FLOWER CARE

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.