The Florist’s 5 best tips for a long lasting floral bouquet!
Have you received a lovely bouquet that you want to last? Creating the best possible conditions with the choice of vase, correct water temperature and freshly cut ends may seem hard, but we have the answers! This article gives you the florist’s 5 best tips to get your bouquet to last longer.
How do I create good conditions for my bouquet?
Always make sure that the vase you have chosen to use is clean. Wash it if it has been standing for some time in order to wash off any dust and bacteria that can lead to impurities in the water. Choose a vase that suits the size of the bouquet, better too big than too small. Pick off any leaves that might end up under water, otherwise they will cause bacteria that are harmful to the flowers. Keep the water clean by changing it every day. If you receive flower nutrient with your bouquet pour it into the water and top up the water as required. Replace the water if it becomes discoloured.
What should the water temperature be?
Previously the recommendation was always that the harder the stems, the warmer the water that was required. New studies have indicated that warm, or lukewarm, water create bacteria in the vase and thereby reduce the water quality. Therefore our new recommendation is always to use cold water, regardless of what type of stems your bouquet has.
Is the cut area important?
Before putting your flowers into the vase the bottoms of the stems should be cut again diagonally. Use a sharp knife to cut the stems; scissors or secateurs crush the vessels and the flowers cannot then take up water. The time out of water probably dried the cut area a little and by cutting it again you help the stem to suck up the oxygen and nutrition from the water. Take the opportunity to cut the stems to the right length for the vase you have selected.
Where should I position the vase with the flowers?
Place the vase with the flowers in a light spot but without direct sunlight, drafts or being too near a hot radiator. Avoid placing the flowers near a fruit bowl or the Christmas tree because they give off ethylene gas which makes the flowers wilt more quickly. Most cut flowers like a temperature around 18–22°C. If you position the flowers somewhere cool at night they will last even better and you can enjoy them for longer.
Good to know – bonus fact!
Have you bought a tied bouquet? Do not remove the tie. The bouquet has been tied in such a way that it has a beautiful shape and each flower will be displayed in the best way. A loosely tied bouquet has a shorter life than a more compactly tied bouquet because the oxygen makes it wilt faster.
When you send flowers through us we want the recipient to enjoy the flowers for as long as possible. Therefore the flowers are sometimes delivered in bud and not fully opened.