Grow Master Fact Sheet

If you have any queries please contact your local Grow Master Garden Centre.

Growing for Picking

With their long-lasting flowers and incredible array of texture and colour, it‘s not at all Surprising that Protea are now used extensively in both home and commercial flowering arranging.

Protea are usually incorporated in arrangements with other Australian flowers and sold commercially as natives or wild flowers. There is now a trend to use Protea with all sorts of other flowers to create new and exciting arrangements. Leucadendron foliage is widely used with varieties such as Safari Sunset, Silvan Red and Inca Gold. The only limit is your imagination.

Getting Fresh

As fresh cut flowers, the protea family will reward you with a long vase life and spectacular displays. Getting the best from them is easy if you follow these simple rules.
Always use a clean vase and clean water. Add one tablespoon of bleach per liter of water and remember to top up the water daily.

For best results display your Protea in a coolish spot.

A fine arrangement

With their long-lasting flowers and incredible array of texture and color, it‘s not at all surprising that Protea are now used extensively in both home and commercial flowering arranging.

Protea are usually incorporated in arrangements with other Australian flowers and sold commercially as “natives or wild flowers”. There is now a trend to use Protea with all sorts of other flowers to create new and exciting arrangements.

Leucadendron foliage is widely used with varieties such as Safari Sunset, Silvan Red and Inca Gold. The only limit is your imagination.

Getting Fresh

A dry argument

Many, but not all, Protea can be dried. They look wonderful for ages and it is well worth investigating. Here are three ways to tackle drying your cut Protea. It‘s not difficult, so why not give it a go.

1. Hanging: Pick the flowers in their prime, strip off the bottom leaves then tie about five of the flowers together in a tight bunch with a rubber band. Hang them heads down in a dry, dark, airy spot for about two weeks.
2. In a glycerin solution: The glycerin keeps the plant material supple and helps it last longer. After cutting and stripping the foliage, place the stems as soon as you can in a glycerine solution. Use one third glycerine to two thirds water. Glycerine is available from chemists. The solution should be seven to fourteen centimeters deep. Don‘t put stems in water first and, if the stems have been cut for more than an hour, re-cut them before placing into the solution. When tiny beads of glycerin appear on the leaves, take them out and hang them as described above.
3. Sulphur: Smelly, but really effective at preserving the colors. Simply burn sculpture in a sealed area with the flowers for about five hours before hanging them as above. Sculpture is also available from your chemist. Protea information by courtesy of Protea flora Nursery.

Many other flowers are also ideal for picking. Try Roses for colour and perfume and many of the wonderful flowers that can be grown from seedlings such as:

1. Poppies
2. Larkspur
3. Delphinium
4. Canterbury Bells

And of course remember bulbs too. Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinths, Freesias and more make fabulous cut flowers.