I'm surely no expert, but had the same problem with a plant leaning over towards sun AND then the rain. I took an old tomato cage, wire-snipped the top off to make it shorter (only two 'circles' of wire going around and then the stakes that go in ground). In my case, was able to gather the plant together with some yarn so it was small enough to feed thru the cage. If not, you can also cut the cage so it 'opens up' so you can encase the plant that way. Maybe this would help in your situation???

I've harvested them at any time of day also. I just figured they'd do better harvested cool and well hydrated. Trish, you've probably hit the nail right on the head, those plants are probably undernourished and underwatered and therefore stressed before cutting. Cutting them as early as when the buds are just showing color is something I've learned FROM EXPERIENCE, not from a book or anybody else, although I think I got the original idea from a book or I probably wouldn't have tried it. I've cut them as buds just showing color, many times, into my homemade preservative, and kept them in my house, for various reasons. They always open, within a day or two to as long as a week and a half after cutting, if I cut them VERY young. The size they reach is directly proportional to how young I cut them. Customers I've sold them to have always related the same experience in their houses. Of course the size of the flower is genetically determined, given the correct amount of water and food. With insufficient food, they don't get as big. I've found that to be the case whenever I've planted them in poor ground or haven't watered enough, even if I don't cut them at all. My theory is that cutting when still in bud form deprives the flower of the best light and the best food - no preservative of any sort is the same thing - so although it blooms, it can't reach its predetermined size. In plain water, I can only suppose they would be even smaller or wouldn't open, with no nourishment whatsoever, but I never tried it in plain water. My theory doesn't matter, though, what matters is that it works. It does. I've used it just for myself or for customers who wanted a bouquet that would be at its peak not now, but in a week, or even further out. My house generally doesn't get warmer than 74 degrees or so; I surmise that that helps. Of course, if you want your flowers to be perfect the next day, they should be farther along, with at least a couple of petals lifting, as Trish described. I always tried to put a few buds in each sunflower bouquet as a surprise for later. Trish, have you ever tried it? With preservative? Jeanne

Hi Wow you are an ambitious gardener!! I ripped most of mine out yet again ."Lush planting" turned into "Unmanageable jungle" again lol There seem to be only two kinds of tropical plants those that eat the house ,those that croak unless kept in a biosphere. Would love to get rid of all the yard plants and concentrate on the "Hanging gardens" as I LOVE epiphytes and there seem to be at least a dozen that I've not grown or killed lol. Doubt seriously it will ever happen ,when i told the wife that what was needed was a MUCH larger shadehouse she said I need a lot less plants lol. Sad that now that I have the time and ambition to manage a garden my back refuses to do any heavy lifting and climbing . Well I can enjoy the pix of yours !!! Anna I counted pic #12,with the statue right above the red brom. One with the divided green leaves right behind the small palm?? Sure looks like a "Snowflake tree" to me?? Junglegal You say thats an Anthrurium.?? i didn't know there were any with divided leaves?? Anthurium clavigerum??? will have to look that up!! Anna had a whole bunch of Trevesia palmata seedlings that were doing fine until the neghbors cat knocked them off the table!!! They all croacked . These were the fabled "variagated "ones also. Have been unable to locate even small ones except at that nursery we can't name. lol gary

It kind of has that night blooming jasmine/Cestrum look to it, but the foliage could be from something else, too. In these cases, flowers help a great deal.