CUT FLOWER CARE
All fresh flowers and foliage gain their nourishment from the soil. Although obvious it must be remembered that when cut they will need special treatment and care to keep them vibrant and long lasting.
Most flowers collected from a florist will either be loose or in their own strong bag of water. Either way it is important to follow the same basic procedures as soon as possible.
1 Fill a clean vase approximately ¾ full of clean water.
2 Remove from the flower stem any dead flowers, and leaves which may go beneath the water. This will reduce bacteria which will shorten the shelve life of the flowers.
3 If your florist gave you a flower food sachet follow the instructions, mixing it in the water.
Before putting your flowers into the water remember that all types of flowers are treated differently. This is usually down to the type of flower stem: whether it is hard or soft.
Soft Flower Stems
The most common are daffodils, tulips, freesias and lilies. To keep these flowers fresh cut off a small amount. Use sharp scissors- special florist scissors are ideal. Cut at a slight angel to maximise water intake. Do this whenever you change the water, say every 48 hours.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT LILIES
- The pollen on the stamens can stain skin and clothing. More importantly it is fatal to cats. Cut out the stamens and dispose of safely.Hard Stemmed Flowers.
This covers mainly roses and carnations.
When working with roses it is best to remove sharp thorns, ETC ...To prolong their vase life, use a heavy implement to crush the end of the stems. It is also suggested using an aspirin in the water. Repeat this when you change the water. For carnations cut the stems at an angle with a sharp knife. Cut just above the knuckle on the stem. Use cut flower food to prolong life.
Wedding Flowers
Most wedding flowers will be removed from the water and arranged into a bridal bouquet using a bouquet holder or arranged into a floral display using flower foam. There an infinite number of both types on this site. We have special page on using flower foam, please go to Flower Arranging Basics, where there are lots of tips on using all of the floral accessories.
You will want your flowers to be fresh and vibrant all day. Chyrsal Glory is strongly recommended. It will enhance colours, prevents browning, and maintains flower quality up to 50% longer than non-treated flowers by reducing moisture loss. It is odourless and stainless so you can spray on to white blooms and it won't stain.
