Supplies and Tools for Floral Design: “Clippers are absolutely the most important tool in your arsenal”, says Rebecca Clark Moody, in her Foraged Flower Arranging book. She has two absolutes: floral shears/clippers used exclusively for cutting smaller pieces (or their blades will dull); and a pair of bypass pruners or loppers (larger branches). She also says that a wire cutter is an essential tool that will save your clippers.
Supplies and Tools for Floral Design: Wire, Foam, Floral Frogs, and Chicken Wire.
Wire can be used for a variety of purposes. Paddle wire is used to attach stems and branches to a structure for wreaths/garlands. Pieces or lengths of wire are used to tie bows, to attach items to stems, or wood skewers to use in a design.
Floral foam comes in a variety of shapes, and sizes, and in two basic types—wet and dry. Dry foam is used for dried floral design. So when your design calls for fresh floral ingredients you will always want to use the wet floral foam. Note that you will want to float the floral foam on a bucket of water and let it naturally soak up the water so plan ahead for this time. Do not forcibly submerge as this will result in dry spots. After the foam has darkened it is ready to cut with a knife to fit the container.
Floral Frogs are another favorite tool for design because they allow you to place each stem directly into the container with the frog already placed at the bottom. Frogs come in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit containers.
Chicken Wire can be used to help position stems in the design. The best may be 1” mesh, galvanized steel also consider coated wire. One way to use chicken wire is to cut a square double the size of the container opening, shape it into a ball, place it into the container and use waterproof tape across the top of the container to keep the ball in place.
Supplies and Tools for Floral Design: Wire, Foam, Floral Frogs, and Chicken Wire.
Wire can be used for a variety of purposes. Paddle wire is used to attach stems and branches to a structure for wreaths/garlands. Pieces or lengths of wire are used to tie bows, to attach items to stems, or wood skewers to use in a design.
Floral foam comes in a variety of shapes, and sizes, and in two basic types—wet and dry. Dry foam is used for dried floral design. So when your design calls for fresh floral ingredients you will always want to use the wet floral foam. Note that you will want to float the floral foam on a bucket of water and let it naturally soak up the water so plan ahead for this time. Do not forcibly submerge as this will result in dry spots. After the foam has darkened it is ready to cut with a knife to fit the container.
Floral Frogs are another favorite tool for design because they allow you to place each stem directly into the container with the frog already placed at the bottom. Frogs come in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit containers.
Chicken Wire can be used to help position stems in the design. The best may be 1” mesh, galvanized steel also consider coated wire. One way to use chicken wire is to cut a square double the size of the container opening, shape it into a ball, place it into the container and use waterproof tape across the top of the container to keep the ball in place.
General Rules for Plant Conditioning
We condition plant materials to make them look fresher and to last longer. This conditioning is called hardening.
Pick only freshly opened blossoms. Most flowers should be cut when the sun is off the plant - early morning or evening. Evening is preferable for then the plant materials can immediately be placed in the dark, cool place. Further evaporation is diminished.
Garden flowers should be cut at an angle so the stems do not rest flat on the bottom of the container. Use sharp tools to cut - sharp knife or sharp scissors. Dull ones squeeze the stem which prevents absorption of water.
If plant materials are not immediately plunged into water when cut, stems should be re-cut under water to facilitate absorption of water.
It is best to carry a pail of warm water to the garden to hold cut flowers.
Remove unnecessary leaves, buds, and even parts of the flower itself that aren’t needed. Remove foliage below the waterline that would foul the water and lessen the life span of the flowers.
Place flowers in deep water up to their blossom heads in a cool, dark place for several hours or overnight.
Most flowers last longer when cut in the bud or partly open stage. Usually the shorter the stem is cut, the quicker the absorption of water, and the longer the flower will last.
Avoid aluminum containers for conditioning.
For woody stems, the harder the stem, the hotter the conditioning water.
Pick only freshly opened blossoms. Most flowers should be cut when the sun is off the plant - early morning or evening. Evening is preferable for then the plant materials can immediately be placed in the dark, cool place. Further evaporation is diminished.
Garden flowers should be cut at an angle so the stems do not rest flat on the bottom of the container. Use sharp tools to cut - sharp knife or sharp scissors. Dull ones squeeze the stem which prevents absorption of water.
If plant materials are not immediately plunged into water when cut, stems should be re-cut under water to facilitate absorption of water.
It is best to carry a pail of warm water to the garden to hold cut flowers.
