Apr
27
2009
There are few things as beautiful as a flower in bloom. The trouble is keeping the flower looking its best after the stem has been cut. If you notice that your flowers have been decaying after only a couple of days, there may be some things that you can do to help make sure they live longer.
You won’t know how long a flower has been in storage, how old it is, or when it was arranged into a presentation unless you ask. Inquire with your florist about these things so you yourself have an idea of how long you can expect the flower to live under good terms. If you’re lucky, you may even find a florist who is able to guarantee the flower for a special amount of time.
Even if you have just obtained the flowers, you will need to cut the stems immediately. This will allow water to get to the flower via the stem. Make sure you make the cut at an angle, typically a fairly wide one, so that you are able to create as much surface area as possible on the flower stem. The end result should look like the stem comes to a sharp point.
Flowers can easily obtain a bacteria infection if you aren’t careful. Before using the vase you have stored for the flower, clean it out and rinse it thorougly. Also try to make sure that any leaves the flower may have do not dip below the water line, so the water won’t be tainted with contaminants. Bacterial infections will leave a flower lasting only days if not prevented.
The very vase you use can also impact how long your flowers live. The proper vase will be tall enough to cover three or four inches of the flower stem with water. The vase should also be clean before usage, and rinsed out well if you have used soap to clean it. You may also need to trim the flowers if the base doesn’t seem to be big enough to allow each flower its own space.
Keep your flowers away from anything that would harm them. Some florists may dye flowers to make them festive for events such as Valentine’s Day. Although this is creative and nice, it will also lower the life expectancy of the flower more often than not. Some bouquets may also mutilate flowers to appear a certain way- which will also drastically decrease the amount of time you can expect your flower to live.
Closing Comments
Florists should have some good information on how to handle your flowers if you aren’t sure on how to go about caring for them. Also check out gardening books and resources online for more tips and tricks in flower care- and be sure to pass the tips onto others if you find them helpful.
