Up here in Vermont, the dahlia season has arrived late, but those of us who’ve escaped early frosts are enjoying the fantastic blooms at last. Dahlias make great cut flowers, but I’ve often been disappointed in their short life in a bouquets.
This year, I learned a way to help cut dahlias last longer, about four to six days. It’s simple, and it works.
- Start by picking early in the day, a good practice for any cut flower. In the cool morning, blooms are less stressed by the heat of the day. Choose blooms that have started to unfurl — not tight in bud or fully open.
- Place the stems in a glass of very hot tap water (160 to 180 degrees F) and allow them to cool for an hour.
- After that, arrange as you wish, using fresh water and changing it every couple of days or so.
These tips comes from Swan Island Dahlias, a grower and mail-order supplier in Oregon. Thanks!
– David Grist, landscaper and former employee-owner
Learn more: How to grow dahlias and store the tubers for winter
I want to bring my mom some dahlia flowers but don’t know how to package them for travel
If you’re referring to bringing cut flowers, then keeping them in a vase of water is the ideal. If you can’t do that, then you might visit your local florist and ask to purchase the small tubes with rubber caps they use on the bottom of rose stems when they’re preparing a flower delivery. You fill the tubes with water and insert the bottom of the stem in the hole in the top — it creates a pretty tight seal around the stem. (The florist may also have other materials, like wrapping material, boxes, and cooler packs.) Finally, one trick I’ve tried is putting a rubber band around the bottom of the stems and wrapping the stems in a thick layer of paper towels. Then I put the stems in a freezer bag and add some water so the paper towels are saturated and there’s a bit of extra water in there. Then close the seal on the bag as tightly as possible, and use additional rubber bands to secure the top of the bag to the stems. Some water invariable leaks, but less than if a vase toppled!
I appreciate that you suggested choosing those that only started to uncurl to ensure that they will last longer with you. I will keep this in mind since I will buy some for my mom. It will be for her birthday this coming December since it is her favorite flower. It would be the best thing to give her for her 60th birthday.