Caring For Tropical And Exotic Flowers
Tropical flowers make an exciting change from the more traditional floral gifts such as roses and gerberas, assuming that they're available in your area. Their stark and colorful beauty makes them an impressive gift for special occasions like Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, birthdays and anniversaries.
If you're lucky enough to grow tropical flowers such as heliconias or gingers in your garden, here are some tips to help them thrive and to extend their shelf life as cut flowers.
1. Water your plants well and give them a big drink before cutting. This is important for foliage plants as well because some varieties "drink" very little after cutting. Instead, they live off their own sap.
Tropical plants have adapted to their natural environment which typically involves frequent but short periods of heavy rain.
Look at the flower heads and notice how the petals are "cupped" to catch and store as much water as possible. These plants drink from the top and like being wet.
Look at the pattern on the leaves. The ridges channel water down to the stem where it's absorbed into the many layers of the plant.
2. If your flowers have been out of water for any length of time after cutting, submerge them in the bath for half an hour or so.
3. Cut 3 to 4 inches off the stem and then place them in a tall vase FULL of clean water.
4. Use a spray bottle to mist them at least twice a day.
5. Change the water and re-cut the stems every 2 or 3 days.
You can double the vase life of your cut flowers by using these simple techniques.
© Gerry Belvedere
Gerry Belvedere is a former artist who now runs her own florist service at http://www.rosaflora-flowers.com
Rosaflora delivers flowers Australia wide and overseas and offers tips on getting the most out of your cut flowers. You can view some of her tropical arrangements at http://www.rosaflora-flowers.com/special- event.html
 Google News Updated : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:51:58 GMT Ford Has $8.7 Billion Loss, Shifts Away From Trucks (Update4) - Bloomberg Bloomberg - By Bill Koenig July 24 (Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co., the world's third- biggest automaker, posted a record quarterly loss of $8.7 billion and accelerated a conversion to fuel-efficient vehicles to wean itself from money-losing trucks. Ford's Worst Quarter Ever Ford Posts Loss of $8.7 Billion on Asset Woes Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:07:48 GMT Swimmer’s Positive Test Puts Olympic Berth Doubt - New York Times
New York Times - By KAREN CROUSE The swimmer Jessica Hardy has not been penalized for a doping offense despite published reports that she tested positive for a banned substance. Video: Source:Hardy Tests Positive for Banned Substance Sequence doesn't make Sense Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:21:30 GMT FOX News Poll: No Bounce for Obama From Overseas Trip - FOXNews
FOXNews - By Dana Blanton The significant news coverage Barack Obama is receiving on his foreign trip has not translated into a bounce in his numbers, a just-released FOX News poll shows. Wanted: 2 million poll workers for November  Comment by Leonard Steinhorn Prof, School of Communication, American UniversityPubl.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:24:50 GMT Health Buzz: A $500 million Antismoking Campaign and Other Health News - U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report - Billionaires Bill Gates and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced yesterday that they'll contribute a combined $500 million to a worldwide antismoking campaign, the New York Times reports. Video: Gates, Bloomberg Pool Riches to Fight Smoking The $500 million war on smoking Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:43:30 GMT Would UN Security Council Postpone Any Prosecution of Sudanese Leader? - Voice of America
Voice of America - By Joe De Capua As the International Criminal Court (ICC) considers whether to issue arrest warrants for Sudanese President al-Bashir, some are calling on the UN Security Council to block the action. Sudan's Beshir pledges peace as he leaves Darfur Jordan's lower house opposes charges against Sudanese president Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:30:10 GMT Arizona reports first West Nile death of 2008 - Bizjournals.com
Bizjournals.com - Arizona has reported its first death from the West Nile virus this year. It also is the first West Nile death in the US this year. First bird in Nassau tests positive for West Nile Fighting West Nile Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:45:00 GMT South Texas begins cleanup after Hurricane Dolly - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - Residents across south Texas slogged through knee-deep muddy waters, tiptoed around downed power lines and dug through debris Thursday, but were thankful that Hurricane Dolly didn't pack the wallop they had feared. Video: Tropical Storm Dolly Causes Flood Worries Dolly weakens, pushes inland Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:21:14 GMT Clickbank Content |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... A beautiful flower arrangement piece can become the focal point... Read More Spring is coming fast and with it the colors of... Read More Roses are a sign of love and friendship and by... Read More Container gardeners take note. Tired of clay pots? Think vintage,... Read More Teak has many qualities that make the indoor and outdoor... Read More Wild roses, of the genus Rosa, are those naturally... Read More In the previous article I discussed design for your new... Read More Bamboo Orchid PlantWhen you think of bamboo you really think... Read More Long a favourite of French chefs, the herb Artemisia dracunculus,... Read More Is your concrete or asphalt driveway an eyesore? Do you... Read More Scents from the rose garden filling the air as you... Read More In an effort to introduce a shaft of sunlight into... Read More Gardening can be one of the most rewarding and relaxing... Read More Summer is just around the corner, and your lawn could... Read More Think of your garden like you would a room in... Read More The word for 'paradise' comes from the Persian word for... Read More A patio can be... Read More Most of us regard a sundial as an attractive ornament... Read More Early in May here in west central Wisconsin, I can... Read More Proper pruning of your backyard grapevines is essential to maintain... Read More Planting wild flowers in your garden, or simply scattering wild... Read More Installing a backyard fish pond is an aesthetic addition to... Read More Flower gardens are for enjoyment. They provide you with visual... Read More You've found a great Porch Swing and you know exactly... Read More The location of your pond should be decided. You've picked... Read More
Adsense
websites
How To Brighten Up Your Home With These Flower Arrangement Ideas
Flowers and Butterflies, the Perfect Combination!
