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Exotic Flowers
Everyone loves to be different in what they do and the same applies to the average gardener.
That is why gardeners strive to grow exotic flowers. Tropical flowers can make the change from
traditional to the exciting, but it is a little more challenging than the traditional. They make
wonderful gifts for anyone, especially if you grow roses and gerberas. Their stark and wonderful
color can't be beat.
If you're daring enough to grow such flowers as heliconias or gingers, then you will need all the
information you can get before undertaking this job. Even if you have cut flowers, you will need
to know how to extend their life in order to get the most out of them. For the shelf life of your
plants, water them well before even cutting them, as some of these flowers drink very little after
being cut. With exotic type flowers, they have adapted to their own environment, which usually
involves heavy and frequent rain. This is why these flowers have their heads cupped to hold the
water as it falls. They drink from the top and love being wet. Even the leaves are patterned for
the purpose of feeding the plant water with the ridges it holds.
If your flowers have been out of water for over an half an hour after cutting, give them a bath by
submerging them in water and leave them their for an half an hour or so. Cut 3 to 4 inches off the
stems and place them in a tall, clean vase with lots of fresh water. You can spray a mist of water
over them at least twice a day. It is wise to cut the stems back another few inches every few days.
By doing this you are extending the life of your beautiful flowers by doubling the expected life
span that you would have by not doing it.
So go ahead and bring your unusual flowers from the outside to the inside. It takes very little to
keep them happy and to retain their beauty. It will give you days and maybe weeks of enjoyment
in your home, not to mention the beauty it will add to both you and the room you place them in.
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