Steps to take to make those Cut flowers last

Q: How can I get my cut flowers to last? Can I put them in a shady place? Should I use the powder that the florist supplies? —Tiffany, Providence

A: A cool shady place will work. You can also make new cuts every day at an acute angle.

Use the powder or a teaspoon of lemon, bleach or Listerine. Those powders from the florists can contain aspirin. They all work to extent the flowers. Crushing woody stems on plants like roses will help. Remove all bottom leaves that will touch water. Bacteria can form on wet leaves. Sunlight will hasten buds to open but will help wither sooner.

Q: How can I start asparagus from seed and crowns? Should I start seeds in my greenhouse? —Bill, Tulsa, Okla.

A: You can start seeds in a cool greenhouse now in zone 7. Seeds can be started in peat pots with a rich potting soil. Crowns will need a trench that is at least 18 inches wide and deep as soon as the soil thaws. This little bush requires the richest soil with a strong sense of humus. Aged manure, shredded leaves and grass clippings from lawns that had no herbicide will be excellent supplements. Crowns and peat pots need a minimum of 10 inches of well mixed soil under them. Your first year should be to establish the plants with no cutting.

Q: Is it really necessary to pull up tulips in the spring or can I just plant around them as the spring progresses. — Larry, Taylorville, Ill.

A: Most tulips are now bred for size and not necessarily for hardiness. I recommend digging them out when they are finished blooming to store them in a cool place for the summer. This gives them energy when replanted in the fall. If you have success with good blooms each year, by all means leave them and plant around them. A good cycle would include annuals for color and mums in the fall for late flowers.