My project for the beginning of the week!

[hollyflr]

Last week the catering director from a local university called and asked if I could do do something for a big party the university was having, I said sure, she said she would send me some pictures. She did and when I opened the picturesI saw a fresh pointsettia tree and a few others. She called that afternoon and asked if I could make the tree about 4.5 ft tall not counting the container or the sparkles on top. I gulped and said yes I could do it.

I quickly realized I could not make it out of Oasis no one could lift it. I ended up making a frame out of tomato cages, cut off one and put it up side down in the pot and then placed chicken wire around it to make a cone shape. we cut apart 16 6.5 white pointsettias, and put the bracts in more the 120 water tubes and shoved them in the chicken wire.

Pictures are below, and yes, in the second picture my floor does slant.

 

[Allie444]

I know I should know this...but how do the pointsettias stay fresh....don't they drink the water in the tubes quickly? Your tree is absolutely gorgeous by the way. Very, very impressive!

 

[hollyflr]

I used the four inch tubes, We cut the point brachts on Tuesday afternoon, the tree sat out all night, I did not sleep well that night, but the points did not wilt and were fresh about thirty hours later for the party. It really only had to last that evening.

 

[Rhonda]

You did darned good then because every single poin bloom I have cut, seared, "glued", put in tubes, placed in water have wilted within hours. I would never ever promise a cut poinsettia EVER..

 

[hollyflr]

They were fresh from the green house and well hydrated, and all we did was cut and put in tubes with floralife. I decided against searing because the points were not mingled with other flowers and the tubes were hidden. I was plenty anxious about wilting and did not sleep well Tuesday night and dreaded coming in Wednesday AM. But, none had wilted over night. Every year I take the leftover points home and make arrangements for a New Years Eve party, some in foam and some in water, They always last 1-2 weeks.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

just the weight of the water tubes would make it difficult to maneuver.....yes/no??

 

[hollyflr]

That was the other dilemma that caused much anxiety, I do not have a vehicle tall enough to deliver a fully made up tree. The U's catering sent two strong young men with their catering truck with a lift. They had a milk crate on the truck so we slid the container in that and one watched and supported it during the ride. I did support the the tomato cage prongs with hyacinth stakes. It was fairly heavy, but they were able to lift it with ease in the milk crate and then on the table. I fortunately did not have to watch them carry it in to the student center. I got a hug from the catering director when I arrived.

 

[RWK]

With Cut poinsettias, it can be tricky, but these tips may help. - First of all, Flower food does not have much effect. Cut your bract as close to the main trunk as possible......then, give it a second cut underwater.......use the sharpest knife/ cutter you have. Dip the cut end into a type of paint thinner called DENATURED ALCOHOL. THis stops the sap from bleeding out and cleans the wound.......put into a vase, bud vase is fine, one bract per vase.......let them drink for 24 hours.......after the first 24 hours, any non-wilted blooms can be used with great longevity. THe two keys are denatured alcohol and the first 24 hours. ..... and one more thing......ROOM TEMPERATURE water to slightly warm........not as warm as we would use for most cuts, The best guage for temp is to dip your hand.....as soon as the water does not feel cold when you dip your hand........thats good.

If you need to removes leaves from the stem to make a nice clean stem........take a cotton swab and rub the alcohol on any place you snap off a leaf or you see a place oozing the white sap.

posted this and forgot one more tip........NO COOLER STORAGE.