CARING FOR YOUR CUT FLOWERS
To ensure long-lasting, beautiful cut flowers, some care is required once you have received them. There are several types of ways that you can receive flowers. The following gives you the tips necessary to keep your flowers healthy. The most important thing that you can do is to use cut flower food. It can be homemade (see Flower Solution Recipe below), or it can come from a manufacturer, like FloraLife Express Flower Food, the most environmentally friendly flower food on the market. We include a packet with every flower order.
Flower arrangements in substrate – we use rockwool, chicken wire, tape and/or sphagnum moss to hold your flowers in place in the container.
Flower arrangements in vases – we use tape and/or greenery to hold your flowers in place in the vase.
Loose Flowers with water tubes – we use Olms sugarcane-based water tubes or naturally derived cellophane to keep your flowers hydrated.
Loose Flowers without water picks – no hydration is provided; this option requires immediate flower end cutting and hydration when received.
Hydrated cut flowers require a freshwater change with flower food every 2 days to stay as optimally maintained as possible.
In addition, there are several flower species that should receive extra care:
- Roses – When trimming, the stem ends need to be submerged in water and placed immediately in water that has been treated with floral solution. They also do best to have their stems trimmed at a 45° angle every few days, as well. If they are not opening very nicely, try using warm water. Don’t hesitate to call 717-279-1585 if this does not do the trick.
- Tulips – They continue to grow once cut! So, it’s advantageous to trim the stems to the desired length to keep them from appearing “leggy”.
- Lilys – Beautiful flowers that have messy anthers; the part where the pollen comes out. It’s helpful to just go ahead and remove any that you see to keep the areas in and around the flowers clean. Pollen is waxy, so clean-up requires soap and water or isopropyl alcohol (can only be used on some surfaces).
FLOWER SOLUTION RECIPE
Flower Solution helps preserve and feed cut flowers. All cut flowers need to be in Flower Solution.
This recipe is per QUART of water:
- 2 Tbsp White Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Bleach
This recipe is per GALLON of water:
- ½ Cup (8 Tbsp) White Vinegar
- ½ Cup Sugar (8 Tbsp) Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Bleach
