Techniques to help cut f lowers last longer

Q. My roses and other cut flowers never seem to last as long as my friends’. Do you have any tips to help me?

A. Make sure to place cut flower bouquets in a plastic sleeve or wrap in paper when transporting them from the florist to your home. Our winter temperatures are usually much colder than the florist’s cooler.

Once home, fill a clean vase with water and add the floral preservative your florist provided. Remove the lower leaves. Submerged foliage increases the risk of bacteria forming in the water and shortens the life of the flowers.

Re-cut the stem ends at a sharp angle to prevent the stems from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase, limiting water uptake. Display your cut flowers in a cool location away from drafts of hot air to further extend their vase life.

Revive drooping roses with this simple trick. Remove the stems from the vase and re-cut the bottom of the stem. Lay the rose, flower and all, in a sink or container filled with warm water. Leave it there for about 30 minutes. Place it back in the vase filled with fresh water and enjoy your now perky bloom for several more days.

Q. I just bought a home with a flower bed that lines the front of the house. The garden is in full shade. I planted some ornamental grasses and coral bells and want to add oakleaf hydrangeas. Any other suggestions?

A. Full shade can be very challenging. If the shade is cast by large trees or an overhang, a lack of water also can interfere with the establishment and maintenance of new plantings. Consider starting with shade-tolerant perennials and annuals to better gauge the light and moisture conditions before adding larger, harder-to-move plants like shrubs.

Hakone grass and sedges are the most shade-tolerant of the grasses and grasslike plants. Hostas, variegated Solomon Seal, ferns and bugbane are among the most shade-tolerant perennials.

Oakleaf hydrangea is shade-tolerant but may not flower and have colorful fall foliage in heavy shade. Annabelle hydrangeas have traditionally been used in the shade along with snowberry (Symphoricarpos) and our native bush honeysuckle, Diervilla. Small-scale serviceberries (Amelanchiers) and chokeberries (Aronia), as well as red twig and Pagoda dogwoods, also tolerate shade. Start with a plan and adjust as you see how the various plants respond to this location.

Q. I had my corn plant outside for the warm summer and brought it indoors in September. The leaves have grown longer, paler and recently developed dusty yellowish spots that are sort of greasy when you wipe them off. Wondering what this is and how to perk its growth. Even the old leaves are not as stiff and dark as they were when I brought it home from the store.

A. The lower light and humidity indoors during winter take their toll on houseplants. Those plants growing outside for the summer develop sun leaves that absorb the light they need and filter out excess. Once we move the plants indoors where the light intensity is much less, these leaves often turn pale, yellow and sometimes drop.

New leaves are more efficient at absorbing light but still are not as robust as those growing in higher-light locations. Move your corn plant to a sunnier window or add artificial lights if possible.

Adjust your watering to better match the indoor growing conditions. Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil slightly moist like a sponge that has been wrung out. Avoid overwatering and make sure the plants do not sit in excess water that collects in the saucer. This can lead to leaf spot diseases such as you describe and to root rot.

Adjusting your watering schedule and increasing the light is often enough to correct the problem.