Cut roses, gerberas and dahlias look good only in stable conditions in a flower shop, but in the cemetery they lose their shape very quickly. After just one wet night, the petals become limp, brown at the edges and stick together because these plants react strongly to ethylene and minor damage during transport. Low temperatures additionally block the water uptake by the stems, which accelerates wilting. Compositions in a floral sponge are also a completely wrong idea – after a frost, the material freezes and stops releasing moisture to the flowers. As a result, gray mold appears after a day or two the bouquet can be thrown away.
In pots, Persian cyclamen, tuberous begonia and orchids weaken the fastest. Cyclamen loses its condition at temperatures close to 0°C, and a short drop below zero results in limp petioles and drying of buds. Begonia and geranium, as thermophilic plants, have leaves susceptible to frost damage: cell bursting results in watery spots and drying of the edges. Orchids, especially Phalaenopsis, suffer damage already in the range of 12-15°C, which, when taken outside, results in rapid flower fall and transparent spots on the petals. The problem is even more serious in the case of plants heavily supplied with nitrogen fertilizers: soft, juicy tissues are less resistant and after one cold night, the plant loses its decorative value.
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Tulips, hyacinths and freesias attract customers’ attention with their intense colors, but in November conditions they quickly wither. They are adapted to longer days and milder temperatureswhich is why they lose water quickly in the cemetery, and their life processes are stopped after just a few hours. This can be seen by the rapid falling of the buds and the appearance of glassy discoloration on the petals. Still, they often end up in people’s shopping carts because they are inexpensive and strongly displayed in supermarkets.
The safest solution remains potted plants with high cold tolerance: small-flowered chrysanthemums (garden forms), heather and heather, pansies, ornamental cabbage, sedum, and for the construction of the composition – dwarf conifers and sedges. Chrysanthemums tolerate short-term drops to around 0°C, and their small baskets keep their shape longer than large-flowered varieties; Heathers and briars work well in windy locations, provided that the ground is not constantly wet. Pansies tolerate frosts and after a slight “push” they rise quickly during the day, but their color is most intense in cold weather and their leaves remain even at about -3 to -5°C. The best results are achieved by hardened specimens grown outdoors sold in pots with a capacity of at least 2-3 liters that do not fall over in the wind.
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When purchasing, four quality signals are key: firm buds without browning, leaves free from spots and bloom, compact root ball with a healthy smell and the soil is slightly moist, not soggy. Pots should have drainage and be drainable weighted on the tombstone (with pebbles or gravel)and in particularly windy places, a low, wide bowl works better instead of a high cover. A layer of bark or gravel on the surface limits evaporation and splashing during rain.
When it comes to cut flowers, alstroemerias and daffodils will be more durable at low temperatures, because they react less strongly to ethylene and have more resistant tissues. Each bouquet requires hygiene: fresh, diagonal cutting of the stems, removal of leaves below the water table and a clean vessel with floral conditioner. It is worth shielding the vase from the wind and placing it in a place away from heat sources, including intensely burning candles, which cause steam condensation and accelerate the development of mold.
