Tuesday 18 March 2014

Perking up your soggy hydrangea ...

I know, I know...

Sad but true - those once gorgeous hydrangea, when left out of water too long can look like an old fashioned kleenex flower at a rainy wedding! They are afterall called hydrangea for a good reason...
hydro - water - get it ?


Here is the rescue plan:

Step One:

Cut the stem - at least three inches from the bottom.
Why cut so much? The flower head is getting no water - the water cannot get up the stem - because it is the nature of the plant to form a scab at the bottom of the stem to lock in what ever moisture it can to keep it alive - seems rather counter productive
But! It is what it is !


Step Two:

Turn the scissors to the bottom of the stem - and slice up the stem - this allows more of the interior of the plant to be exposed to the water...


Step Three:

Place it in a vessel with room temperature water - not cold and not hot - with water deep enough to immerse nearly the full length of the stem - I have seen the hydrangea perk up once hydrated only then to wilt again as the water source reduces below the slit in the stem - dah ! of'course because it drank all the water!

Here is what that soggy hydrangea looked like twenty minutes later:

And Voila !!!

Here it is at the forty minute mark:


 Sometimes, even for the seasoned gardener, this still doesn't work - for the life of me - I have no idea why - "it's all in the way you hold your mouth" my Grandpa used to say for the unexplained!

To review - the main trick is cutting up to slice the stem.

...And these scissors you ask?
Fabulous Joyce Chen florist scissors we bring in from New York - a must have ! $39.95
 info@fromthepottingshed.com

Elaine 




Sisters in the garden...

My two sisters and me - spring in the 1960's - it was fairy like - growing up in a garden....

Like most folks this winter - I am longing for spring!

I can't wait to get out there on the bulb patrol - that is what we used to call it - looking for those first few bulbs up - peaking through the melting snow - my sister usually found the first ones - she knew the sunny corner with the micro climate -

The snow drop is my first love - in the woodland where I currently live in Blair - there are double ones naturalized like blankets in the woods - gorgeous ! Tucked there lovingly I imagine, some many years ago. The stone house I am fortunate enough to call home, was built in 1842 - who knows when these snowdrop beauties were planted?

This spring - (say it ever ever comes along) - we plan to restore an historic garden here - maybe you will come see it - like a before shot !

It is so beautiful - inspiring really, I am very blessed ...

Elaine