Fresh Flower Care
Taking a few simple steps for proper care of your flower arrangement can more than double the viewing life of your cut flowers.
Water
The first and most obvious step is to get your flowers into water as soon as possible. Flowers are often refrigerated in floral shops, making them go dormant and extending their life. Once they warm up to room temperature, the flowers will become very "thirsty." Roses are especially notorious for high water use. Whether you have a vase or an arrangement in floral foam, keep your flowers watered everyday.
Food
The use of flower food is also key to extending the life of your fresh flowers. Flower food contains three key parts: a bleaching agent that kills bacteria that can cause decay, a sugar component to feed the blooms, and an acid to raise the pH of the water to a level beneficial for flowers. If you don't have any flower food, dropping an aspirin tablet in the water will also raise the pH.
Stems
If you have the time and a sharp knife, re-cutting the stems of the flowers will also add to the life of your arrangement. When pruning the stems make the cut approximately one to two inches above the original cut. It's very important to use a knife with a sharp edge because a dull knife might damage the stem and lead to shortened flower life. Make the cut on an angle and underwater in a sink or dish if possible. Cutting on an angle will make sure that water than enter the base of the stem. Cutting the stem underwater will decrease the chance of air pockets occurring in the flower stem. Air pockets can block the absorbtion of liquid and kill the flower. Removing any leaves on the stems that are below the waterline will also add to the life of your arrangement.
Location
Keeping flowers in a cool spot will add days to the life of your flowers. It's best to keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources such as furnace vents, radiators, or the top of a television. Keep your flowers away from fans if possible to avoid dehydration. Close proximity to ripe fruit or cigarette smoke can also be detrimental to flowers as both create gases harmful to the blooms.
All of the above recommendations will help you get a lot more value out of your gift of flowers
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