• Cut only disease free, high quality flowers at the proper stage of development.  Generally, bulb flowers should be cut when 50 percent colored or just open.
• Flowers should be cut at the coolest and driest time of the day which is generally in the morning.
• Some flowers, e.g., tulips, should be wrapped in a bundle and placed in water for a few hours prior to placing in a vase or arrangement.  This allows the flower stems to acclimate and condition themselves to the cut conditions.
• Use clean containers and fresh, cool water for cut flowers.
• Replenish water daily, as necessary, to keep the cut stems submerged.

Note of Caution:  When cut, some bulb flowers, i.e., daffodils, have a toxic effect on other cut flowers.  For more information on handling fresh cut flowers see Armitage (1993) and De Hertogh (1996).