The Meanings Behind the Colors of Roses
Think Vintage for Your Garden
Buying Teak Wood Furniture Responsibly
The Rich History of Wild Roses
Wild Flower Garden - Plan to Plant
Do You Know About A Bamboo Orchid
Tarragon: A Favourite of French Chefs
Patios And Garden Pavers
A Bit About Bare Root Roses...
Slugging It Out In The Trenches
Release Some Tension...Spend Some Time In Your Garden
Summer Lawn Care Tips
Decorative Garden Accents
The Garden As Healer
Patio Design ? Expanding Your Home Outdoors
The Sundial - Garden Ornament or Exotic Timepiece?
Feeding the Hummingbirds
Pruning the Backyard Grapevine
Blue Wild Flowers for Your Garden
Tips for Backyard Fish Ponds Care
Theme Gardens
How to Find and Work With a Porch Swing Contractor To Install the Porch Swing of Your Dreams
Pond Construction
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Theme Gardens
Flower gardens are for enjoyment. They provide you with visual... Read More
Riding Lawn Mowers
Most riding lawn mowers are machines fun ride and extremely... Read More
How to Attract Birds to Your Backyard Paradise For Less Than $100
Like many Americans, you may find bird watching to be... Read More
Create and Furnish Your Outdoor Room
More and more people are enjoying their time spent outdoors... Read More
Iris Flowers Remind Me Of Mom!
Iris flowers always bring memories of mom to mind. Let... Read More
Organic Hydroponics - Simplified
These days, it's easy to get lost in the wealth... Read More
The Many Types of Palm Trees
There are thousands of species of Palm Trees. They are... Read More
The Container Vegetable Garden
If you live in an apartment or town home, you... Read More
The Tools of Rose Gardening
Like any job you tackle, it's always easier if you... Read More
The Rich History of Chrysanthemums
Did you know that those lush, colorful blooms called chrysanthemums... Read More
Protecting your Garden Pond from Pesky Predators
Notice any fish disappearing lately? While herons are present year-round,... Read More
Introducting KOI-Cam!
This is a project I've had on the back burner... Read More
The Perfect Yellow Roses for Your Home or Garden
Yellow roses are beauties, aren't they? Don't they look beautiful... Read More
Adirondack Chairs - How to Choose One
In Blue Mountain Lake, New York, you will find a... Read More
Introduction to Botany
Botanists are individuals who conduct extensive study on plant biology... Read More
Pest Control Tips for Maintaining Your Greenhouse
Greenhouses provide a warm, humid atmosphere and are home to... Read More
The Indoor Garden: Plants that Clean the Air
There are many reasons for creating an indoor garden ?... Read More
Marjoram: The Herb of Happiness
Called the "herb of happiness," Origanum majorana, commonly known as... Read More
Would You Like More Information About Climbing Roses?
What is more beautiful than seeing a home or building... Read More
Butterfly House in the Flower Garden
Whenever you decide to look for a butterfly house for... Read More
Fleur De Lotus: Purity in a Sullied World
Rising from a muddy pond, a lotus flower blossoms. Such... Read More
Growing Tomatoes Organically
Tomato Seeds Vs. Tomato Seedlings?Whether you start your own tomato... Read More
It?s Gardening Season!
It's gardening season again! Are you ready? Whether you are... Read More
Wildflower Seeds - Ten Reasons Why You Should Plant...
Native wildflowers are those that were growing naturally in the... Read More
How to Grow Apples
The first thing you need to grow apples is a... Read More
Landscaping & Gardening |