Thursday, January 8, 2009

Cut Poinsettias

Although the day is almost over, I'm jumping in to participate in Keeping Creative Kitchens over at Reflective Ponderings.

I don't really have any amazing ideas this week, but I thought I could share about my poinsettia arrangement I made the other day:

My pink poinsettia was getting very leggy and looking as though it needed to take a flying leap into the trash can. At the same time, I was trying to find something to go on my table for a Christmas party. I had heard that you can cut poinsettias and put them in water, but that it is very tricky to do so. Since I had nothing to lose, I decided to give it a try.

It worked!

So, here are the instructions (yes, I realize this post is about 6 weeks too late for most of you, but it will put the idea in your head for next year):

Prepare a vase with water and cut-flower food.
Set a burning candle next to the vase.
Cut a stalk of poinsettia and immediately stick the cut end into the candle flame to seal in the milky sap. I left it in the flame for about 3 seconds.
Immediately pop the stem into the vase of water.
Repeat with remaining stems.

Some poinsettias are fussy and refuse to be put in water. Apparently you can tell within an hour or two if your poinsettia is fussy -- it will keel over and wilt. If your poinsettias stay nice and firm and look happy, then the trick worked! The poinsettias should stay nice for 1-2 weeks. Mine are still looking good a week later.

1 comment:

willow said...

Hello Heather,
This is a completely off-topic comment!
About a month ago when you were posting about books you mentioned "Understood Betsy". Your description of the book appealed to me and I got a copy and although I suppose it would be described as a children's book, I really enjoyed it. It is such a simple little story and the descriptions of day to day life in the farmhouse are lovely - how contented they were with very little. I might not have come across this book if you hadn't mentioned it so thank you very much.