and Warnings

An important question is what water to put flowers in order to preserve them.

• Since the gerbera’s stem is covered with the edge, this creates unsanitary conditions, which means that special attention should be paid to antibacterial treatment by putting silver (a spoon, a pendant, a ring) in a vase.
• A weak solution of potassium permanganate, charcoal, pine needles, boric or ethyl alcohol are also suitable.
• There is a lot of chlorine and impurities in the tap water that can harm the flower. It is important to use only germs at room temperature for gerberas.
• Change the water in the vase daily.
• A little sweetening of the water will only be good.
• You can revive a sagging bouquet with a solution: add two teaspoons of ethyl and a couple of drops of ammonia to a four-liter volume of water.

It is not difficult to properly care for cut gerberas. With such factors, the flower easily retains its fresh appearance for a rather long time. And it's worth it! After all, gerberas are a universal tool for turning any celebration into a bright event. Their color scheme, in relation to the restrained form, allows you to express any holiday wish: both solemn and sublime, and light, laid-back.

Watch the video: How To Make Your Flower Arrangements Last Longer (November 2024).