Find Your Ask the Expert: hydrangea in foam arrangement
Hydrangea does better in water but there is a time when you need to use foam for a design, I have been putting them in tubes and then in foam should i be putting them directly into the foam, the few times that we used them in my design school they were put in tubes. Did a wedding shower very pretty hat box design nice brown and blue grogain ribbon on a inverted clear cylinder bride loved them look great for the occassion but I am worried about them when the guest took them home please advise me
thank you jeanne
Expert Reply:
On the whole it is best not to use hydrangeas in floral foam. However if you have no other choice, initial preparation of the hydrangea is essential.
Since hydrangeas are susceptible to water deprivation, you want to make sure you prep them carefully when they arrive. Most commercial growers will send hydrangeas with a water source. Carefully remove the water source. Submerge the hydrangea heads under tepid water for 2 minutes and gently shake before you cut them. Cut them about 2″ from the tip at a 45degree angle – because of the thickness of the stem you may need to make two cut on opposite sides. You will now have a end that looks like an arrow. Take your knife and gently make a cut up the center of this arrow – this will create more area for hydration. Now dip the stem in quick dip and then place in a vase with warm water and flower food. You can also spray the heads with crown and glory. This will give the hydrangeas the best start for any type of design use.
For foam go through the same process of dipping the head in water, dipping the stem in quick dip and then you can place them in the floral foam. FYI: you can soak your floral foam in a water and flower food solution – this will help extend the life of the flowers. Try not to move the hydrangea stem once you have placed it in the foam. If the hydrangea is not properly placed, take it out of the foam and repeat the process before you reinsert the stem into the foam.
Be sure to you send packets of flower food with the arrangements and encourage the recipients to use it when adding water to the arrangements.
Please keep me posted and let me know how these suggestion work for you.
We use hydranges in 90% of our event arrangements and have no problem using foam. We process them using plain clean water we never use quick dip and the other floral products. We have problems when we use all the different products. Clean water allow blooms to drink about an hour and then place them in the cooler, recut the stems at an angle when you arrange them. Plain and simple. make sure the product you get is fresh!
Interesting. So you have had success by simply cutting the hydrangea and placing it in the foam. Do you treat your floral foam with anything first or simply soak it in plain water? I assume you do an angular cut. Do you mist the hydrangeas heads? What water temperature do you recommend?
Jeanne – You might want to experiment with Michael’s technique. If his method is successful, you would save a lot of time and money.
I love to hear the techniques other florists use to extend the life of their flowers. Thanks Michael.
I too use a lot of hydrangeas on a daily basis. The majority of the time when I use foam with no additives in processing, my hydrangeas are fine. The other times, they wilt pretty quickly. My favorite wholesaler recommended dipping the freshly cut stems in powdered alum (spice rack at grocery) prior to use. Have never had a problem since, not one problem not one wilt, regardless of variety.
I to use hydrangeas on a daily basis. I never use quick dip or flower food for hydrangeas and have had no complaints. I even have done wedding work on Thursdays for Saturday weddings and then I have sprayed the heads with final touch.
Are all of you referring to floral as the same thing as oasis?
This is an older article, but I believe they are referring to Oasis.
I’m using hydrangeas in oasis for wedding bouquets and table arrangements. How much in advance can I make them
Can hydrangeas in wedding bouquets be made up in advance or only on the day. I have bouquets, table arrangements and button holes to make with them.
Karen,
Hydrangeas need lots of water, so it is important to process them correctly in order to keep them looking their best. Bouquets can be made in advance, however, I would not create them more than a day before, just to be on the safe side.