Flowers can be a great way to welcome spring into your home, make a wonderful gift and can fill a home with a pleasant aroma, and take the aesthetic of a space to new heights. Whether you are looking for affordable flowers for a friend or an arrangement for your wedding, a local or online florist is a great place to visit.
While they may be able to help you find the right flower for a loved one or help you decide which flowers to plant together, florists are also wizards when it comes to keeping flowers alive and in good shape.
In addition, they may offer you other services such as calgary gift basket.
Thankfully, the tips and tricks they use aren’t a secret. With that in mind, this guide is going to take you through some great ways to keep your flowers alive.
Keep Them Snipped
Snipping your flowers before putting them in water, even if they have already been cut by the florist is a good idea. The reason for this is because when flowers are out of water, air is drawn into the stems that can actually block future water absorption and hurt how long they will live.
So unless you put flowers you buy in water right away, it is a good practice to cut them as soon as you get home. Soon after you snip the flowers, put them in water so that the stems aren’t able to absorb too much air and dry out. As far as how much you should cut them, generally about half an inch is fine.
Water Intelligently
As you likely know, water is one of the most important parts of keeping flowers in good shape. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the best way to water flowers, to ensure they can remain alive and well for as long as possible.
In most cases, you want to use room temperature or cool water, as hot water can actually cook the flowers and lead to them dying much quicker. Also, be sure to change the water your flowers live in relatively often, generally every few days. In addition to changing out water, be sure to wash out the vase as dirt and other debris that could harm the flower could be stuck to the sides.
Feed Your Flowers
Flower food is another useful tool that many florists will use to help their flowers flourish. Each florist might have their own unique formula and what they prefer to use, but flower food is often a combination of sugar, acid and then some kind of antibacterial like bleach or even vodka.
These ingredients not only help the flowers absorb water better, but also provide additional nourishment to keep them alive. You can often buy flower food directly from a florist, from a variety of retailers, or you could even create your own.
Using it is also incredibly easy, as all you have to do is mix the flower food in with your water, and then add your flowers. While these can help your flowers stay alive, they are not magic and thus may not save flowers that are already on their last legs.
Pull Off the Extra Leaves
On the stems of most flowers, there will be some extra leaves present. Instead of simply submerging these into the water in your vase, it is a good idea to cut or pull them off. This will help keep the water clear and free from the bacteria that could be on or in those extra leaves.
Also, if a flower has a bunch of extra leaves, some of the energy of the flower will be directed to keeping those leaves alive, when your primary concern is the main bloom of the flower in most cases. This can also help the flowers look much better in the vase and provide additional space for more stems.
Put The Flowers in the Right Location
Where you put the flowers is also important to how well they will survive and thrive. While it can vary from flower to flower, most flowers do best in a spot that is relatively shaded, cool and only gets only indirect sunlight. If they get too much sun or get too hot, it can speed up the deterioration of the blooms.
Also, do your best to keep your flowers away from both fruits and veggies. While you might not know this, fruits and veggies can give off ethylene gas, which can contribute to flowers wilting sooner than they should.
The Right Vase Makes all the Difference
In addition to placement, the vase or container you put flowers in can also play a role in how well they do. You want to ensure that the vase has a large enough opening to allow for each bloom to have it’s own space. If it is too narrow, the stems and blooms can become squished or cramped, which is never a good thing.
On the other hand, too large an opening within your vase will hurt the appearance of the flowers as there will be no shape to the bouquet or arrangement. So you want to find a happy medium. If you are struggling with choosing the right vase, a florist or even an online guide could be able to help you out.
They Use Secret Household Remedies
Last but not least, many florists will use a variety of home remedies to keep their flowers in the best shape possible. This is everything from using hairspray to help petals look fresh for longer, crushed aspirin in the water, and even putting a penny or two in the vase, as the cooper can help stop the production of bacteria.
These unconventional methods might be strange, but they do indeed work. Of course, if you are dealing with potentially harmful chemicals like bleach, be sure to be safe when doing so.
In conclusion, by knowing and using these tricks and tips, you can keep your flowers healthier and thriving like the professionals do.
