Tips on Making your Cut Flowers Last Longer
It’s been a hugely busy floral time. A big ‘Thanks’ to all our customers.
Since many of you have probably received flowers for Professional Admin Week and Mother’s Day, we wanted to share a few tips on making your cut flowers last longer.
Flowers drink a lot! Especially the first few days of their arrival, they will need water every day. The floral containers should always be full of water. Every few days, remove the flowers from the vase, and cut ½” off the bottom of the stems. A fresh cut on the stem ends prevents premature wilting. Flowers wilt when the water vessels in the stems cannot carry the water up to the flower due to bacteria sealing the stem ends. Always use a sharp knife or scissors to avoid damaging the stems, as this can destroy the water vessels in the stem, which will prevent sufficient water absorption, causing wilting.
Cutting flower stems that are designed in a vase is easy. Just lift the all stems together slightly out of the vase and tie them with string. Once they are tied together, remove the bouquet from the vase and cut each stem end. Discard any spent blooms or foliage. Clean the vase before refilling with tepid water, adding the floral preservative. The ideal room temperature for flowers is 18 to 22 degrees Celsius. Avoid direct sunlight, and do not place the flowers under anything that can cause dehydration, such as cooling vents and air conditioning. Also, keep your flowers away from fruit, veggies and food as they give off ethylene gas which shortens flower life.
If flowers are quite wilted, take them out of the container and hydrate the whole flower and stem. Just lay them into the tub for 10 minutes, place into clean vase filled with water and move to a cooler area. They should perk up very quickly.
Gerbera and roses are highly susceptible to bacteria blockage, causing their heads to droop over. Be sure to change their water often and replenish their supply of floral food every 1-2 days. Gerberas and carnations are particularly sensitive to ethylene gas and bacteria – keep the vase and surrounding areas clean and debris free.
