Professional Florist Advice on longer lasting flowers, flowers and flower care.

Handy hints to make your flowers last longer.

These are a few handy hints will tell you how to make sure your flowers stay alive much longer. As a general rule, if try and eliminate as many of these external factors as possible, your flowers, and flower arrangements will last much longer.

How can I make my flowers last longer?

Certain varieties of cut flowers last longer than others. Carnations, for example, can remain vibrant for long periods. Roses have a shorter vase life, but are prized for their special and delicate beauty. When buying flowers, be sure to ask your florist how long you should expect your arrangement to last. Whatever variety you choose, a little TLC will go a long way to keep your blooms looking fresh longer. Here is some information to help you add days to their beauty!

Essentials for your flowers.

Keep them in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit; 18 to 22 degrees Celsius), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, direct drafts from a ceiling fans, and the tops of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, causing flowers to dehydrate.)

When your flowers arrive in wet foam.

Boxed flower arrangements and Flower Gift Baskets.

Keep the floral foam soaked in water containing floral food provided by your florist. Be sure to water every other day. Keep gerberas,lillies,lisianthus,tulips and roses out of direct sunlight and avoid moving flower arrangement too much.

When your flowers are arranged in water.

Fresh flower bouquets.

Keep the vase filled with water containing floral food provided by your florist. Be sure to follow the directions on the package. If the solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely. To assist the flowers to drink in water, you should cut the stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. (Leaves in water will promote bacterial growth that can harm the flowers and shorten their flower life.)

When your flowers have woody stems and branches.

(such as Quince, Forsythia, or Lilac and natives)

Cut the stem with sharp pruning shears. Place in warm water containing fresh floral food to promote flower opening.

Crushing or splitting of flower stems . Recent tests have shown that this method generally does not work. And causes damage to the tiny tube-like vessels in the stems, blocking the flow of water up to the flower heads, and leads to a faster discoloration of the vase water

What is floral food and why use it?

Floral food is a combination of additives that help to nourish the flowers and discourage bacteria from growing in the water. It is one of the best—and easiest—ways to extend the life of your flowers. It is very important to follow the directions on the package correctly. Improperly mixed floral food can do more harm than good.

Hot weather flower care.

When flowers are exposed to heat, they respire at a greater rate than at lower temperatures. Respiration is basically what causes ageing in most living organisms. Flowers have high rates of respiration, making them one of the most perishable of all agricultural crops. The cooler the room or location they are displayed, the longer they will last.

Cold conditions below 4 degrees Celsius.

Conversely, actual internal flower cells can easily become damaged if subjected to very low temperatures. Flowers grown in tropical areas, such as Orchids and Anthuriums, are particularly susceptible to low temperature damage. Never put your flowers in a freezer or anywhere that is draughty positions are also unfavourable spots to locate your flowers. The "petals tend to dry out" and respire more quickly in these areas. A corner position is preferable and you should avoid placing flowers in hallways or near open doors.

Direct sunlight for cut flowers can be harmful.

Flowers which are subjected to direct sunlight can easily become overheated, resulting in an increased rate of "respiration" and the drying out of petals etc, leading to reduced vase life.

Air conditioning and fresh flowers.

It has been noted that usually with air conditioning (especially in large offices or stores), fresh flowers tend to dry out very quickly. This is particularly the case with flowers that have large, exposed petals.

Glass vase of flowers.

When flowers are arranged in a vase, some of the flower heads will naturally die before others. It is a good idea to remove these heads quickly, because if left on the stems, they not only look unsightly, but will often give off small amounts of ethylene gas, which will diminish the life of any remaining flowers.

When do I change water for my cut flowers?

Dirty water provides a perfect breeding ground for microscopic bacteria to breed rapidly. These bacteria attach themselves to the stem ends and block the flow of water up to the flower heads. You should always change the vase water regularly or use a good cut flower food which will decrease the rate at which these bacteria breed.

Metal containers.

Metal containers can cause reactions with many flower preservatives. This can lead to the preservative being far less effective in solution.

Melbourne city florist aims to assist our customers and provide valuable information on how to keep their flower gifts preserved for as long as possible. We aim to show our consumers that we are a real company with our own florists who will be happy to answer questions on flower maintenance.

We hope you have found the above information to be helpful. If you have any further questions please contact us via internet, or free phone call on 1300 769 211 or fax 0396022444