Growing a cutting garden is a great way to make sure that you always have an abundance of fresh flowers around. The success of this type of garden rests on choosing the right type of flowers and caring for them properly. When you select your plants, consider whether they will make good cut flowers. They should have long, strong, or flexible stems. They should also have a substantial vase live.
A flower’s vase life refers to how long that bloom will last after cutting, with proper care. There are things you can do to extend the vase life, such as changing the water, making clean, fresh cuts, and keeping them cool. Timing is another key to long-lasting floral arrangements.
You may have noticed that when you purchase flowers, some types are nearly always sold with the blooms not fully open. There is a very valid reason for this. Some flowers will continue to unfurl after harvesting at the bud stage, while others will not. Knowing the difference can make all the difference in the quality of your floral arrangements.
If you cut a dahlia or a zinnia before the flower is mostly open, it won’t continue to bloom. You’ll end up with an arrangement that never reaches its full potential before it begins to fade. Other plants, however, produce flowers that will continue to bloom after you’ve cut them at the bud stage.
What Does ‘In Bud’ Mean?
Harvest at the perfect stage for the longest vase life.
Technically, “in the bud” means before the flower has bloomed. It can be any time after the bud has formed until the petals begin to unfurl. There is a sweet spot for most flowers, and knowing what stage is best for each blossom type can make a big difference.
There are some flowers you can snip as soon as the bud shows color, and others that you should wait on. Some are better harvested once the bud loosens up and a petal or two opens out. Let’s talk about some common flowers, and when you should cut each to maximize its vase life.
Rose
Cut early in the morning for best vase life.
Roses are the quintessential cutting garden plant. They have large, impressive, and often fragrant blooms in a wide array of colors. They also have a substantial vase life if you snip them at the right stage. The best time of day to harvest is in the morning, when they are hydrated and cool. Always cut the stem at an angle to provide the most surface area to absorb water.
Roses will continue to bloom after you cut the stems with buds, but how much and for how long depends on when you harvest them and how you care for them. As soon as the buds develop fully, you can snip them, and they should continue to bloom. They will take longer this way, than if you allow the first petals to open.
The ideal time to harvest them is while they are still nearly closed, with just the first few petals turning out. With the right care, roses can have a two to three-week vase life.
Peony
Harvest in the ‘marshmallow’ stage for long-lasting displays.
Peonies are some of the most striking blooms for floral arrangements. Their large size and mass of petals are dramatic and statement-making. They also tend to have a pleasingly strong fragrance, although less than most roses.
To get the most life out of your peonies, harvest them when they are in the ‘marshmallow’ stage. The buds should have their full color and be slightly soft when you squeeze them, like a marshmallow. They will bloom fully within three to four days, and with excellent care, they will look their best for up to a week.
Daffodil
Spring’s golden blooms brighten every corner they grace.
Daffodils are one of the great joys of the spring garden. Their cheerful, yellow blooms light up a room, and they are surprisingly sturdy considering their delicate appearance. My bridesmaids carried daffodils, so they have a special place in my heart. Their light, fresh fragrance adds to their appeal.
Cut your daffodils when they are in the gooseneck stage of development. This is when the bud has colored fully, and the stems start to bend to a 90° angle. It’s a good idea to wait until the outer covering has turned dry and papery. This will ensure that the buds bloom fully and unhindered, making perfect cut flower bouquets. You can expect them to last a week after fully opening.
Tulip
Harvest spring’s vibrant blooms early for lasting beauty.
Tulips are another spring favorite that you should harvest before they fully bloom. These cool-weather-loving plants come in an amazing array of colors and color combinations. They often have a faint fragrance, and they combine nicely with other spring favorites like daffodils and hyacinths.
Snip your tulips when they are still in the bud and have about 50-75% of their color. This may seem early, but I assure you, they will finish developing after you cut them and last much longer this way. Once your tulips fully open you can expect them to last up to a week in a vase. If you’re vigilant about giving them a fresh cut and fresh water every couple of days, you might get them to last up to 10 days.
Ranunculus
Soft, full blossoms offer lasting beauty in floral arrangements.
Ranunculus are so beautiful and unique. They can be a little tricky to grow, but they are wonderful for floral arranging. They are perennial in zones 8-11 where you can leave the corms in the ground all year. In cooler climates, plant them in early spring and dig them up in the summer once the foliage dies back. Then you can store them for the winter and use them again next year.
Ranunculi are like peonies regarding the ideal harvest stage. They should be like marshmallows. Ensure they have their full color and the buds are slightly plump and loose. They should be soft and buoyant when you squeeze them. Don’t squeeze too hard! If you keep the water fresh, they last up to two weeks in a vase.
Asiatic Lily
Cut colorful buds for vibrant, long-lasting flower arrangements.
Asiatic lilies, and most other lilies fall into this group of plants of flowers best cut while they are in bud. These large, dramatic, colorful flowers are amazing in arrangements, and they smell divine. Be careful growing lilies if you have curious pets, as they are poisonous to your furry friends.
