Make Your Flowers Last Longer
Here at the florist at Colonial Gardens, we strive to give you beautiful, balanced arrangements with high-quality flowers. While all flower arrangements are temporary, there are ways to extend the lifespan of your arrangement. Use these tips to get the most out of your fresh flowers.
Water is the Most Important Element.
Simply put: fresh-cut flowers NEED water to keep fresh.
Three things to keep in mind:
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The bottom of the stems must be submerged in water. Your flowers will continue to “drink,” which means that you will need to add water to your arrangement.
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If the bottoms of stems are kept dry even for an hour, they can seal up, preventing them from taking up more water, even if their vase is refilled. If you let the water dip below the bottom of the stems, make a fresh cut at least half an inch up from the bottom to break the seal and allow the flowers to take up water again.
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The best thing you can do is to replace the water–not just refill it. Changing the water out can reduce the buildup of bacteria, lengthening the vase life of your arrangement.
Keep Them Cool.
Keeping fresh cut flowers in a cool room, rather than a sunny spot can extend their lifespan. Plants may need sunshine for energy, but fresh-cut flowers are past that stage. Setting the plants in a hot or sunny spot can cause them to dry out more quickly. You are much more likely to experience wilting in arrangements placed on a windowsill than one placed on a dining room table, away from the direct sunlight. Keep the flowers cool and away from heaters for a long vase-life.
But Don’t Refrigerate Them!
I think that customers see our flowers in the professional cooler and think that the best place for flowers is the refrigerator. After all, we just told you to keep your flowers cool! Unfortunately, placing your flowers in the fridge will actually reduce the vase-life of your flowers. Your kitchen fridge is full of food that is slowly decomposing and releasing gases. These gases can start decomposition in your flowers. Floral coolers are cleaned regularly, and buckets are disinfected to reduce that gas build up and keep your flowers fresh.
You Can Perk Up Droopy Roses.
Have you ever had a cut rose droop over, Beauty and the Beast style? This is caused by air bubbles trapped in the stem. This typically happens when the rose is kept out of water too long or when they are stripped of their thorns and leaves. Injuries to the stem can allow air into the stem before it can heal leading to droopy rose heads.
To revive your rose, simply fill your sink with water and float the rose in water, allowing it to take up water. Your rose head should perk back up.
Pull Bad Stems Out.
Each flower has a different expected vase life. If one type of flower in the arrangement starts to droop and fade, consider pulling them out. A balanced arrangement will still often look good even if some flowers are removed. Faded flowers will begin to decompose and mold, compromising the vase life of the rest of the arrangement. Removing them will not only improve the look of your arrangement, but will also extend the life of your remaining flowers.
Using these tips will get you the best bang for your buck when it comes to your fresh flowers.
The Florist at Colonial Gardens has been serving the Phoenixville area for over 40 years with quality fresh-flowers for every occasion. We deliver to the Phoenixville, Pottstown, Collegeville, Limerick, Oaks, Royersford, and Spring City area. Check out our website at shopcolonialgardenspa.com to get flowers delivered today.
