From my perspective as a gladiolus plant, the timing of your cut is the single most important factor for my longevity in a vase. Please do not wait until every floret on my spike is fully open. If you cut me then, the bottom flowers will wither quickly, and the top buds may never open. Instead, harvest me when the first one or two florets at the bottom of the spike have begun to show their color and are just starting to open. The remaining buds should be plump and showing significant color. At this stage, I have developed enough to display my beauty, but I still hold the vast majority of my energy reserves within my stem and unopened buds. This stored energy will be used to fuel the successive opening of each floret over the next week, giving you a long-lasting and dynamic display.
How you make the cut is crucial for both of us. Please use a sharp, clean knife or bypass pruners. Avoid crushing my stem with dull scissors, as this damages my vascular tissues—my essential plumbing system for drinking water. You should aim to leave at least three to four of my sword-like leaves intact on the plant. These leaves are my solar panels; they are vital for photosynthesis, allowing me to regenerate my corm (my underground storage organ) for next season's growth. Cutting too much foliage weakens me and jeopardizes my future blooms. Make a clean, angled cut at the base of my stem. The angled cut provides a larger surface area for water uptake and prevents the stem from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase, which can block water absorption.
The moments immediately after being cut are critical. I experience tremendous stress and begin to wilt rapidly without water. My stems should be placed immediately into a bucket of lukewarm water. Lukewarm water is absorbed more easily than cold water. I should be left in a cool, dark place like a garage or pantry to hydrate for several hours, or ideally overnight. This process, called conditioning, allows me to fully hydrate and recover from the shock of being cut before I face the warmer, brighter environment of your home. It ensures I am strong, turgid, and ready to open my remaining buds beautifully for you.
Just before you place me in the final vase arrangement, there is one more vital step. You must re-cut my stems under water. Why? The moment my stem is exposed to air, a tiny air bubble can form at the cut end, which will block my ability to draw water. By cutting under water, you prevent this air embolism from forming, ensuring an uninterrupted flow of hydration. Remove any foliage that would fall below the waterline in the vase. Submerged leaves will decay quickly, promoting the growth of bacteria that will clog my stem and shorten my vase life. Fill the vase with a commercial flower preservative solution; it provides me with sugars for energy, acidifies the water to improve uptake, and contains biocides to keep the water clean.
