Is the foam thoroughly hydrated and rewatered? Are the arrangements in areas getting a lot of heat, or sun, or air circulation (breezy), etc.? These things and insufficient conditioning would surely cut down on bloom life. Your stuff is too pretty to lose.

Can anyone comment on water quality as a problem. Could softened water be a factor? I don't use it, but think I read it somewhere.

Beautiful! I particularly like the classy L-shapes.

Is there a chance that in making each position just right, a flower gets pulled back out a little bit to get the right height/length? If so, the stem loses contact with the wet foam--at even a fraction of the inch.

Are you keeping your foam "topped up?" Good luck. You don't want to prematurely lose these beauties.

If you're doing both of these carefully, I don't know what the problem might be.
Jan

Wow, they are very pretty arrangements.

Thank you, everyone. I'll have to insist on better conditioning. I can't do anything about the place being too hot in summer, though. I'll have to remember not to pull back the stems and make sure that the foam is thouroughly saturated.

honeybunny, do you remember my asking about calla? I planted several this spring. While they were excellent in arrangements, the plants were not great bloomers. The blossoms were smaller than expected. With the drought we are having, it's a wonder they produced at all. I love the leaves, though. I have been cutting the leaves since they seem to have stopped producing any more flowers. I probably won't dig them up for the winter. I would rather use the space for Dahlias next year.

Beautiful arrangements. Be sure that you put the flower stems deep into the oasis and add water daily. Don't have the foam up too high; just a little above the top of your container. This helps the flowers draw the water from the foam.

Is it one flower in particular, or the whole arrangement that wilts? If it's the whole thing, it sounds like a water or direct sunlight problem.
In your last arrangement, what is the shrub (?) that has the small pink buds on it? I just love it. They are all really beautiful.
Cheryl

Thank you everyone, I'll have to keep all your suggestions in mind. I do these arrangements every week, plus a monthly big event, plus another BIG event every 3 months or so. A lot of arrangements and a lot of flowers.

Only some of the flowers wilt fast. I think all of you are right in pinpointing the problems. I'll have to adjust my way. I like to make tall arrangements and the foam sits rather high above the water level. I'll have to change that. How am I going to insert the stems horizontally to get the width? I am not that good to bend the stems the Japanese way.

Cheryl, the shrub is Symphoricapos albus 'Magic Berry'. Those are berries. Aren't they precious? Thank you. I have 5 different forms, but this one and the common Snowberry are the most eyecatching.

Your question, "How am I going to insert the stems horizontally to get the width?" makes me agree with you that you'll need some foam above the container's rim. Have you thought about cutting a V notch into the foam in the back so that you'll have an easy place to add water? (I often use a turkey baster to add more water. That way I can direct exactly where the water goes.) I thought that if you never let the foam dry out, it would continue to absorb water to nourish your flowers. For me, the problem is remembering to keep watering the arrangement to keep the foam wet. Another idea: Move the arrangement to an area where you can mist it. Of course, misting won't replace the water in the container.

The tray is much wider than the foam and deep enough so we have plenty of room to add water. I want to believe that the water is replenished frequently enough, I hope. I'll find out if the arrangements are misted too.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Your question, "How am I going to insert the stems horizontally to get the width?" makes me agree with you that you'll need some foam above the container's rim. Have you thought about cutting a V notch into the foam in the back so that you'll have an easy place to add water? (I often use a turkey baster to add more water. That way I can direct exactly where the water goes.) I thought that if you never let the foam dry out, it would continue to absorb water to nourish your flowers. For me, the problem is remembering to keep watering the arrangement to keep the foam wet. Another idea: Move the arrangement to an area where you can mist it. Of course, misting won't replace the water in the container.

I just read about your callas. What varieties did you grow? Mine were really horrible too this year. The white ones were a big disappointment- small and closed quickly. Actually, orange, pink, and two purple varieties- purple haze and picasso did the best.
Please don't let your callas rot! I will take them!
Susan

Wow! They are gorgeous! You're garden is beautiful. How can I have a dahlia like yours? I always end up pulling them out, require so much space and not getting nice flower because of the heat here in Texas.

Thank you. :-)
I grew large Dahlias for the first time this year and have been quite happy with them. They did not bloom as well as I had hoped. Some have not even had any bud at all. Maybe heat and drought severely affected their growth. I just removed a lot of perennials that had not performed well or were redundant in the garden to make room for more Dahlias next year.

Here is an article that might be of some use to you.

CONDITIONING PLANT MATERIAL

It is important to your overall design, that the plant material used is fresh and clean. It is also necessary that it be conditioned properly. The plant material will last much longer if it has time to absorb as much water as possible. Conditioning, not only permits the absorption of water for a long lasting effect, but also makes the plant material easier for the designer to manipulate.

Take your bucket of water to the garden when cutting plant material so that the cut stems can be put into water immediately. It is best for the water to be tepid, as cold water shocks the plants. When cutting, use clean, sharp shears or a knife. Cut on a slant so that the stem has more surface in which to absorb water. Avoid new growth, as it wilts pretty fast.

The best time to cut is late afternoon or early evening, after the plant has had time to recover from the heat of the day, and while the sugar content of the plant is the highest. Cutting can also be done in the early morning before the plant has had time to start loosing water due to heat.

The foliage quite often is dusty, but this can be washed. Fill a basin with barely warm water and add a small amount of mild detergent. Swish the foliage gently to remove any dust or spray residues. Rinse, drain and allow to dry before placing in design. Try to keep the flower heads out of the water. Do not try this method on leaves that are fuzzy, hairy, or velvety.

When flowers and foliage are severed from their parent plant, they lose their life support and try to protect themselves by forming a protective coating over the cut edge. This helps to slow the process of losing fluids, but, it also keeps the plants from absorbing water. Always re-cut the stems, under water, when you put them into the bucket. Air pockets can also be prevented this way.

Most plants will respond to this treatment quite well, however, there are some types that need a different kind of conditioning. For woody stems, scrape, crush or split at the base of the stem about two inches. Plants that exude sap should be singed on the tip, and at anytime of re-cutting. All plants then must be placed in the bucket of water as deeply as possible without submerging the flower head.

Place the bucket in a dark, cool room until the water is completely cool, or even better, overnight. When using the plants in your design, remove all leaves that will be underwater. They rot easily and can contaminate the water, which can also clog the pores of the stems and prevent them from absorbing water. Buckets and containers should always be clean.

A good plant preservative may be added to lengthen the life of your flowers and foliage. You can buy the preservative from a florist, or make your own, by mixing together one-gallon of warm water, one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar, one tablespoon of sugar and one teaspoon of chlorine bleach. The sugar and acid assist respiration (flower breathing) and the bleach helps to crystallize the stem ends so that they remain open. The chlorine in the bleach also controls bacteria.

Many books on arranging have extensive listings of flowers and their treatment. Some even have ways to make plant material last almost indefinitely. Try some of them. Its always fun to experiment.

Written by Betty C. Stanley, 2/93