Harvest lilies in the colored bud stage. That is, once the buds are full-sized and you can see the final color developing. If your lilies are pink on the inside, you should see some pink showing through when you cut them. Because they often bloom in succession, you can let the first flower bloom and then cut the branch, and the rest will follow suit.
Bearded Iris
Color at the top ensures longer-lasting, blooming irises.
Bearded irises and other types like Siberian irises have delicate petals that can bruise easily when you handle them. They also will continue to open after cutting. It’s recommended to cut these in the pencil stage, that is when the bud is tight and narrow. The top inch or two of the buds should have their color.
If you cut your irises at this stage, they will open in two to three days. Warm temperatures and plenty of light will encourage them to open faster if you desire. This works with most flowers. Whereas refrigeration or keeping them in a cool, dark room will help keep them in bud for longer.
Cosmos
Pick when the first flower opens for extended bloom.
Cosmos are delightful little flowers that grow and bloom quickly, so they make an excellent addition to the cutting garden. They come in a wide array of colors, and if you look closely in the center, you’ll see the most wonderful star-shaped stamens. They are big producers of small, delicate blooms and have attractive fern-like foliage.
Individual cosmos flowers only stay open for a few days at the most. However, the buds will continue to open in succession, making these last much longer than expected. Cut when the first flower on the stem starts to open. The rest of the buds will continue to develop and open over the ensuing days.
Gladiolus
Harvest when the first blossom opens for a stunning display.
Tall, stately gladiolus make gorgeous bouquets and arrangements. They come in a wide range of colors, and their succession opening habit means that they last a long time in a vase. Plant these beauties in full exposure for nice strong, straight stems.
Cutting time for gladiolus varies according to when you want them to be open. If you are cutting them to sell, you can snip them as soon as the bottom couple of buds have color. If you’re planning to put them directly into an arrangement, cut when the first bud is open. That is the lowest flower on the stem.
Sunflower
Flowers last longer when petals are just starting to open.
Sunny sunflowers make beautiful arrangements, and they have a nice, long vase life, too! Planting your sunflower seeds directly in the garden will result in taller stems, as long as you can keep the squirrels away. These plants like a lot of water, so don’t hold back, especially during dry spells.
The ideal time to cut sunflowers depends on the type. For the most part, you want to cut them when they first start to open. For most, this means as soon as a petal or two come away from the center. Some sunflowers have petals that all open at the same time. For these, wait until the ring of petals is open to a 90° angle from the center disc. They can last two weeks or more in a vase!
Carnation
For long-lasting blooms, cut when they begin to open.
Carnations are tough flowers that make an amazing addition to the cutting garden. They have sturdy petals and strong stems. They also have a vase life of up to three weeks if you cut them at the right time and take good care of them. They also have an appealing, spicy, clove-like fragrance.
The trick to cutting carnations is all in the timing. If you are growing spray carnations, wait until the first one or two flowers begin to open before cutting. For larger, single-flower types, let the bud loosen and start to open before cutting.
Snapdragon
Gather while most buds are still tightly closed for longevity.
Snapdragons are another cool weather favorite that creates a sense of nostalgia in floral arrangements. Their large, fluffy flower clusters make an impact, and they come in so many gorgeous shades. I recommend selecting taller varieties for this purpose so that you have a long stem to work with.
The ideal time to gather snapdragons is while most buds are still shut tightly. Only the bottom two to three buds should bloom before you snip these. If you cut them in full bloom, expect them to last less than a week. If you snip them before most buds have bloomed, you will get two weeks from these.
Sweet Pea
For a fragrant bouquet, gather when most buds are closed.
If you like a fragrant bouquet, sweet peas are perfection. Sweet pea breeders work hard to develop varieties with a strong scent. Not to mention they add an airy, vertical element to your arrangements. Their climbing vines look stunning on a trellis or arbor.
Sadly, sweet peas do not have a long vase life. If you cut them after they bloom you’ll get five days at the most. The best time to snip your sweet peas is while most of the buds are still closed. Once the bottom flower blooms, you’re good to go.
Lavender
Harvest just before flowers open for best scent and color.
When you harvest your lavender depends on what you intend to use it for. If you’re using it in fresh arrangements, anytime is fine. It will last a while even after it blooms fully. If, however, you are drying it or using it for culinary purposes, you’ll want to harvest it early.
Watch your lavender as the buds mature. The ideal time to cut it is just before they start to open. If one flower blooms, you’re still in good shape. The reason for this is that the buds retain their scent and color better than open flowers do. This is particularly true during the drying process.
Peruvian Lily
Place stems in water immediately to extend their vase life.
Peruvian lilies are thirsty plants that need to stay hydrated. This is key in terms of extending their vase life. When you go to harvest this flower, take a container of water with you and plunge the ends into the water immediately after cutting.
These plants will continue to bloom after cutting, with each flower lasting about a week. Since there are several flowers on each stem, you can often keep them around for two weeks or more. I once had a bouquet of these last for nearly a month with regular water changes, and away from direct light.
