The way some shops treat peonies in Atlanta is just wrong

I keep seeing florists here cut peony stems straight across and put them in warm water... that's a sure way to get limp blooms in 2 days. You need a slanted cut and cool water, or they'll never open right. Saw a whole batch get tossed at the Ponce City Market flower stand last week because of this. Anyone else in a hot climate have a better method for keeping them firm?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey8432mo ago

Yeah, that warm water thing kills them fast here. I had the same problem in Austin last summer. Started cutting them at a real sharp angle and using ice water in the vase, like a few cubes right at the start. It shocks them a bit but they last almost a week now. Also, keep them out of direct sun, which seems obvious but my kitchen window was a death trap.

robinson.leo1mo agoMost Upvoted

Actually caught a gardening podcast last week where they explained that sharp angle cut is key because it opens up more of the stem's water channels. Something about how a flat cut lets the stem sit flat on the bottom and seal itself off. The ice water trick makes sense too, cold slows down bacteria growth in the water.

nathan1932mo ago

Ugh, the kitchen window trap is so real. I did the exact same thing with some tulips, had them on the counter thinking the light was nice and they were completely fried by noon. The ice cube trick is genius, gonna try that next time.

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