A workshop made me change how I cut every stem

I used to always cut flower stems straight across. That's how I learned from my first job at a flower shop. But last year, I went to a local florist meetup and they talked about angled cuts. I thought it was just extra work for no reason. So I tried it at home with some carnations from my garden. They looked brighter and stayed firm for over a week. The angled cut stops the stem from sealing against the vase bottom. Now I do this for all my arrangements, and my clients love the longer life.

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3 Comments

sethknight7mo ago

Ever hear florists say to smash stems with a hammer?

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faith_palmer517mo ago

Watched a flower arranging video once where they did that with woody stems like lilacs. Looks kind of violent for such a pretty hobby, honestly (but I guess it works to help them drink up water). Always makes me wince a little when I try it.

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casey_fox687mo ago

Notice how gentle stuff needs rough treatment sometimes?

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