As any wildflower gardener knows, come summer there are plenty of Zinnias, Cosmos, Sunflowers, and more to cut for what seems like endless wildflower bouquets. We’re here to help turn your amateur DIY bouquets into photo-worthy professional arrangements!


Before we get into the nitty gritty of how to create a photo-worthy wildflower arrangement, the best place to begin is with which wildflowers to plant for DIY bouquets. Although almost any wildflower is pretty enough to cut, there are some varieties that fare much better in a vase than others.


You’ve probably seen these varieties in professional bouquets because they are long-lasting, come in a wide variety of colors, and most plants send up fresh shoots and flowers once cut.


Although you  may be tempted, stay clear of Queen Anne’s Lace and Poppies for cut bouquets. Queen Anne’s Lace doesn’t transition well from the garden to the vase and may go limp quickly. Poppies are extremely short-lived once cut, but their seed pods add a unique touch to any bouquet.


Once your Zinnias, Cosmos, Sunflowers, and more are in bloom comes the fun part -- cutting! There are a few simple steps and best practices to ensure your cut flower lasts longer and the plant you're cutting it from keeps on producing 


When to Cut: Early morning and late evening are the best times to cut flowers. You want to cut at these times of the day to prevent wilting from the harsh sun and heat.


Where To Cut: Follow the stem down from the flower until you hit a “break,” which is essentially the section of the flower where new growth emerges (see above). 


Cut just above this break and the plant will keep producing new growth and bloom at the offshoots that you kept intact on the plant. If you cut the stem all the way towards the ground, you risk not getting a second (or even third) flower off of that plant.


Originally writen by americanmeadows and most pictures collected from pinterest