Just realized I was totally wrong about hydrangeas in arrangements

For years I avoided using them because I thought they'd wilt too fast and ruin a whole bouquet. Then a florist at the Boston Flower Show told me to cut the stems, smash the ends with a hammer, and soak them in cool water for a full hour before designing. Tried it with a client's 50th anniversary order last month and they looked perfect for over a week. What other 'fussy' flowers have tricks like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

ross.felix13d agoMost Upvoted

Smash a flower with a hammer and call it a trick... sounds like something I'd do to a printer that won't work. Glad it saved your arrangement though. I heard peonies are similar, where you have to keep them cold until the last second.

ruby_rivera7613d ago

I always thought hydrangeas were too delicate for arrangements too. My aunt used them in her wedding flowers and they drooped by the end of the night. Hearing about the hammer trick is a game changer. It makes sense that a tough stem needs a different approach. I'm going to try that next time I pick some up from the garden.

blakem132d ago

Oh man, the hammer thing is wild but it works! I had the same droopy hydrangea problem last summer. I tried the boiling water trick first, just dipping the stems, and that helped a bit. But then I saw someone whack the ends with a hammer online and gave it a shot. The next bunch lasted almost a full week in the vase instead of wilting in a day. It feels wrong to beat up a flower, but you gotta do what works.