Christmas flower care to help them last
When you order or receive a Christmas flower arrangement as a gift, you want to make sure that it lasts as long as possible. Preferably, it should last from just before Christmas until the New Year. Of course, this means that you will need to tend to your bouquet as soon as it arrives and you will need to continue to care for it until it eventually perishes. Here are some essential steps to follow in order to extend the lifespan of your cut flower arrangement.
Cut the flower stems
The very first step you need to take is to trim the stems of your Christmas flower bouquet. Trim each stem at an angle so that they have a larger surface area from which to absorb water and nutrients. While your florist would have cut the stems while arranging the bouquet, a fresh surface will do them good.
Remove lower leaves
It’s important to ensure that you limit the amount of plant material that ends up in the vase water. This is because plant material in the vase water will result in an increased rate of bacterial growth which will cause your Christmas flower arrangement to perish sooner rather than later. Remove any leaves that will end up in the vase but leave the rest so that your bouquet maintains its full appearance.
Avoid overfilling the vase
While you might be inclined to fill your vase with water, you should avoid this common mistake. Only the bases of the stems can absorb water so you only need to fill the vase to the one third or halfway mark at the most. Of course, this means that you will need to monitor the water level in your vase regularly in order to ensure that it does not drop too low.
Add flower food
When your Christmas flower arrangement is delivered, your florist will include a package of flower preservative. Make sure that this solution is added and properly dissolved in your vase water. Not only will it provide your flowers will nutrients, but it will also help slow the growth of bacteria in the vase water.
Display in a safe spot
Once your Christmas flower bouquet is ready to be displayed, you will need to pick the perfect spot Make sure that your arrangement is not displayed near any sources of heat and keep it out of windy areas too. You should avoid placing the vase near a window too. If your flowers touch the cold window, it can cause them to perish prematurely too.
Remove flowers or foliage as it wilts
Keep an eye on your bouquet and be on the lookout for wilting flowers or foliage. As soon as they start to perish, they should be removed so that they do not cause the rest of the bouquet to wilt along with them. While you’re at it, you should also check the quality of the vase water. If it becomes cloudy, you should empty the vase and fill it with fresh water right away.
By following these easy steps, you can help your Christmas flower display look its best for well over a week. If you find that several flowers have started to perish, you might need to move the bouquet to a smaller vase so that it does not look too bare.