Gladiolus is one of the most beautiful and popular flowering plants in the world. Its fame is due to its unpretentiousness, decorativeness, lush flowering in various shades. Gladiolus is one of the five flowers that are most often used to make bouquets. How to cut this plant correctly so that it pleases with its beauty in a vase longer is described in the article.
When can I cut gladioli for a bouquet
Gladioli are grown for two purposes:
- for decorating country and garden plots;
- making bouquets for sale and decorating the home.
These flowers are cut not only to put in a vase. Be sure to remove the flower stalks after flowering has passed.
For a bouquet, a flower can be cut at the moment when its first lower bud is fully opened. After the plant enters the water, it will gradually and consistently bloom up.
Did you know? People grew gladioli about 300 years ago, but not to cut or decorate the site. They made from their bulbs means for treating various diseases and flour for the preparation of cakes and cakes.
How to cut gladioli properly
There are 2 opinions on how to separate flower stalks. According to one of them, the flower should not be cut, but broken out. In this way, the transmission of pathogenic bacteria through the instrument can be avoided. This method has many opponents who claim that breaking out can damage the root system and impair growth and development or even death of the whole plant. The fact is that the peduncle is not too easy to separate, it needs to be twisted, for which considerable force should be applied.
Scissors are not suitable for cutting gladioli. With this method, the destruction of plant cells occurs, which reduces the lifespan of flowers in cut form
Therefore, how to separate the flower stalks by cutting or breaking out, each grower must decide individually, but at the same time adhere to some rules:
- When cutting, leave more leaves on the plant. It is noted that the more green mass a plant has, the corms grow stronger. The minimum number of leaves that must remain on the crop is 4–5 pieces.
- The peduncle must be pierced in one place with a sharp knife, moving the blade in different directions, and then break it off by removing it from the leafy outlet.
- Plan a cut in the morning or late evening.
- Do not cut flower stalks in rainy weather or extreme heat.
Did you know? The Roman historian and military leader Pliny in his works argued that warriors, believing in the magical properties of gladioli, wore corms amulets around their necks.
How to cut gladioluses that have faded
Immediately after the flowering period has ended for the plants, it is imperative to remove the peduncles. This is necessary because they inhibit the growth and development of the bulb. As a result, it becomes smaller and weak. If the peduncles and arrows are removed, the corms will begin to actively accumulate nutrients and in the future will give strong, strong plants that can bloom profusely and for a long time.
Removal must be done in the early morning.. The procedure is carried out in the same way as when cutting for a bouquet - they stick a sharp knife into the peduncle and cut it together with the arrow, trying to leave as much foliage as possible.
After cutting, the underground part must be kept in the ground for about 40 days, after which it can be removed and stored.
How to keep cut flowers longer
You can extend the freshness of cut inflorescences if you act as follows:
- Put flowers in a clean container.
- Fill the vessel 2/3 with water.
- Change the water in the vase regularly for fresh.
- Trim the bottom cut daily.
- Gradually remove wilted buds.
- Keep the vase in a cool place, away from sunlight, heating and electrical appliances.
- Add ½ tablet of aspirin to the water.
- Pour in 1 liter of water a mixture of ½ teaspoon of citric acid and the same amount of sugar.
The addition of aspirin and citric acid with sugar during a daily water change can extend the freshness of the bouquet up to two weeks
So, a bouquet of gladioli looks very beautiful in a vase. In order for it to stand fresh for a long time, it is necessary to adhere to certain recommendations and rules when cutting and placing flowers in water.
