Welcome!, you have entered the Subweb of my personal website.

 

I would like to you read the following on Care and Conditioning and then visit the Hotpotatoes website (where you should have received an email giving you logon and password details). I would like you to answer a few questions using the drag-and-drop facility.

Reason for Conditioning Cut Plant Material  

  1. To prolong life and allow plant material to open fully
  1. Gain maximum value
  2. Prevent rapid deterioration of plant material and therefore ensure customer satisfaction

 

– Use the Care Cards –

 

Conditioning Points  

Always condition plant material as soon as received (when cut materials arrive at the shop they may have been out of water for some time or kept in unsuitable environmental conditions i.e. draughts, heat etc.

 Never sell or use materials if they have not been conditioned.

 Do not put too many stems in one vase. Allow free circulation of air.

Always remove damaged leaves and flowers.

Always remove any foliage, which may come below the lever of the water in the container.

 Limp materials will revive quicker in tepid water.

 

Water should be topped up daily. Spray mist during and after arranging to keep atmosphere humid, especially in hot weather and when the central heating is on.

Treatment Methods

 

Woody and semi woody stems

 

Remove lower foliage

Re-cut stem end at a slant with a sharp knife

Remove lower foliage

Add flower food to the vase

To ensure good vase life for cut materials an adequate supply of water to all parts of flowers and leaves is essential. If blocked in any way premature death will result.  

This is the reason for re-cutting of stem ends under water, which is advisable for some flowers and for treating stem ends with hot water – see later notes.  

Re-cutting of stems is also carried out as natural healing processes within plants cause sealing of the tissue, which also of course prevents adequate water uptake.

 

 

Thank you for reading the above, please 'click' on this link http://www.hotpotatoes.info/  where you will reach the website enabling  you  to login and use the conditioning test I have setup for you.

 

Tutor: Jean Andow Cert Ed., CBA