Leather Leaf

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Rhonda

Rhonda

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Nov 1, 2002
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Millinocket
www.millinocketflorist.com
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Maine
We have had the worst problem with leather leaf. Actually for over two months (thank goodness we didn't use much through Dec).
It looks great coming out of the box (we don't buy by the case, just a few bunches from the trucks) but within hours it is drying, has a white film on it and within days is dried to crumbles.....
Two trucks, two different wholesalers, but same FL grower.
Anyone else having problems??
We do use it as a base due to the cost adding in var. pitt, varieties of Euc or myrtle for accents, so it is important to our designing.
I have ordered a case of Costa Rican for Weds to get greening our baskets and hopefully that will be better than what we've been getting..
 
About two months here as well.
Nasty !
Been subbing a lot !
 
Rhonda, try the individually sleeved Mexican leather
 
Joe is right! We've missed getting LL from FB for a couple of weeks because my autobids didn't snag it, and I forgot to up those bids. Anyway, the LL off the trucks is disasterous. It's huge, and it's bad. As Rhonda said, it comes out of the box looking great, but put it in an arrangement, and it's dry and crinkly, often with a white film the following morning. We find that this happens in wet foam, but haven't noticed it in vases. We usually green up our funeral sprays and baskets the night before we finish and deliver them the next day. Thank goodness that practice allowed us to catch and replace the dried up stuff (And yes, I know to make insertions at least 1" into foam). I am, however, extremely worried about those orders which came in yesterday for a viewing last night with the funeral this afternoon.
 
This tends to happen EVERY year about this time....next it'll be the spores in the Spring.

I get mine from DWF, in their own branded boxes...best I have every seen, and at a fair price. Ours is currently lasting about 2 weeks in the home( I know cuz I just had 4-5 different arrs in the house for a birthday) , but the flowers are still lasting longer than the LL... (thanks Bill)...

We keep ours in the waxed box, wrapped in the plastic, and add water (a little) daily....
 
Something that I have done for years: As soon as you get the box of leather leaf, remove the plastic wrap and spray the bunch with Pixie Sparkle and put into a large Rubbermaid Crisper. This will keep your leather looking and lasting great. We even spray the leather that has already been dipped in Pixie. You can't over-do it IMO.
 
I have to say Twila, pixie sparkle is a one man bands best friend. It allows me to green up way ahead for holidays. We did a church with 350ft of roping, balsam, and in held up very nicely. We dipped in pixie.

Who ever turned me on to this stuff, a BIG thank you.
 
Thanks for the info, I'm sure gonna give pixie a try.
 
WORD OF WARNING about Pixie Sparkle

It is slippery on floors.....Keep the mix close to a door and let the dipped greens drip outside or give the dipped greens a couple shakes to shake of the excess......OUTSIDE.
 
Pixie sparkle question

Do you dilute it? what proportions?

Had a florist give a tip of dipping your greens in a mixture of about a cup of pixie sparkle, maybe 4ish gallons of water, about 1/4 cup bleach and a capful or two of baby oil. Shiny and nice! Just takes a little doing when the greens first arrive! Dip leather leaf and salal and anything else that needs shining...anything to avoid using Pokon spray on things.

Cheers!
victoriamary
 
Pixie sparkle - 1 part pixie sparkle to 4 parts water.

Like I said though - after you dip your greens, shake off the excess outside.....on a tile or concrete floor.....the pixie sparkle is slippery.
 
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