Keeping cut flowers happy in winter

Fresh flowers require the same level of care regardless of the weather conditions. In the summer, you might use more fans and air conditioners to keep your home cool while the opposite is true in winter when your heater becomes your best friend. If you want your fresh bouquet to grace your home with its beauty for as long as possible during the winter, here are some essential tips:

 

Temperature

There are very few flowers in season during the icy grip of winter. Therefore, the flowers that are available are usually either imported or cultivated in greenhouses. Either way, they come from warmer conditions and your home should also be warm enough to keep the flowers happy.

That said, it’s not a good idea to keep your bouquet in the hottest room of your house! Don’t place the vase too close to any source of heat (such as heaters, fireplaces, etc).

 

Windows

The coldest part of your home is bound to be the glass of your windows. If you do display your flowers near a window, make sure that none of the flowers or foliage touches the glass. Contact with the cold can cause the flower to perish almost overnight and the dying plant material can cause the other flowers and leaves to die faster too.

 

Water

All cut flowers need water and room temperature water is usually best. There are some kinds of flowers that prefer cold water but these are limited to those grown from bulbs. In the winter, you will notice how the water from your tap is colder than it is in the summer. Feel free to warm the water up a little so that you don’t shock the stems when changing the vase water.

 

Maintenance

Regardless of the time of year, you will still need to change the water regularly, clean the vase, trim the stems at a angle, and remove dead or dying plant material from the vase as soon as you notice it. Remember to always follow your florist’s instructions with regards to flower care. This will ensure that you always get the most out of every stem!