Caring for Flowers
Caring for your flowers takes little time and extends the life of your flower arrangements.
Don’t simply take your flowers home and plop them in a vase. They’ll last days longer if you give them a little extra care.
Use clean vases or containers to prevent any bacteria from ruining the quality of the flowers.
Remove all of the leaves that would be under water while in thee vase to prevent them from rotting and creating bacteria that will shorten the life of your arrangement.
Always add the cut flower food supplied to you by your florist to the water.
Cut at least a half-inch off each stem using a sharp knife or scissors. Cut at an angle so stems touching the container still can draw water. Try not to "saw" the flowers; make a clean cut.
Do not display flowers near fresh fruit. Fruit emits ethylene gas which is harmful to flowers and can kill them prematurely.
Every few days (3-4) remove the flowers, and remove any wilting flowers or foliage. Cut stems by 1-2cm and replace in fresh lukewarm water, and add new flower food.
Spray your floral arrangement with clear water once or twice a day to create a humid atmosphere around the flowers.
For a maximum life span the best place for your flowers is in a cool room if possible. And, never place your flower arrangement in full sun or near heating or air conditioning vents. This causes flowers to wilt quickly due to lost of excess water.
If your flowers do not come in a vase, use a container that is in proportion to the amount of flowers you have. Too small of a container for the flowers doesn’t hold enough water, and they may dry out too quickly.
Special tips for roses, lilies and tulips
ROSES
If your bouquet includes roses, remove the outer "guard" petals. These are the 2 or 3 petals in the outer most layer.
LILIES
If your flower arrangement includes lilies, you'll need to take care of the stamens. The stamens are the long yellow parts inside the flower. Once the lilies are open the yellow stamen pollen may stain fabric. You can carefully remove the stamens with a tissue after the buds open. If a piece of fabric does get stained, do not rub the stain! Use clear tape to pick the stain up off the fabric.
TULIPS
If tulips are a little droopy, leave the clear sleeve around the tulips for the first 12 hours in water to help them stand up straight
