Choosing, conditioning, and caring for cut flowers
Fresh cut flowers are by far the most beautiful form of natural décor anyone can have in their home or office. There are a number of types of flowers as well as various colours to choose from. So, no matter the occasion, your local florist is sure to have a number of amazing floral options. When you buy flowers, it’s important to understand the three Cs (Choose, Condition, and Care) before you fork out your hard-earned cash. These three points will ensure that you get the most for your money.
Choose
When choosing fresh flowers, there are some important guidelines to always remember. The first is that you need to look for the freshest blooms you can find. Flowers that are fully opened won’t last as long as you might like. Those that are tightly shut might never open. You should look for flowers that are partially opened so that they will eventually open completely but they will also last as long as possible.
It’s also important to make sure that the flowers and stems are not damaged in any way. Damage to any part of the flower will shorten its lifespan. If you are buying flowers online, you won’t be able to inspect them personally. You can, however, check their website to make sure that they offer some kind of satisfaction or quality guarantee. This way, if you are not happy with your flower order, you will be compensated accordingly.
Condition
To condition flowers is to prepare them for display. Proper conditioning ensures that your flowers last as long as possible and that they respond to the care that you will provide over the following days or weeks.
The first thing you will need to do is trim the stems. Do so at al angle so that they can absorb plenty of water and so that they don’t rest flat against the base of the vase. By trimming the stems under water, you reduce the changes of air entering the stem. Think of the stem like a tube. It sucks up water but it can also suck up air if you don’t submerge the ends in water when you trim them. Once the flower is trimmed, you should remove any lower leaves and place it in a vase of fresh water immediately.
Some flowers, like roses, benefit from having the guard petals removed. Guard petals are the tough outer petals of the flower. Their role is to protect the flower while it’s in bud form. Once the flower starts to open, they no longer serve a purpose and they can actually make it difficult for the flower to open completely. Gently remove these guard petals to reveal the perfection beneath.
Don’t forget to add some floral preserve to the vase water. These preserve packages contain nutrients for the flowers as well as other elements to slow down bacterial growth in the water.
Care
Finally, you also need to make sure that you care for your flowers on a daily basis. Place the vase in a safe place, away from any direct sunlight, heaters, fans, air conditioners, and drafts.
Inspect your flowers every day and, if you notice that any of them are starting to wilt or decay, remove the affected flower or foliage immediately. Once one stem starts to degrade, it can accelerate the decay process in the surrounding flowers and leaves if left unchecked.
Change the water every couple of days and remember that you don’t need to fill the vase to the brim or this will encourage more bacterial growth. When you change the vase water, inspect the stems and trim them again if need be. If you notice that the bottom of the stems have a slimy texture, then you know that bacterial growth is present and trimming is essential.
Make sure that you keep your flowers at the right temperature. Don’t let them get too hot or cold since this will determine how long they last. If you are looking for flowers that will last long or at least a reasonable amount of time, consider buying carnations, roses, chrysanthemums, or orchids.