The temperatures in the past few weeks have been up and down like a yoyo. Lo and behold, a few of my container and bedding plants have refused to give up. It’s pretty astounding really BUT the few that are hanging in there are in protected areas. As we endure the frost advisories, I will continue doing what I’ve always done, bringing some of that beauty indoors to enjoy before they take their last stand!
From spring to summer and as long as I can before the flowers of this year are just a memory, I cut some of them to keep in a small vase on my kitchen window seal and to display on my bakers rack that sits between a patio window and my kitchen table. The bakers rack is loaded with plants including a jade, a prayer plant, orchids, African violets, and coral reef sedum. When the orchids and African violets are in bloom they put on their own spectacular show. For those in between times, I love the pop of color that a cutting offers.
Save this list, which includes vase life, for planting some ideal flowers for cutting and enjoying next year:
- Zinnias (vase life: 7 to 10 days)
- Dahlias (about 5 days)
- Snapdragons (7 to 10 days)
- Hydrangea (about 3 days)
- Sweet peas (3 to 7 days)
- Asiatic and Oriental lilies (8 to 10 days)
- Sunflowers (7 to 10 days)
- Tulips (up to 7 days)
- Roses (4 to 7 days)
- Peonies (5 to 7 days)
How to cut flowers and care for them
- Cut flowers in the morning
- Make the cut at an angle
- Strip any foliage which would be under water
- Make sure your vase is clean
- Use room temperature water
- Add a splash of bleach to water to keep bacteria from growing
- Position vase away from heat or direct sunlight
- Remove any dead or fading blooms
The flowers that I have been cutting for indoors in the past couple of weeks are not really prime candidates for cutting because their vase life is only 2 or 3 days. Better they fade away inside than being zapped by the frost outdoors.
I only have a few stragglers left to choose from but in the past couple of weeks, I’ve brought in 
hibiscus, new guinea impatiens, angelonia, abutilon, ivy leaf geraniums and ferns for filler. I have a couple of small vases that I use for a single cutting or smaller blooms. And I also have, occasionally, been adventurous enough to try my hand at filling a much larger vase to use as a table centerpiece.
What are your favorite cut flowers? Have you done an arrangement that you might use for Thanksgiving or other holidays? Please share with us. We all like to be inspired by flowering creativity. You can reach me at [email protected] or post on our weekly Green Thumb Gardening Facebook posts.
