From our perspective as gladiolus plants, the ideal time for you to cut our flower spikes is when the first few florets at the bottom of the spike have just begun to open and show their color. The upper buds should still be closed and tight. Cutting at this stage is crucial because our florets open sequentially from the bottom up. If you wait until all florets are open, the lower ones will likely wilt and drop pollen very quickly after being placed in a vase, drastically shortening the overall display. By cutting us at this "first show of color" stage, you allow us to complete our natural blooming process indoors, ensuring you enjoy the entire, spectacular progression over more days.
Please use a sharp, clean knife or pruning shears. A clean cut is essential for our vascular health; ragged tears from dull tools damage our stem tissues, creating a large wound that is difficult for us to seal and provides an easy entry point for bacteria. Make the cut at a 45-degree angle. This angled cut serves two vital purposes: it prevents our stem end from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase, which would block water uptake, and it creates a larger surface area for us to drink the water we desperately need to support our large, thirsty spikes. Always cut through our stem cleanly; do not crush or twist it.
The moments immediately after cutting are critical. Our tall, flower-laden spikes lose moisture rapidly. To prevent us from going into hydraulic shock and wilting permanently, you must place us directly into a bucket of deep, lukewarm water. Do not delay. Lukewarm water is absorbed more readily by our stems than cold water. This deep hydration period, ideally for a few hours or even overnight in a cool, dark place, allows us to fully rehydrate and become turgid before the stress of being arranged. This step is non-negotiable for achieving the longest possible vase life.
Before placing us in our final vase, some final preparation is needed. Carefully strip off any leaves that would fall below the waterline in your vase. Submerged leaves will decay quickly, fouling the water with bacteria that will clog our vascular systems and cause the stem to rot. You can simply pull them down the stem to remove them. Also, using your sharp tool, recut about an inch off the bottom of each stem *underwater*. This prevents an air bubble (an embolism) from entering our xylem vessels at the cut end, which would immediately block water flow and cause the upper part of the spike to wilt.
Our needs continue once we are beautifully arranged. Place the vase in a cool location, away from direct sunlight, heating vents, and ripening fruit, which emits ethylene gas—a potent hormone that accelerates our aging and petal drop. Check the water level daily; we are very thirsty and will drink a surprising amount. Keep the water fresh and top it up as needed. To maximize our longevity, every few days, change the water entirely, rinse the vase to remove bacterial slime, and give our stems another underwater recut. This ongoing care maintains a clean, open pathway for water to travel up our stems to our magnificent flowers.
