Chat with a grower at the Philly market changed how I see stems

I was at the wholesale market in Philly last Friday and this older grower saw me stripping all the leaves off my roses. He straight up told me I was doing too much, that leaving a few leaves on helps the flower drink better and last longer. I always thought bare stems were cleaner and looked better in the vase. But he showed me a bucket of his roses with leaves vs mine without, and his were way perkier after 3 days. Now I leave the top two sets of leaves on everything except for funeral work. Has anyone else tried keeping more leaves on and seen better vase life?

2 comments

2 Comments

jadep4114d ago

Read something similar not too long ago in some florist trade blog. Said leaving leaves actually helps draw water up the stem through transpiration. Makes sense when you think about it like a straw, leaves create that pull. I know I used to strip everything bare because I thought it looked cleaner but now I leave a few on especially for stuff like stock or snapdragons. The old timers definitely know a thing or two that the books don't always teach you.

smith.blair14d ago

Funny how "old timers" are just folks who figured out what works before the internet told 'em it was science, right? Guess they didn't need a blog to know leaves aren't just for decoration.