I had every intention of posting this a month ago when I put up a how-to for apartment therapy, but for some slow-to-bloom-trees, as in our kwanzan cherry tree or our dogwood, which won't blossom naturally for at least few weeks, this trick still works.
Branches are my favorite types of blooms to have in my home because generally they last a long time and have that whimsical sculptural presence that it's hard to get with many common vase flowers.
Forcing them is super easy too:
• For high, select branches that are at least 12 inches long and that have a lot of buds
• Cut branches from the tree or bush with pruning shears or scissors and trim the ends, removing any smaller twigs and buds toward the bottom 6 inches of the branch (or any part that will be under water once in a vase and will rot)
• Using sharp scissors or kitchen shears, carefully slit the branches at the end in several directions. The slits should be about ¼ to ½ inch long.
• Mash the slit ends into a hard surface so the ends splay out slightly to encourage the branch to absorb water (I used the concrete sidewalk as my hard surface, pressing the ends in and scraping back and forth a few times).
• Completely submerge the branches in a container of cool to lukewarm water so that not parts are sticking out (a bathtub or utility sink are good places for longer branches) and leave to soak over night.
• Place the branches upright in a bucket or their vases and move to a room or area that doesn't get a lot of natural light (I use the hall closet, you can just go ahead and pretend it's sparkling clean ;), and leave for a week or until the buds begin to show little signs of color. Usually I get impatient and skip this step entirely or only let them sit i the closet for a few days, but I've heard it's best to let them wait. During this time add water as needed.
• Move to their permanent location, and enjoy the blooms! Depending on the type of branch, the flowers will take between 1 and 3 weeks to reach full bloom, and may last for several additional weeks. (My dogwood branches usually last for a month at full bloom!)
Beautiful!! I love this post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your so-sweet comment yesterday. Thank you for this post. I have been thinking about cutting a few of the cherry branches from my tree outside. Little did I know there was anything to it. I would have put them in a vase and complained that they were duds:)
ReplyDeleteJust gorgeous. They look so pretty in your vintage(?) bottles. Still loving the mirrored bowls. I am a trained floral designer, and there is a big war about how to force branches among the experts. Some swear by smashing the ends like you did, others say that damages the cells which allow the water to be drawn in. Obviously the smashing works!
ReplyDeleteCamille
Not sure if the ones in the picture are vintage, but I've found nice glass one-gallon jugs (like the big one pictured) for sale containing apple cider in grocery stores (8 bucks at whole foods I think). I needed a bunch for making hard cider last year.
DeleteI come to know about your blog post by RemodelAholic blog post! This is really great idea to decor table with branches! I'm eager to read more blog posts in future.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add one more thing about your blog post! I want to republish this blog post to my home decor blog. You can see on following address. http://www.vistastores.com/blog/ How can I do it? First of all, is it possible or not? :)
ReplyDeletechenlina20150627
ReplyDeletekate spade purses
cheap ray bans
coach factory outlet
michael kors outlet online
ray ban outlet
oakley sunglasses
new lebron james shoes
ray ban outlet
tod's shoes
christian louboutin shoes
cheap nfl jerseys
michael kors handbags
mulberry handbags
hollister jeans
toms wedges
juicy couture outlet
michael kors outlet
fendi outlet
concords 11
birkin bags
christian louboutin sale
imitation watches
jordan retro 11
louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton handbags
michael kors outlet
jordan concord 11s
ray ban sunglasses
coach outlet store online
ray ban glasses
pandora bracelets
polo ralph lauren
lebron 11
louis vuitton handbags
cheap ran bans
coach factory outlet
discount christian louboutin
oakley sunglasses outlet
ed hardy clothing
as
christian louboutin clothing websites chanel outlet nadzy, timberland outlet burberry swarovski canada pandora bracelet le?? rayban hilfiger outlet nike factory store louboutin shoes jednak michael kors outlet online ferragamo hollister louis vuitton outlet przykryci nike air max north face jackets air jordan 2015 nike air max 2014 ko?dr?. jordan release michael kors purses ferragamo shoes tory burch sandals polo ralph air max 90 prom
ReplyDeletedresses hermes belt longchamp outlet moncler jackets sale calvin klein underwear louboutin shoes mcm handbags coach factory outlet store