Cut flower care tips that everyone should know
When you receive a beautiful bouquet, you want to make sure that your blooms last as long as possible. There are few things more disappointing than having your arrangement start to wilt after just a few days. Fortunately, with the help of these cut flower care tips, you can extend the vase life of your cut blooms and enjoy them for that much longer.
Immediate attention
As soon as the bouquet is delivered, you need to take action. Avoid placing them in a vase with water and tending to them only hours later. Cut flower care is important right away because these blooms have been transported by the delivery person and you never know just how they might be feeling after the trip.
Remove packaging
The first thing to remember when it comes to cut flower care is that you need to free up those stems as soon as they arrive. In other words, you need to remove any plastic, paper, twine, rubber, etc. This will loosen up the stems and allow you to tend to each one before arranging your bouquet. While packaging protects the bouquet during transport, it impedes their well-being once they have reached their destination.
Trim stems and leaves
Once you have removed the packaging materials, you can proceed to place the flowers in a bucket or sink of clean water. Take each stem, one at a time, and trim the base. You should cut it at an angle so that it improves water absorption. Once this is done, you can also check the stem and remove any leaves that will end up inside the vase. The less plant material in the vase water, the better. This is because bacteria grows on plant material in the water. Yet another reason why such cut flower care is so important.
Prepare your vase
Next, you will need to ensure that you have a clean vase ready. The style and size of the vase will depend on the bouquet. Placing your flowers in the right vase is very important. The vase should be taller for longer stems or shorter for shorter stems. Do not force the entire bouquet into the vase if it will not fit. Instead, you should use a larger vase or split the bouquet in two. If you have any damaged stems, you can trim them very short and display them in smaller holders like teacups.
Regular care
Another important cut flower care tip to remember is that regular care is essential. Once you have put your bouquet on display, you will need to check on it regularly. Make sure that the water level does not get too low and make sure that you replace the water every couple of days. While you’re at it, trim the stems once again whenever changing the vase water to keep bacterial growth at bay.
These are some of the most important cut flower care tips that everyone should follow. Remember, it is also important that you display your blooms in the right spot. You want to keep them out of the sun, away from sources of heat, out of the wind and out of reach of little ones and pets. By following these simple guidelines, you will get so much more out of your next bouquet.