Lisianthus
Harvest when the lowest flower blooms for lasting beauty.
Lisianthus is an often overlooked but fabulous cut flower. Perhaps it gets passed over because it’s a bit of a challenge to grow from seeds. Starts can get pricey if you’re looking to grow a large quantity. However, they are sturdy plants with large, beautiful blooms, and they are great for floral arrangements.
Lisianthus are branching, and each branch holds several buds. The best time to cut these is when the first or lowest flower has bloomed, and the next few buds have their color. They will continue to bloom for two to three weeks, making this one of the most long-lasting on the list.
Hyacinth
Pick when flowers are colored but still tightly closed for longevity.
Few flowers have a stronger and more distinctive fragrance than hyacinths. These spring-blooming bulbs are wonderful additions to your spring centerpieces. They’re also easy to grow, and they don’t need a ton of space, so you can plant a lot of them in a small area.
Harvest your hyacinths while all of the buds are closed, but after they have colored. Get those stems in water right away, they are hollow, and they will enjoy a long drink immediately after cutting. Hyacinth has a vase life of up to two weeks, just don’t let them dry out. They will use up the water you give them quickly.
Forsythia
Trim branches when buds are plump for vibrant, lasting blooms.
Forsythia is unique on this list. It’s a flowering shrub, and it flowers early in the season before any leaves are present. They make an amazing statement in the landscape as they burst into bloom, covered in brilliant yellow blossoms.
If you catch forsythia at the right time, they are spectacular in floral arrangements. They also will continue to bloom after you cut them, and you can force them to open early by exposing them to warm temperatures. Trim off these branches when the buds are nice and plump, but not yet open.
Bachelor’s Button
Harvest when the first flower shows color for longer-lasting blooms.
Bachelor’s buttons are charming and cheerful little plants. They are easy to grow and make surprisingly nice cut flowers. There are no special tricks to growing these, except that they like cooler weather. In cool climates, plant them in full exposure for best flowering. In warm climates, keep them blooming longer by giving them some afternoon shade.
If you are harvesting the whole stem with many buds attached, wait for only the first bud to begin opening. The flower should be about 1/4 of the way open, with some color showing, but no petals unfurled. The rest of the buds will bloom in time, and these can last up to two weeks.
Poppy
Their vibrant blooms and slender stems brighten any floral arrangement.
Poppies look spectacular in floral arrangements. Their large, colorful, papery blooms have wonderful, intricate centers. They have long, slender stems, as well. Poppies like to grow in areas with cool summer temperatures, in full sun. In warm climates, expect your poppies to bloom from April through June, in cooler climates, they can bloom through the summer.
The best time to harvest poppies is during what we call the cracked bud phase. This is more or less what it sounds like. This phase begins as soon as the bud cracks open, and you can see the color peeking from the interior. This is the ideal time to cut your poppies. Poppies typically only last about five days in a vase, but picking them at the right stage will get you a week or more.
Anemone
Their bright, papery blooms shine beautifully fresh or dried.
Anemones and poppies have a similar appearance. They both have a rounded shape to their blooms and a pronounced, central eye that is commonly a deep shade, nearly black, or black. They are striking and simply beautiful in a bouquet. They are from different families, though, with anemones closely related to ranunculus in the buttercup family.
Cut your anemone flowers a bit later than poppies, but don’t let the buds open fully. Wait until about half of the petals detach from the center. This will ensure full blooms that last about 10 days in a vase.
Strawflower
Their striking blooms and deep central eyes enhance any bouquet.
Strawflowers are fascinating and fun to grow. Stiff, papery bracts make up their blooms and retain their color amazingly well when dried. This characteristic earns them the nickname of everlasting flowers. I love that my strawflowers continue to produce blooms well into the fall.
As a fresh-cut flower, strawflowers last about a week. They truly make the most divine dried blooms though. The best time to harvest them is before any pollen gets exposed. Cut the flowers while they are still buds, but fully colored. It’s good to wait until the first set of bracts opens, but they will continue to open as they dry, even if you cut when the buds are tight.
Freesia
Sweet-scented and colorful, these blooms brighten any bouquet.
Sweet-smelling freesias are perfect for colorful bouquets. They have gently arching stems and delicate blooms in a wide array of colors. Plant these bulbs in early spring; they like the cool weather. They’re surprisingly sturdy and last a long time.
In terms of harvest time, freesias are similar to snapdragons. They open from bottom to top, typically holding six to 12 blooms per stem. Snip these when the first flower begins to open, and you’ll get up to three weeks of their sweet, fruity scent in your floral arrangements. I think they smell a bit like Froot Loops cereal! Yum!
Key Takeaways
Cutting these flowers while they are still in the bud is a great way to extend the life of your bouquets. Remember to always harvest your blooms in the morning, when they are most hydrated. Bring a container of water with you and immediately immerse your stems. Always use clean, sharp snips or scissors to avoid introducing bacteria which can shorten the life of your cut flowers. Enjoy those beautiful bouquets!
