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THE NORTHERN GARDENER'S SOURCE FOR COLD CLIMATE GARDENING INFORMATION
CUT FLOWERS FOR BLOOM SUCCESSION
Many people enjoy having fresh flower arrangements in their home. With the right plants, it is possible to have fresh cut flowers most months of the year. The tables in this fact sheet list various types of plants along with the approximate time of bloom. The flowering date will also vary according to seasonal weather, with an early, warm spring bringing an early bloom. If plants are protected by a building or near a large body of water, their date of bloom will also vary.
How to successfully cut flowers from your own garden!
It is best to cut flowers early in the morning while the buds are still cool. Leave at least 3 sets of leaves on the plant to keep the plant vigorous. Most varieties can be cut when they feel like a large, firm marshmallow or when you observe the first petal move away from the bud. If you feel a hard marble texture when squeezing the bud the bud is still too tight to cut. Each variety can vary in cutting stage. A single bloom must be cut tighter than a double bloom. When cut in too tight of a bud, the flower may not open. When learning stages to cut blooms it is helpful to take some buds in the house to observe if they will open.
Wash and bleach all tools buckets, and vases to reduce flower contact with bacteria. Place the stems immediately in cool water. Remove all foliage that will be below water level in your final arrangement as foliage will begin to break down under water and give your flowers a shorter vase life. Cut the stem underwater as you are placing it in the arrangement. You will see that a drop of water is still attached to the stem end, keeping it from the air and from drying out.
Keep the flowers out of direct sunlight and heat. Change the water in the vases daily if possible to reduce bacteria count. Flowers shouldn’t be refrigerated with fruit as fruit emits ethylene gas that speeds flower maturity.
To hold flowers for a few days, put them in a container of water in a cool, dark place. The optimum holding temperature is 33 degrees, however, refrigerator temperatures will also slow the maturity. Allow 2-3 days for tight buds to open. To hasten opening, place the stems in warm water in a warm place with good light.
Perennials and Hardy Bulbs
Many of the plants in Table 1 will flower over a period of several weeks, particularly if you plant several different cultivars Some types, such as the Coreopsis or Gaillardia, will flower for 6 to 8 weeks, especially if the old bloom is picked off. The biggest display of bloom on all perennials is their first flower of the season The later blooms are more scattered and sometimes on shorter stems. The date of flowering will vary according to the environment and prevailing weather conditions in the part of country where you live.
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Table 1. Perennials and hardy bulbs and their month of bloom |
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April |
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Wild columbine--Aquilegia canadensis |
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May |
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Leopardbane--Doronicum caucasicum |
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June |
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Achillea--Achillea ptarmica |
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July |
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Butterflyweed--Asclepias tuberosa |
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August |
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Monkshood--Aconitum napellus |
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September |
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Japanese anemone--Anemone japonica |
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October |
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Fischers monkshood--Aconitium fischeri |
Tender Roots and Bulbs
The plants in Table 2 are suitable for cut flowers. They are not winter hardy, however, and must be planted each year. The medium-sized or "B" types of dahlias are best for cut flowers. In addition, the Unwin and the Coltness hybrids grown as annuals each year from seed are useful for smaller cut flowers.
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Table 2. Tender roots and bulbs |
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Canna--Canna indica |
Annuals
Table 3 contains annual flowers that are suitable for cutting or picking. The time that annuals bloom depends in part on whether the seed is sown indoors or outdoors. If the flowers are always picked, and as much foliage is left on the plant as practical, many of these will continue to produce flowers until the first frost.
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Table 3. Flowering annuals |
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Ageratum--Ageratum houstonianum (tall growing varieties) |
The annuals listed in Table 4 may be sown in the fall for earlier flowering in the spring. The smaller of these plants will benefit from a light winter protection.
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Table 4. Annuals that may be sown in the fall for an early spring bloom |
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Snapdragon--Antirrinhium majus |
Flowering Shrubs and Trees
Shrubs and trees are also a good source of fresh flowers. The shrubs and trees in Table 5 are arranged in their approximate order of flowering. In many cases, certain shrubs and trees may have an extended period of bloom in which case they are listed only in the month in which they first begin to flower. Examples include abelia, rose-of-sharon and butterfly bush. Plant different species and cultivars for a long period of flowering.
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Table 5. Flowering shrubs and trees and their month of bloom |
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February |
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Spicebush--Lindera benzoin |
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March |
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Cornelian cherry--Cornus mas |
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April |
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Shadblow or shadbush--Amelanchier canadensis |
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May |
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Fringetree--Chionanthus virginica |
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June |
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Snowhill hydrangea--Hydrangea arborescens |
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July |
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Glossy abelia--Abelia grandiflora |
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August |
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Bushclover--Lespedeza bicolor |
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October |
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Witchhazel--Hamamelis virginiana |
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