The amaryllis is a beautiful, bright flower in shades of pink, red and even orange that grows from a large bulb. Typically these flowers are planted outdoors or in a pot, but you can also cut them and display them in a vase. Whether you're making arrangements for a special event or just want to enjoy this beautiful flower at home, with a little care you can easily harvest it. You can find out how to make amaryllis last longer in a vase in this article.
How and when do you cut the stems?
Cut the flowers from the bulb before they bloom so you can enjoy them for a long time. Once the stem opens and several buds are visible, but before they actually open, the best time is to cut them off. In this way you can make amaryllis last longer in the vase. With proper care, cut amaryllis can last up to 3 weeks in a vase.
The inside of the stem is hollow and therefore very sensitive. Support the stemwhen cuttingwith your hand so that it doesn't break. If you cut off the flower, the weight of the buds can bend and break the stem. When cutting, hold the stem carefully under the buds.
Use either a sharp, clean knife or scissors to cut. Cut at a 45 degree angle 25mm above the tuber. Make sure you only cut off the stem of the flower you want to harvest so as not to injure the other flowers. If you notice juice coming out of the onion, this is normal and does not mean that you have injured the onion.
Place the flowers in a tall, clean vase filled with room temperature water, then place the vase in a cool place for a few hours or overnight. Once the flowers have rested, you can cut the stems back to the length that suits your vase or arrangement.
What you need for cutting
- Sharp, sterile knife or pruning shears
- Warm filtered or distilled water
- Vase or vessel
- Flower preservative
Make a flower preservation solution
So that you can have amaryllis in theVase lasts longerTo make it, mix a cut flower preservative with water and fill the container or vase for the arrangement. Flower preservatives are available commercially or are made by combining common household ingredients. For example, you can make a homemade preservative using 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon chlorine bleach, and 1/4 teaspoon alum per quart of water, or 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon bleach per quart of water.
Tips on how to make amaryllis last longer in a vase
- Cut back the stem base under running water and immediately place the cut flower in the container with water and preservative.
- Do not place the cut flowers in direct sunlight or near other heat sources or warm drafts.
- Place the amaryllis arrangement in a cool place at night or when not in use. TheStoring cut flowersat a temperature below room temperature extends the life of flowers.
- Change the water and preservative solution every three days or whenever it becomes cloudy.
- Re-cut the stem of the flowers every time you change the water and preservative solution. Each time you need to cut off half to a full centimeter of the stem. As already mentioned, always cut diagonally and hold the cut flower under running water.
- Make sure any containers used to transport or display cut amaryllis are clean and free of bacteria, which can infect the flowers and shorten their lifespan.
