FLOWER CARE
8 steps to extending the life of your flowers
You may have come to this page by scanning the QR code that came with your bouquet, or you may have just surfed here on the net. Either way, we hope that by sharing our top tricks, you can keep your flowers fresh and make your bouquet last longer. Many of these tricks may seem obvious at first, but like everything, once you know the trick, you can perform magic. We hope you find them helpful in keeping your cut flowers alive longer.
1. CHOOSE YOUR VASE
Size and cleanliness are the two most important things to consider when picking your vase or container to hold your flowers. First, think about the size of your vase. Your bouquet stems should fit nicely into the opening without being too snug. A large vase may cause your bouquet to lose its shape. Lighter, fragile-cut flowers work best in a taller vase. Cut heavy blooms short, and place them in a low vase with room to spread out. Once you have the correct size vase, check it’s clean, free of detergent and residue.
2. ADD WATER
Fill your vase up until the three-quarters mark with fresh, clean water. Although most flowers keep best in room-temperature water, bulb flowers last longer in cool or cold water. If you are trying to get your flowers to open, you can use warm water to encourage your buds to bloom. Once the buds have fully opened, use cold water when replacing the water.
3. FEED YOUR FLOWERS
If your flowers arrive with a small packet of flower food, add it to the water and mix it well. This time-tested mixture contains a bit of sugar to feed your flowers, acid to maintain the pH levels of the water, and some bleach to reduce the bacteria and microbes in the water in the vase water. All three help extend the life of the flowers.
4. CUT THE STEMS
Before putting your flowers in water, cut the stems of your bouquet. Using garden scissors, trim 4 – 5cm off from the bottom at a 45° angle. The angle will help the flowers to take the water more effectively since they will not sit flat on the bottom of a vase. Some flowers, like roses, sometimes get air bubbles stuck in their stems, blocking water flow; you can cut your flower stems underwater to prevent this. After the initial cut, re-trim your bouquet every few days to allow fresh water to penetrate the stem. It also is helpful to replace the water every couple of days.
5. CUT BACK OR REMOVE EXCESS LEAVES
Before placing your cut flowers in a vase, remove any extra leaves near or below your vase waterline. This will decrease any bacteria in the water and help to keep the water clean and free of foul odours.
6. PLACE YOUR BOUQUET IN BEST LOCATION
Where you keep your bouquet can directly impact the life of your flowers. Avoid Direct Sunlight, Heat, Drafts, and Fruit. Placing your arrangement in a shaded spot or a room with indirect sunlight and cooler temperatures will help helps preserve the blooms. Avoid placing them in direct sunlight or near appliances that generate heat. You’ll also want to avoid open windows, heating or cooling vents, and ceiling fans, which can cause your flowers to dehydrate quickly. Some flowers, like tulips, are sensitive to heat. It would be best if you didn’t place your bouquet near ripening fruit, as it releases tiny amounts of ethylene gas, which can speed up the wilting process. Remember, cool temperatures are generally better for bouquets, except for tropical blooms like orchids which prefer heat and humidity.
7. CHANGE THE WATER EVERY TWO DAYS
Change the water and re-trim your bouquet stems once every 2 to 3 days to allow fresh water to penetrate the flower’s stem. To do this is to remove the flowers from the vase. Rinse and clean the vase thoroughly. Fill with fresh, clean water and flower food, then re-cut the stems at a 45° angle about 1cm from the bottom. Remove any dying foliage of flowers in the bouquet before placing the flowers back in the vase.
8. REMOVE DYING FLOWERS
After several days, you may notice some individual flowers wilting or dying. To keep your arrangement looking fresher for longer, remove these flowers from your bouquet as they detract from the beauty and will begin to contaminate the other healthy flowers.
TULIP CARE
Many people do not realise that tulips, unlike most cut flowers, continue growing even after they have been cut. Their stems have been known to increase dramatically during their vase life. To help prevent your tulips from bending, we recommend selecting a vase that supports at least half of the length of the stem. Trim your tulip stems regularly, turning your vase a little each day. If a tulip starts to droop, you can use a pin to prick the stem below the flower, letting out any air. Re-cut the stem and place it in a fresh room-temperature water for an hour.
ROSE CARE
The outer petals of your roses may look a little discoloured or like they are wilting, On arrival. Do not worry. The outer petals of a rose are called ‘guard petals,’ and we purposefully leave them on when shipping roses as they protect the rose. On arrival, peel the guard petals away gently. To prevent your roses from drooping, cut the rose stems underwater. This will stop any air bubbles from forming. If you notice early signs of dropping, you can re-submerge the roses underwater, cut them again, and gently shake the stem, allowing any trapped air bubbles to escape.