From my perspective as a Delphinium, the timing of your cut is crucial for my longevity in your vase. Please choose a cool part of the day, ideally early morning or late evening. At these times, my stems are fully hydrated and turgid from the night's rest or have recovered from the day's heat. My tissues are crisp with water, not stressed or wilted. Avoid cutting during the heat of the day when my vascular system is working hardest to transport water and I am most vulnerable to immediate wilting. Look for flower spikes where approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of the individual florets are open. The buds at the very top should be showing strong color but may not yet be fully unfurled. This ensures I have reached a stage of mature development where I can continue to open gracefully indoors, rather than being cut too early when my energy reserves are insufficient.
The method you use to sever my stem is a critical moment that directly impacts my health. Always use a pair of sharp, clean pruning shears or a knife. A clean, sharp cut makes a precise incision that my vascular tissues can easily draw water through. A crush from dull scissors, however, will damage my delicate xylem and phloem vessels, creating a physical barrier that prevents me from drinking effectively. Cut my stem at a 45-degree angle. This angled cut increases the surface area available for water uptake and prevents the stem from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase, which would seal the cut and halt hydration. Make the cut long, removing at least one-third of my total stem length. This not provides a pleasing proportion for your arrangement but, more importantly, accesses the freshest, most viable vascular tissue higher up on my stalk.
The moments immediately after the cut are when I am in shock and most likely to develop an air embolism—an air bubble that blocks my water-conducting tissues. To prevent this, you must act quickly. Have a bucket of lukewarm water ready and place my stems directly into it immediately after cutting. Do not let my cut ends be exposed to air. Once indoors, I require further preparation. My hollow stems can harbor bacteria and my semi-woody base can benefit from extra help. While my stems are submerged in water (to prevent air intake), recut them about an inch up. Some gardeners also recommend hollowing out the pithy, white core at the very end of my stem for the first inch or so, or carefully splitting the stem end upwards by about an inch. These practices create even more avenues for me to drink the vast quantities of water I need to support my towering flower spikes.
Before placing me in my final vase, a process called conditioning is essential. Remove all leaves that would fall below the waterline in your vase. Submerged foliage will decay rapidly, promoting the growth of harmful bacteria that will clog my stem and shorten my vase life. For the same reason, ensure your vase is impeccably clean. Fill it with fresh, lukewarm water (which contains less air than cold water and is more readily absorbed) and add the floral preservative provided. This preservative is a lifeline; it contains sugars to feed me, a biocide to suppress bacteria, and an acidifier to keep the water's pH ideal for uptake. Place my prepared stems in this prepared environment and keep me in a cool, draft-free location away from direct sunlight and ripening fruit for the first few hours to allow me to fully rehydrate and acclimate.
