Home Improvement with Flowers - Tips for Longer Lasting Color

When purchasing flowering plants for use indoors, there are several steps you
can take which can make the flowers last longer.

Outside it may be getting cooler but inside, you can always have a tropical
garden, just add some flowers. Orchids and bromeliads are a great addition. The
moth orchid can give months of color and beautiful flowers, plus it’s easy to
care for.

But let’s get realistic. We buy plants with flowers for enjoyment. They can
bring life to an otherwise dull room. However, we also want to get as much
-flower time - out of them as possible. There are a few things you can do before
you buy any flowering plant to help make the flowers last longer?

For example, before buying any flowering plant look for ones where the flower is
not completely open and has lots of flower buds. This way you’ll get to enjoy
the flowers from start to finish.

Have you ever heard the line - “One bad apple will spoil the whole bunch.” What
they don’t tell you is why. The reason is because of the ethylene gas.

What does ethylene gas have to do with buying plants in flower?

If you buy plants at the local supermarket you probably find them in the produce
department. For some reason they lump plants, fruits and vegetables all
together. All the plants seem to find themselves located near the fruit.

Plants near fruit! Well that creates a problem - the problem of ethylene gas.

When shipping fruit and vegetables you usually find them shipped green or
unripe. As fruit begins to ripen it gives off ethylene gas. Ethylene gas
shortens the time flowers stay on the plant.

Without getting technical think of ethylene gas as an accelerator.

Ethylene gas is used by bromeliad growers to force plants to flower. The gas is
shot right into the center of the plant. Depending on the time of the year, the
light and heat, the plant could be blooming in 8-12 weeks.

Next time you’re strolling through the produce section at your supermarket, look
at where the flowering plants are displayed. Most likely you’ll find them - near
the produce. Next look at the flowers. Do the plants look like they are loosing
buds or do the flowers appear to be dropping fast?

Now let’s go home. Where do you place plants when you bring them home? In the
kitchen near the fruit bowl!

What about at the office? Do you place flowering beauty right next to a warm
monitor? Lay your hand on that thing - they get warm!

The keys to get longer lasting blooms from your plants are:

* Buy as freshest plants possible * Keep the plants away from ripening fruits
that give off ethylene gas * Try to keep plants and flowers away from objects
that give off heat

Try these tips for longer lasting flowering houseplants!

Thomas Fyrd writes for http://www.plant-care.com sharing his 25 plus years of indoor houseplant growing experience. Read more on flowering houseplants from the pros.