We have put together a few tips to help with the flower care of gifts of cut flowers and bouquets.
Some flowers will need a little more tender loving care to keep them alive for several days.
When transporting flowers form the florist to home try to have some wet paper in the car to prevent the ends of the stems drying out. Heat and lack of water will shorten the life of flowers considerably.
Always use a sharp knife to remove about 1.5cms of stem before placing in clean water. This will remove the end that has been out of water and if it has become dry will have sealed over making it difficult for the flower to take up water.
Change the water often. Flower water will soon become cloudy and smelly so it is essential to change the water and place more food in it regularly.
Never crush the stems of the flowers. This does not increase the water taken up by the flowers. In some cases it may actually stop it.
Remove all leaves and flowers that will be below the water. These will make the water turn smelly very quickly if left on.
Always cut the stems on a slant to increase the surface area that the water will penetrate.
Flower care for roses is slightly different, but if you follow these tip you should have lovely flowers for several days. Cut roses under water to help stop the air bubble forming just below the head of the flower. Place the roses in warm to hot water as this will also help to stop the heads drooping. If they start to drop after a day or two, place in hot water until they have revived.
Use the flower food provided. When you change the water add some sugar or lemonade to the water. Some flower food provided by the florist may contain bleach so be careful not to get any on the furniture or carpets.
Remove the stamens from lilies with tweezers as they open. This will help to keep the bloom looking fresh and they may last longer. Lily pollen is very difficult to remove from clothes so be very careful with it.
Cut flowers prefer to be kept at low temperatures. If you are going to keep them in a hot room this will shorten their life considerably. Remove to a cool place over night if you are able to.
If you suffer from asthma or hay-fever then pick the flowers that do not have as much pollen such as roses or carnations. Flowers that are highly perfumed tend to be high in pollen.
Do not place daffodils or narcissi in the same vase with other flowers especially tulips as they produce a toxic substance that will seal the ends of the stems of other flowers. Good florists will not mix flowers that give each other problems.
Always purchase daffodils and gladioli that have not been kept in water. The flowers will survive without water for a few days until you require them to open.
We have used the above flower care suggestions very successfully, especially when keeping roses for any length of time. We hope they work for you just as well.
