Cut Flower Care Advice
Cut flowers
To ensure that cut flowers last as long as possible it is important to follow some basic rules. In general:
- Use a good quality flower food. Good flower foods are care balanced to help the flowers open and last as long as possible whilst preventing a build up of bacteria in the water. Do not be tempted to use homemade foods as these invariably cause as many problems as they cure. Most florists (including us) will sell sachets of flower food if you run out. If you can't get a commercial flower food, then the best thing is just to use fresh water and change it every other day.
- Remove any foliage that is below the water line. Foliage in the water will begin to break down and rot, promoting bacteria growth in the water, which in turn starts to block the cells which take up water in the flower stems.
- Cut the stems at a sharp angle when you first receive them taking 2-3cm off the length. This ensures a fresh surface for the stems to drink through, as plant wounds tend to seal over within a few minutes in air.
- Change the water at least once a week, more often if it starts to get cloudy or a bit pungent. When the water goes cloudy, it is a sign that bacteria are building up in the water. Recut the stems at a sharp angle when you change the water, taking 1-2cm off the length.
- Remove any faded flowers and stems. No only do they not look good, old stems will start to rot and cause bacteria build up. Removing faded blooms will also encourage remaining buds to open.
- Keep the flowers in a cool location away from direct sunlight. Heat and sunlight will encourage the stems to flower fast and go over, whilst keeping them cool will help slow the rate of flowering and keep your display looking great for longer.
- Keep the flowers away from sources of ethylene gas. Ethylene causes flowers to go over more quickly so should be avoided as far as possible. Sources in the domestic setting include ripe fruit (particularly bananas), cigarette smoke and traffic fumes if you live near a main road.
Arrangements
Flower arrangements in floral foam are similar to cut flowers in many ways. If you receive an arrangement all you need to do is to top it up regularly (every 1-2 days) with water and remove faded blooms. If you make your own, ensure that the foam is well soaked before you start and that stems are freshly cut at a sharp angle before insertion into the foam.