Remove unnecessary leaves, buds, and even parts of the flower itself that aren’t needed. Remove foliage below the waterline that would foul the water and lessen the life span of the flowers.
Place flowers in deep water up to their blossom heads in a cool, dark place for several hours or overnight.
Most flowers last longer when cut in the bud or partly open stage. Usually the shorter the stem is cut, the quicker the absorption of water, and the longer the flower will last.
Avoid aluminum containers for conditioning.
For woody stems, the harder the stem, the hotter the conditioning water.
Foliage
Soft foliage, such as on snapdragon and marigold, will quickly deteriorate.
Completely submerge hard or leathery foliage in water four to six hours or overnight. Maple leaves - a MUST.
All freshly cut leaves benefit form complete submergence in water. The richer and heavier the leaf texture, the less soaking needed.
Many leaves, such as canna, hydrangea, caladium, should be submerged in cold water for a few hours or overnight in order to remain crisp in arrangements.
Others, like begonia, may become waterlogged and therefore should remain in water only a few hours.
Foliage that is water spotted or has surface dirt may be cleaned with 1 Tablespoon liquid detergent in water. Swish around and remove from water to drip.
Velvety textured foliage, such as geranium, mullein, begonia, or those with a flocked -like surface such as dusty miller, should only be under water one hour.
Young fern fronds are hard to hold; older ferns do better. In general, ferns will wilt more rapidly than most foliage.
If fronds have drooped before complete immersion, dip them in very warm water and wrap them for about 30 minutes in wet newspaper, and then submerge as usual for foliage.
Completely submerge hard or leathery foliage in water four to six hours or overnight. Maple leaves - a MUST.
All freshly cut leaves benefit form complete submergence in water. The richer and heavier the leaf texture, the less soaking needed.
Many leaves, such as canna, hydrangea, caladium, should be submerged in cold water for a few hours or overnight in order to remain crisp in arrangements.
Others, like begonia, may become waterlogged and therefore should remain in water only a few hours.
Foliage that is water spotted or has surface dirt may be cleaned with 1 Tablespoon liquid detergent in water. Swish around and remove from water to drip.
Velvety textured foliage, such as geranium, mullein, begonia, or those with a flocked -like surface such as dusty miller, should only be under water one hour.
Young fern fronds are hard to hold; older ferns do better. In general, ferns will wilt more rapidly than most foliage.
If fronds have drooped before complete immersion, dip them in very warm water and wrap them for about 30 minutes in wet newspaper, and then submerge as usual for foliage.
Woody Stems
This includes: lilac, chrysanthemum, rhododendron, rose, stock, magnolia, forsythia, etc.
Rose stems should be cut with a shape knife as a scissors tends to squeeze the rose’s water-carrying sheath so that it is no longer able to function.
Strip unwanted rose leaves and thorns off with a sandpaper or wad of newspaper before conditioning. More of the water sucking areas are laid open when thorns are removed.
Occasionally woody-stemmed drooping flowers can be revived by re-cutting and soaking in hot water - as hot as the hand can stand; allow them to remain in the water until it cools. This may discolor the foliage, but it perks up the flowers, especially roses.
Breaking rather than cutting chrysanthemum stems helps to shred their tough fibers.
Very hardy stems like lilacs, forsythia, and chrysanthemum - crush 3 inches of ends with a hammer. Chrysanthemums and lilacs need a great deal of water - soak up to their flower heads overnight.
Taken from - A Study on the Conditioning of Plant Materials. Project of Sturgeon Bay Home and Garden Club.
First printing 1969, revised in 1984.
Rose stems should be cut with a shape knife as a scissors tends to squeeze the rose’s water-carrying sheath so that it is no longer able to function.
Strip unwanted rose leaves and thorns off with a sandpaper or wad of newspaper before conditioning. More of the water sucking areas are laid open when thorns are removed.
Occasionally woody-stemmed drooping flowers can be revived by re-cutting and soaking in hot water - as hot as the hand can stand; allow them to remain in the water until it cools. This may discolor the foliage, but it perks up the flowers, especially roses.
Breaking rather than cutting chrysanthemum stems helps to shred their tough fibers.
Very hardy stems like lilacs, forsythia, and chrysanthemum - crush 3 inches of ends with a hammer. Chrysanthemums and lilacs need a great deal of water - soak up to their flower heads overnight.
Taken from - A Study on the Conditioning of Plant Materials. Project of Sturgeon Bay Home and Garden Club.
First printing 1969, revised in 1984.