Specialty Gardening: growing flowers for a wedding!, 1 by wonderearth

wonderearth wrote:
So, just tested the different post harvest treatment or conditioning recommendations I've gathered and it is interesting. The biggest influence on vase life seems to be hands down the maturity of the blooms. I'm surprised! All Dahlias were picked in the morning around 10 am treated with Gerbera protab over night then put into fresh water with Crystal Clear flower food.
Of the three:

The first:
Put directly into several inches of hot water for 5-10 min.
Then into cool water with the Quickdip solution for 3 min.
Then into cool water with Gerbera Protab over night.
Next morning water change with flower food.

Second:
Older blooms
Quickdip 3min
Cold water with Protab
Next morning water change with flower food.

Third:
Least mature blooms
Placed directly into cold water with Gerbera Protab
Next morning water change with flower food

Results were:
Hot water treated blooms were slightly wilted on outer petals by the second night. Still beautiful though.
Quick dip only flowers were less wilted but still a little.
Least mature Blooms only treated with Gerbera Protab for 24 then flower food were not wilted at all but were smaller so a little less impressive.


So,
It appears that the treatments have less to do with longevity then the maturity if the blooms.
Have any of you used any if these treatments and come up with drastically different results?
What are your methods?
The pic is of the Dahlias being tested.