Does anyone happen to know why it is that pinching out the very tip of
freesia and gladiolus flowers causes them to open more fully? It's of no
huge importance but I was doing it yesterday (wedding flower arranging) and
suddenly realised I do it but don't know why! There must be some
'mechanism' in the plant that's triggered, perhaps?

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
Does anyone happen to know why it is that pinching out the very tip of
freesia and gladiolus flowers causes them to open more fully? It's of
no
huge importance but I was doing it yesterday (wedding flower
arranging) and
suddenly realised I do it but don't know why! There must be some
'mechanism' in the plant that's triggered, perhaps?

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

Presumably the 'stopping' of a plant ensures that its energies are
concentrated on the production of flowers/fruit or side growths, as is
the case with tomatoes.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

Emrys wrote:
Presumably the 'stopping' of a plant ensures that its energies are
concentrated on the production of flowers/fruit or side growths, as is
the case with tomatoes.

Plant growth, including flowering and fruiting is regulated by
hormones present within the plant. Some encourage growth while others
impede development. There's a constant and intricate interplay of
growth enhancers and growth repressants, which coordinate the plant's
development. Apical dominance, (the condition whereby a growing shoot
does not branch unless 'pinched-out') is the result of auxins in the
bud tip. These ensure that lateral buds do not commence growth too
soon and crowd out the growing tip. By pinching out the tip, the
auxins are removed and lateral buds can start to grow.

Similarly, auxins are sometimes present at the extreme tips of flower
racemes (spikes) especially In plants that open their flowers
successionally. The development of the buds is affected by the
concentration of auxins, those closest to the source being more
heavily repressed than those furthest away. As the flower spike
elongates, the distance between the older buds and the auxin laden tip
increases, enabling them to expand and open. The removal of the auxin
laden tip can cause all remaining buds to open more or less
simultaneously. Hope that makes sense.

On 28/6/07 12:05, in article ,
"Emrys Davies" wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
Does anyone happen to know why it is that pinching out the very tip of
freesia and gladiolus flowers causes them to open more fully? It's of
no
huge importance but I was doing it yesterday (wedding flower
arranging) and
suddenly realised I do it but don't know why! There must be some
'mechanism' in the plant that's triggered, perhaps?

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

Presumably the 'stopping' of a plant ensures that its energies are
concentrated on the production of flowers/fruit or side growths, as is
the case with tomatoes.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.



But these are *cut* flowers, ready to go into an arrangement etc. etc.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 28/6/07 12:05, in article
,
"Emrys Davies" wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
Does anyone happen to know why it is that pinching out the very tip
of
freesia and gladiolus flowers causes them to open more fully? It's
of
no
huge importance but I was doing it yesterday (wedding flower
arranging) and
suddenly realised I do it but don't know why! There must be some
'mechanism' in the plant that's triggered, perhaps?

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

Presumably the 'stopping' of a plant ensures that its energies are
concentrated on the production of flowers/fruit or side growths, as
is
the case with tomatoes.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.



But these are *cut* flowers, ready to go into an arrangement etc. etc.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

But I think that the same reasoning would apply whether they have been
cut or about to be cut. As you will no doubt agree flowers/plants
continue to develop/grow a little when they have been cut and placed in
water.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

Emrys wrote:

But I think that the same reasoning would apply whether they have been
cut or about to be cut. As you will no doubt agree flowers/plants
continue to develop/grow a little when they have been cut and placed in
water.

Quite right. The presence of auxins in the growing points (stem tips -
flower stems or leafy stems) is not massively affected if they are cut
from the plant and the same processes continue, albeit on a reducing
scale as the cut material deteriorates.

On 29/6/07 07:04, in article
, "Dave Poole"
wrote:

Emrys wrote:

But I think that the same reasoning would apply whether they have been
cut or about to be cut. As you will no doubt agree flowers/plants
continue to develop/grow a little when they have been cut and placed in
water.

Quite right. The presence of auxins in the growing points (stem tips -
flower stems or leafy stems) is not massively affected if they are cut
from the plant and the same processes continue, albeit on a reducing
scale as the cut material deteriorates.


Thank you both. Now I've got the answer I was looking for - it's very
interesting, too. There must be some reverse effect that prevents e.g.
Dahlia buds opening once picked?!

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 29/6/07 07:04, in article
, "Dave Poole"
wrote:

Emrys wrote:

But I think that the same reasoning would apply whether they have
been
cut or about to be cut. As you will no doubt agree flowers/plants
continue to develop/grow a little when they have been cut and
placed in
water.

Quite right. The presence of auxins in the growing points (stem
tips -
flower stems or leafy stems) is not massively affected if they are
cut
from the plant and the same processes continue, albeit on a reducing
scale as the cut material deteriorates.


Thank you both. Now I've got the answer I was looking for - it's very
interesting, too. There must be some reverse effect that prevents
e.g.
Dahlia buds opening once picked?!

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

I am told that dahlia buds will open if they are showing colour when
cut.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

On 29/6/07 18:56, in article ,
"Emrys Davies" wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 29/6/07 07:04, in article
, "Dave Poole"
wrote:

Emrys wrote:

But I think that the same reasoning would apply whether they have
been
cut or about to be cut. As you will no doubt agree flowers/plants
continue to develop/grow a little when they have been cut and
placed in
water.

Quite right. The presence of auxins in the growing points (stem
tips -
flower stems or leafy stems) is not massively affected if they are
cut
from the plant and the same processes continue, albeit on a reducing
scale as the cut material deteriorates.


Thank you both. Now I've got the answer I was looking for - it's very
interesting, too. There must be some reverse effect that prevents
e.g.
Dahlia buds opening once picked?!

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

I am told that dahlia buds will open if they are showing colour when
cut.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.



My experience is that they have to have started opening, yes. But they
won't open at all if still tightly shut.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)