Bouquets are beautiful, but the reality is, they aren’t potted plants – eventually they will dry out. But that doesn’t mean it has to happen the day after they arrive! If you want to keep your flowers looking fresh for as long as possible, follow these six tips from the team at Cherrywood Florist.
Use flower food
We send our flowers out to their new homes with a packet of plant food, and this tiny little sachet is incredibly valuable. Flower food has all the ingredients necessary to slow the growth of fungi and bacteria in order to keep flowers at their freshest. Use them best by following the instructions on the pack.
Cut the stems
We’ve already trimmed the bottoms of your blooms, but the travels your fresh flowers have taken will likely leave the edges a little worse for wear. Slice your flowers’ stems with a sharp knife (don’t use scissors!) at a diagonal angle a few centimetres from the bottom. This helps them better soak up water, which brings us to the next point…
Place flowers in a vase and replace the water
As soon as possible, remove the bouquet from the packaging and put them into a clean vase with water straightaway. Flowers need water to stay hydrated and healthy, even once they have been plucked from the earth. It’s a good idea to replace the water in your flower’s vase daily, and certainly refresh it if the water starts to look cloudy.
Remove your roses’ guard petals
If your floral arrangement includes roses, you may notice that some of the petals on the outside of the flower look bruised or ripped. This is good news – these hardy leaves are called guard petals and they are there to protect the gorgeous inner petals. Once home safely in their new vase, you can carefully pick away these guardians by gently pulling them from their base and enjoy the beautiful petals within.
Remove dead stems
Not all flowers will wilt at the same rate, but much like a bad banana, one sad-looking stem can quickly catch. If you notice one or two florals are dried out and dying, you don’t need to throw the whole arrangement away: just remove the wilted ones and the others will keep for longer.
Choose an ideal location
Where you decide to display your flowers will affect how long they last. Of course, the priority is to put them somewhere they will be seen and appreciated, but bear in mind that heat and UV rays can damage the flowers, so try to find a spot that isn’t in direct sunlight and not too close to heaters or fireplaces. Fast flowing air can also hurt, so keep them away from fans or heat pump vents.
With just a few simple tips, your beautiful blooms can bring joy and comfort for several days. For flowers delivered across Tauranga, Mt Maunganui and Papamoa, speak to the team at Cherrywood Florist.
