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Even though my real
name is Ruby Begonia, I have learned an awful lot about
hydrangeas while living on this farm with my owners, Curtis
and Judy.
Let me share some of my
tips with you:
Fresh hydrangea blooms
are a lot like me, they don’t like being left in a hot car.
So, if they have been shipped in warm weather, they may
arrive a bit dehydrated.
Upon receiving your blooms, open the box and locate the
packet of floral preservative which we have included. Fill
your containers with fresh water and the preservative,
mixing it according to the directions on the packet. Cut the
stems under water, place them in the containers, and then
store them in a cool dark place (make sure that the bottom
few inches are really in the water. Hydrangeas have big
heads and tend to fall out of the water easily.)
If the facility that
you are using for your event has refrigeration, storing them
in it would be ideal. Temperatures as low as 37 degrees are
fine. But do not cram them into a small space or freeze
them, for goodness sakes! Cool the flowers for at least 6
hrs. before arranging them.
Here is a “tip” that I
learned from hanging out at my local florist while begging
for milk bones: If you are using them to make corsages or
bouquets (any design that will not be in a vase of water),
after hydrating and cooling them, recut the stems to length
and dip them in Alum (it is sold in the spice aisle of your
local market). I am told that it helps to seal off the stem
so that less evaporation occurs. Keep your design
refrigerated until the event.
These blooms are very
fragile and unlike me, the less they are handled, the
better.
Some of the best ways to use them are:
1. Attach a long stem to them using the kit provided and
group them in vase. Your friends and family will be amazed;
your pets, not so much.
2. Use them in your crafts. Hot glue them to your wreaths
for a breath-taking accent.
Freeze dried blooms are
meant to be displayed indoors and kept away from direct
sunlight.
Sometimes these can be
a little brittle but not always; it depends on how much
moisture is in the air. If you are going to put them in
vases, and they seem a little dry, you can spritz them with
water and then arrange them. If you are making a wreath,
soak them in water for 15 minutes, then when the wreath is
completed, lay it flat until dried before hanging.
Since Curtis and Judy
don’t like to use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on our
hydrangeas, and they don’t use any chemicals when freeze
drying the petals either, they are perfectly safe for
decorating cakes and for scattering on tables. I like to say
that they are “au naturelle” (I am French after all); they
won’t wilt and are completely biodegradable.
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