Preserve the beauty of your floral arrangements
Floral arrangements can beautify any room in a house. Gazing at a big, bright bouquet can be uplifting and encouraging. No matter what the occasion for the flowers, you want them to last as long as possible. Here are some tips on what you can do to get the most life out of your floral arrangement.
Fresh-cut Flower Care
The life expectancy of fresh-cut flowers varies depending on how healthy they were at the time of purchase and how they are stored and cared for after they are brought home. If cared for correctly, the blooms can last a week or longer after the flowers are cut.
Fresh-cut flower care instructions.
Choose healthy flowers
Make sure the stems are green and crisp, not slimy and soft. Look for and avoid dead leaves, broken stems, and drooping petals/buds. Make sure the water they are in is fresh and has not been sitting there for days collecting bacteria and fungus.
Re-cut the flower stems
Prior to putting the flowers in water, cut the ends and remove any leaves that will be below the water line. Using clean cutting tools cut about one inch off the bottom of the stem. Cutting the ends allows them to freshly hydrate. Also, if there is a plastic water feeding tube on the stems, remove the tube before storing them in water.
Hydrate daily
Besides the preservatives, keeping fresh water in the vase is the number one factor when it comes to the life span of cut flowers. Continue to hydrate your arrangement by changing the water and making fresh cuts on the stems everyday.
Note: Never use hot water because this strips the blooms of their color.
Feed the flowers
Floral preservatives provide flowers with food and water, as well as fight potential bacteria growth with various disinfectants. It is important to use these "flower foods" to support and extend the life of your fresh cut flowers. There are many recipes that can be found allowing people to make their own preservatives. Whether you are taking advantage of the neat little packets that your florist provides, or making your own concoction, don’t forget the flower food!
Place flowers in a cool temperature area
Store arrangements out of direct sunlight; keep cut flowers cool until you get them in water; avoid leaving arrangements in drafty areas because the air flow speeds up the aging process; do not store flowers near ripe fruit because this will "ripen" your flowers; and last but not least, give them attention- rearrange flowers, make cuts daily, and replenish the water daily.
Long lasting fresh-cut flowers (can last a week or longer when cared for properly)
Alstroemeria
Despite the confusing name, they are actually a quite popular flower. Common colors: pink, orange, purple, yellow, white.
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Alstromeria Carnations
Carnations are very reliable flowers because they are available in almost any color and require little special care.
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Carnations Delphinium
These have tall stems with nice, round petals in vibrant shades of blue and purple.
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Delphinium Lilies
Choose lillies with buds that are slightly open. Remove anthers to prevent pollen from staining clothing. Lillies are available in white, pink, yellow, orange, red, and purple.
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Lilies Roses
Roses are a classic, unfailing choice with thousands of varieties and colors.
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Roses Sunflowers
Sunflowers are usually available towards the end of summer. Make sure to use a tall, supportive vase. Available in yellow, orange and even pink.
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Sunflowers Silk Flower Care
Silk flowers are great because they last forever; they are durable and can be cleaned when necessary. Depending on the quality, silk arrangements can look quite real, and bring as much elegance to a room as fresh-cut flowers. Silk flowers are both useful and vital when dealing with allergies or sensitivities.
- Display
Keep your beautiful silk arrangements displayed indoors, out of direct sunlight so the colors do not fade. You can place them in water to make them look real, however silk flowers require no watering or feeding. - Cleaning
To clean silk flowers, simply remove heads from stems. Wash in warm water using a mild soap solution. Rinse and lay on a towel to dry. Then return the flower heads to the stems once they are dry.
Note: This method is not recommended for all types of silk flowers, and can be damaging to certain types. It is advised that you test this method out on a single flower head first, to ensure it will not damage your silk flowers.
Dried Flower Care
Dried flowers make stunning arrangements, decorative wreaths and floral swags. The dried detail brings the feel of nature to any room or office. Dried arrangements can last a long time; however, they are very fragile and need to be treated with special care and caution.
- Display
The best place to display your dried floral arrangement is indoors. Keep them out of direct light, sunlight, heat or humidity. Also keep them somewhere they will not be bumped or moved too much because the leaves are delicate and can break very easily. - Cleaning
There are different sprays that can be sprayed directly on the flowers. You can also, very carefully, use a blow dryer on ‘cool’ or ‘no heat’ to blow off the dust. One more option is a feather duster, but this is very risky for the dried, brittle leaves. - Storing
Store dried flowers carefully in boxes where they will not be crushed. You may choose to wrap them in something such as newspaper to keep them dry. Do not store the flowers in overly damp or dry areas like basements and attics.
