The key for successful cutting lies in the scissors. If the scissors are not clean, bacteria may invade the cutting edge. Dull scissors will cause the stem to collapse. Always use clean and well-sharpened scissors.
The mizukiri technique can be used on almost all types of flower materials, especially flowers from bulbs (tulip and hyacinth) and stems that contain water (gerbera, poppy, anemone), or stems that are thin and which twist (blue lace flowers, scabiosa).
2 POUNDING AND CRUSHING ENDS
This method is applied to hard and fibrous branches and stems, such as maple, dogwood, spiraea, clematis and balloon cotton bush. With a hammer or the handle of a pair of scissors, pound the end of a branch or stem for about 5 cm (2 in) to open up a large area to be exposed to water. The cut end of a thick branch can also be split and torn away or shaved off to expose more of the inside fiber.
This treatment enlarges the surface area of water absorption. For a branch with fresh green leaves which does not draw up water well, peel off the bark after pounding the cut end to make a large water absorption area and set it in deep water. You can get the same results by splitting the end, or making a cross cut.
3 BOILING THE STEMS
Dip the cut end of a stem into hot water for 5–10 seconds, depending on the thickness, and then immediately put it into cold water and leave it for about 2 hours in a cool place. When the stem is in hot water, the air inside the duct expands and is expelled, leaving a vacuum. The stem then contracts in cold water and pressure develops for taking up water. The temperature difference accelerates water absorption.
When dipping stems into hot water, be careful that flowers and leaves are not exposed to the steam. Wrap floral materials in news paper and expose the stems only. Boiling water is most effective but hot water also works. A higher temperature helps kill bacteria.
This technique is effective for almost any kind of floral material, especially flowers that tend to wither easily as well as field flowers, including margaret, patrinia, hollyhock, amaranthus, dahlia, peony and rose. This method is not suitable for stems that contain water, as listed on page 8 in the section on cutting under water.
4 BURNING THE STEMS
Burn the bottom of a stem with fire to facilitate water absorption as well as kill bacteria. Wrap the blossoms and leaves in wet newspaper and char the cut ends over a flame. Burn them for 1–2 minutes until the ends glow red, then put them immediately into cold water.
This is a more effective method than the boiling because it produces a much higher temperature. It is important to char the end of the stem about 1–3 cm (1½ in) up, without damaging the flowers and leaves. If too much time is spent on burning stems, the heat reaches the flowers and makes them weak. Burn stems quickly over a kitchen gas burner or use a flame torch to char them efficiently.
An additional merit of this method is that carbonated stems function like charcoal and act as a purifier for the water in an arrangement.
This method is good for materials with hard stems, including roses, miniature roses, spray mums, poinsettias and peonies, but not effective for thick stems which contain a lot of moisture.
Cutting under water
Pounding and crushing
Splitting
Boiling
Burning
5 POURING WATER ON THE UNDERSIDE
Spraying water on the reverse side of leaves prevents loss of moisture and keeps flowers fresh. For this method, hold the materials upside down and dampen the backs of the leaves with a watering pot.
This method is mainly used for materials whose stems and leaves are perishable or become too weak to apply other water absorption techniques. It is also effective for spray mums, spray roses and herbs that have many small leaves on the stems.
6 IMMERSING IN DEEP WATER
By immersing the materials in deep water, the water pressure facilitates water absorption. Water always evaporates from the surface of the cut flowers. Floral materials with many leaves or those with weak water absorption capability cannot maintain the water balance only from water uptake at the end of the stem.
Prevent as much water evaporation as possible by wrapping the floral materials in newspaper and bending or curving the stems at the same time. After wrapping, spray water on the newspaper to prevent the water from evaporating. Leave the wrapped materials in deep water for at least an hour, preferably half a day, in a cool and dark place.
This method provides materials with effective water absorption. The deeper the water level, the easier it is for the water to go upward. However, be careful about the depth because flower petals touching the water are likely to be damaged.
This immersion technique is suitable for almost all materials except ones that have tiny flowers and leaves and are low in moisture. This method is effective for materials which naturally grow in damp soil, such as ranunculus, or stems that tend to bend due to large and heavy flower heads, such as roses and sunflowers.
7 USING NATURAL SUBSTANCES
In ikebana, people often use traditional substances to aid in water absorption, among them alum, vinegar, salt and alcohol. With some cut floral materials where it is very difficult to boost the amount of water absorption, special additives are needed. The methods below are effective for specific materials.
Burnt alum is effective for hydrangea, peony, hellebore (Christmas rose) and smoke tree. Put a pounded stem in water for about 10 seconds and then rub its pounded portion with burnt alum powder. Place the stem in deep water.
Vinegar is used for bamboo and bamboo grass as it prevents the leaves from drying out. Put the cut end of the stem in vinegar for about 20–30 seconds and then immerse it in water. This method is also effective for rice plant, reed grass and foxtail millet.
For plants such as allium, hyacinth, and lilac which contain mucus or milky sap, alcohol is used to enhance water absorption. Plant fluid at the end of a stem not only covers the absorption duct and prevents water intake but also makes the water in the container murky and causes the growth of bacteria. Alcohol neutralizes the fluids and cleanses the cut end. Dip the end of each stem in alcohol for about 5 minutes, then rub the end with your fingers to wash away the milky fluid. Leave it in deep water for at least 2 hours.
Pouring water.
Immersing in deep water.
Ikebana equipment.
CUTTING TECHNIQUES
Scissors are probably the single most essential tool for creating a flower arrangement. For a Japanese flower arrangement, Japanese-style scissors or hasami are used. Hasami scissors are now relatively easy to find outside of Japan. If they are not available, you can substitute them with Western