Trimming Daisies for a Vase

With their large heads and numerous color variations, daisies make attractive cut flowers. Daisies that are tall enough to fit in a vase are suitable for cutting. Gerbera daisies (Gerbera spp.), Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum superbum) and painted daisies (Tanacetum coccineum) are a few of the many colorful varieties that can be used in arrangements. The perennial flowers grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 10, with different species having different cold tolerances. Planting more than one type with varying bloom times will ensure a steady source of cut flowers.


Cut flowers in the morning for the best blooms. Choose newly opened flowers and make cuts at the base of the stem with pruning shears.


Remove any foliage from the stems of the cut flowers.


Fill a container with warm water, at a temperature of about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Use distilled or filtered water if your tap water runs through a water softener.


Set the flowers in the warm water one at a time. Hold the end of the stem of each flower under water and cut 1 inch from the tip at a 45 degree angle. Let the flowers sit in the water for at least 20 minutes.


Fill a vase three-quarters full with a mixture of three parts water and one part regular lemon-lime soda. Add 1/4 teaspoon chlorine bleach to the solution.


Cut the ends of each flower under water at a 45 degree angle to the desired length. Remove them one at a time and quickly place each flower in the prepared vase. For a rounded cap of daisies, cut the center daisies tallest with each successive ring of flowers about 1/2 inch shorter than the previous set.