Inspect flowers carefully upon arrival checking that the stems are neither cracked nor unduly split and that the flowers are not limp or drooping. Only one bloom should be cracking, or showing the inner color. Stems should be cut and the flowers hydrated in a low sugar holding solution. These flowers should preferably be processed in the cooler, and held at very low temperatures as they are cold weather crops. One way to control splitting is to cut stems above the split, and then with a very sharp knife, bevel the edge of the outside of the stem.