CCF Post-Harvest Care & Floral Preservation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the recommended water temperature for initially conditioning freshly cut flowers to maximize water uptake?
- Ice cold water (32-40°F)
- Warm water (100-110°F) (Correct answer)
- Boiling water (212°F)
- Room temperature water (68-72°F)
Correct answer: Warm water (100-110°F)
Warm water (100-110°F) moves up stem vessels more quickly than cold water, improving initial hydration of freshly cut flowers.
Question 2: What is the primary reason to re-cut flower stems before placing them in water?
- To improve the aesthetic appearance of the stem
- To reduce stem length for easier arrangement
- To test the structural strength of the stem
- To remove bacteria-laden sealed ends and improve water uptake (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To remove bacteria-laden sealed ends and improve water uptake
Re-cutting removes the sealed, bacteria-contaminated stem ends, exposing fresh vascular tissue that can absorb water freely.
Question 3: At what angle should stems be cut to maximize water absorption?
- 90 degrees (straight across)
- 30 degrees
- 45 degrees (Correct answer)
- 60 degrees
Correct answer: 45 degrees
A 45-degree cut increases the exposed surface area for water uptake and prevents the stem end from resting flat against the container bottom.
Question 4: What is the ideal storage temperature range for most temperate cut flowers?
- 35-40°F (2-4°C) (Correct answer)
- 55-65°F (13-18°C)
- 65-75°F (18-24°C)
- 20-25°F (-7 to -4°C)
Correct answer: 35-40°F (2-4°C)
Most cut flowers are best stored at 35-40°F to slow metabolic activity and bacterial growth, significantly extending vase life.
Question 5: Which component of a floral preservative solution is primarily responsible for preventing bacterial growth in vase water?
- Sugar
- Citric acid
- A biocide such as sodium hypochlorite (Correct answer)
- Table salt
Correct answer: A biocide such as sodium hypochlorite
Biocides like sodium hypochlorite kill bacteria that would otherwise multiply, block stem vessels, and shorten flower vase life.
Question 6: What does the floral industry term 'conditioning' (also called hardening) refer to?
- Treating stems with wax to seal cut ends
- Freezing flowers for long-term cold storage
- Applying a heat treatment to firm flower petals
- Allowing freshly cut flowers to fully hydrate before use in arrangements (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Allowing freshly cut flowers to fully hydrate before use in arrangements
Conditioning allows newly cut flowers to fully rehydrate and recover from shipping stress before being incorporated into finished arrangements.
Question 7: Which category of flowers requires their stem ends to be singed with a flame before conditioning to prevent sap from blocking water uptake?
- Roses
- Carnations
- Euphorbia and poppies (Correct answer)
- Lilies
Correct answer: Euphorbia and poppies
Euphorbia, poppies, and other latex-producing flowers exude milky sap that seals the cut end; singeing stops this flow and opens the stem for water absorption.
CCF Post-Harvest Care & Floral Preservation 1
What is the recommended water temperature for initially conditioning freshly cut flowers to maximize water uptake?